Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • A common Anglo-Irish expletive, expressing excitement, surprise, etc.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word arrah.

Examples

  • We know you like Latin with essies impures, (and your liber as they sea) we certney like gurgles love the nargleygargley so, arrah-beejee, tell that old frankay boyuk to bellows upthe tombucky in his tumtum argan and give us a gust of his gushy old.

    Finnegans Wake 2006

  • Molly Vardant, in goodbroomirish, arrah, this place is a proper and his feist a ferial for curdnal communial, so be who would celibrate the holy mystery upon or that the pirigrim from Mainy-lands beatend, the calmleaved hutcaged by that look whose glaum is sure he means bisnisgels to empalmover.

    Finnegans Wake 2006

  • And as I was jogging along in a dream as dozing I was dawdling, arrah, methought broadtone was heard and the creepers and the gliders and flivvers of the earth breath and the dancetongues of the woodfires and the hummers in their ground all vociferated echoating: Shaun!

    Finnegans Wake 2006

  • During our circuit he had displayed a fiery zeal against heresy and schism, by foully abusing every Persian in his path8; and the inopportune introduction of hard words into his prayers made the latter a strange patchwork; as “Ave Maria purissima, — arrah, dont ye be letting the pig at the pot, — sanctissima,” and so forth.

    Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah 2003

  • "But arrah! would ye be thinkin 'that a lot of bog-trottin' counterfeiters'd be havin 'a rale aeroplane?" burst out Andy Flinn, who had up to now been unable to give any expression to his feelings.

    The Banner Boy Scouts Afloat or, the Secret of Cedar Island George A. Warren

  • In origin the name was that of a faithful Irish servant, blundering and inefficient, one of the characters in Sir Robert Howard's comedy, "The Committee" (1665). who hung some candles before a fire to dry, and as they melted, swore, arrah, on my soul, now the more they dry the more they wet.

    Journal of a Lady of Quality; Being the Narrative of a Journey from Scotland to the West Indies, North Carolina, and Portugal, in the Years 1774 to 1776 1920

  • "Wisdom?" cried another voice with a brogue; arrah, and is't wisdom the two geese are gabbling about all this while?

    The Confidence-Man 1857

  • Well, his Holiness was frighted, and the almoner ran out and brought in his Holiness's attendants, and they laid hold of me, but I struggled hard, and said, 'I will not go without my pack; arrah, your Holiness! make them give me back my pack, which Shorsha gave me in Dungarvon times of old;' but my struggles were of no use.

    The Romany Rye a sequel to "Lavengro" George Henry Borrow 1842

  • Well, his Holiness was frighted, and the almoner ran out, and brought in his Holiness's attendants, and they laid hold of me, but I struggled hard, and said, 'I will not go without my pack; arrah, your Holiness! make them give me my pack, which Shorsha gave me in Dungarvon times of old;' but my struggles were of no use.

    The Romany Rye George Henry Borrow 1842

  • It may well be believed, that such an apparition could not be witnessed with gravity, and, accordingly a general titter ran through the room, the whist party still contending about odd tricks and honours, being the only persons insensible to the mirth around them -- "Miss Betty, arrah, Miss Betty," said Nicholas with a sigh that converted the subdued laughter of the guests into a perfect burst of mirth.

    The Confessions of Harry Lorrequer — Volume 1 Charles James Lever 1839

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • "Con gaped. And then he blushed. It was a new sensation; the others couldn't see it in the rain and the murky lamplight, but he felt it most acutely.

    "Arrah," he moaned. "Man, I beg yer pardon. If I'd known ye was Jewish I'd ... I'd...I'd bloody fight for them.""

    The Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman, p 345 of the Dell/Laurel-Leaf paperback

    August 13, 2011