dodgy

If something feels dodgy, it gives you a bad feeling—like it's not quite right or someone isn't being honest. It can describe people, places, things, or situations. You might avoid a dodgy neighborhood late at night, or think a deal sounds too good to be true and is therefore dodgy. The word comes from "dodge" (to avoid or evade), and it started with the idea of someone being slippery or not straightforward. Think of a con artist dodging questions—that's the feeling behind it.

"Dodgy" is a wonderfully versatile and distinctly British (though increasingly used elsewhere!) word with a range of meanings all revolving around a lack of trustworthiness or reliability. Originally stemming from the verb "to dodge"—implying someone is being evasive or skillfully avoiding something like taxes or questions—it evolved to describe anything that feels suspect, unsafe, or even physically malfunctioning.

You might describe a person as dodgy if they seem shifty; for example, "He gave me a dodgy look when I asked about the money." A place can be dodgy if it's known for crime or is generally unpleasant: "I wouldn't walk down that street; it's a bit dodgy after dark." Situations and objects fall under this umbrella too. A dodgy deal is something you should avoid at all costs, while a dodgy knee or a dodgy internet connection refers to something that is unstable and likely to fail when you need it most.

The word carries a strong sense of intuition—a gut feeling that something isn't right, even if you can't pinpoint exactly why. It's more informal than words like "suspicious" or "unreliable" and often implies a degree of risk or potential trouble. While not overtly aggressive, calling something dodgy suggests that caution is needed. So next time you get a bad vibe about a person or a piece of machinery, remember—it might just be dodgy.