Definition of dodgy in English:

adjectivedodgier, dodgiest

• 1British informal Dishonest or unreliable.

  ‘a dodgy second-hand car salesman’

  More example sentences

  • ‘It is here that she meets her second husband or partner, a dodgy, unreliable character.’
  • ‘Cowboy traders and dodgy doorstep salesmen are prowling around, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting or the plain gullible.’
  • ‘Then there's my dodgy car that may not make it there or back to visit anyone…’
  • ‘They protect me on the long road between here and Johannesburg, alone with a small child in a dodgy car that only miracles keep going.’
  • ‘Deposit your cheque in one of these - and don't be conned into buying any financial products by dodgy salesmen and financial advisers!’
  • ‘Car hire companies cannot afford to send out a car with dodgy brakes or a low oil level.’
  • ‘All I need is a cheap tweed coat with leather patches at my elbows and I could be dodgy salesman of the year.’
  • ‘He's not the worst candidate in the field but he has a bit of dodgy salesman about him.’
  • ‘And sadly, this means I have only my dodgy recollection to double check my account with.’
  • ‘In Primorsko in some areas it is now impossible to even see the sea due to a corrupt mayor doing dodgy deals.’
  • ‘If the seller is dodgy, then likely as not, so is the car.’
  • ‘I certainly can't vouch for the source, which looks pretty dodgy to me, but this argues otherwise.’
  • ‘If some business at the margin gets turned away because it is slightly dodgy, then so be it.’
  • ‘After bringing the railways to the city, he fell from grace over dodgy financial dealings.’
  • ‘"I thought there was something dodgy going on," she said.’
  • ‘We have to be alert to the possibility that something dodgy might be happening.’
  • ‘In fact, that is what the dodgy dealers out there are already saying.’
  • ‘I presume the importer is listed on that list of dodgy dealers.’
  • ‘I get vibes from people - if they seem a little bit dodgy, I can usually tell.’
  • ‘When it's time to have work done on a property, many are tempted by cheap deals from dodgy builders.’

  Synonyms

  dishonest, deceitful, not to be trusted, dubious, double-dealing, treacherous, traitorous, two-faced, unfaithful, duplicitous, dishonourable, unprincipled, unscrupulous, corrupt, underhand

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  1. 1.1Potentially dangerous.
     ‘activities like these could be dodgy for your heart’
     More example sentences

     • ‘A nifty footballer and a dab hand at catch and chase, Matthew admitted he thought he was going to lose her after she had an operation for a dodgy heart.’
     • ‘Nothing fazes him, least of all his dodgy heart, which he considers merely a blip on a perfect landscape.’
     • ‘Women who currently work the streets are putting themselves in danger not from the punters although some are dodgy but the pimps who extort these women.’
     • ‘We almost baulked at the dodgy exposed climb needed to reach it.’
     • ‘It was a dodgy existence, sharing more with high-risk adventure sports than gentlemanly pursuits.’
     • ‘According to British Vogue, things got rather dodgy in the mysterious land of Sardinia.’
     • ‘Still, the roads in this country are not very safe at night, and the airport is still a dodgy proposition.’
     Synonyms

     hazardous, perilous, risky, high-risk, fraught with danger, unsafe, uncertain, unpredictable, precarious, insecure, exposed, vulnerable, touch-and-go, chancy, tricky, treacherous

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  2. 1.2Of low quality.
     ‘Spurs' dodgy defence had thrown away a 2-0 lead’
     More example sentences

     • ‘He also evened out dodgy quality by blending wines grown in differing microclimates within Champagne and across both hot and cold vintages.’
     • ‘It's all great stuff, despite the dodgy quality of the audio and video.’
     • ‘In an effort to transcend the dodgy sound quality and high prices of bootlegs, the band has recorded every concert over the past three years.’
     • ‘No, take it as read that United will not win the title this season, that defence is still too dodgy and the goalkeeper doesn't inspire.’
     • ‘If you struggled through my early podcasts with the terrible audio and dodgy sound levels this will bring a sense of nostalgia.’
     • ‘We drank that dodgy cheap wine which is akin to beetroot juice and has negligible alcohol content.’
     • ‘Yes, there is the odd dodgy track and occasional dreadful lyric, but on the whole this album is far better than many would of dreamed possible.’
     • ‘I agree, the pictures are very dodgy.’
     • ‘Is that the dodgy stuff I was using that I meant to throw away and never did - or is it that really good stuff I spooled up last month?’
     • ‘It is a very dodgy user interface but you can't really complain about 250 megs for free.’
     • ‘I affected my dodgy fake Irish accent and got chatting to a group of Canberra Uni students.’
     • ‘Brazil are looking magnificent in attack, if decidedly dodgy at the back.’
     • ‘Selling Hank a dodgy car may come back to haunt you.’
     • ‘The goods on offer included cars, art and dodgy sports memorabilia.’
     • ‘We should of course always make sure that dodgy toys are binned, car seats are safe and secure, matches are well out of reach and knives are not used for juggling.’
     • ‘It was an old double-decker with a real dodgy paint job, as if done by a bunch of kids on day release.’
     • ‘Now I knew an ingredient may be dodgy and no matter how good or bad the meal tasted, I was going to dwell on the fact it was irrevocably, Old Lard.’
     • ‘Going on holiday - flight delays, too many seats on the plane, dodgy food and warm beer, in a word, stress.’
     Synonyms

     second-rate, third-rate, substandard, low-grade, low-quality, cheap

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