Flooey

/ˈfluːi/ adjective

Definition

Broken, ruined, or not working properly (informal expression, often 'go flooey').

Etymology

Origin uncertain; possibly from 'flue' (a duct or pipe) with implication of something going through a chimney and disappearing, or from Yiddish influence. First recorded in American slang around 1920s.

Kelly Says

The phrase 'went flooey' became famous in New Deal-era America; Roosevelt used similar expressions, and the word captures an entire generation's anxiety about things falling apart during the Great Depression.

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