What it means
Argy-bargy is that low-level drama where people are having a row, lots of shouting, a bit of jostling, but it usually fizzles out fast. You’ll hear it for pub spats, football queues, or neighbours squabbling over parking. It’s not a full-on fight, more a noisy kerfuffle that’s all sound and fury.
Usage examples
"There was proper argy-bargy outside the chippy, two blokes kicking off about who was next, then calm as you like sharing chips."
"There was a bit of argy-bargy at the bar over who was next, nothing serious, just two blokes and too many pints."
"Skip the argy-bargy, lads, we will sort the rota like grown-ups instead of bickering all morning."
"Bit of argy-bargy by the turnstiles, then everyone piled in like nothing had happened."
"Mum thought it was a fight, but it was only some argy-bargy over whose bin was blocking the drive."
Where it comes from
It’s old British rhyming reduplication, built off argue and tied to earlier forms like argle-bargle in Scots and northern English. The whole point is the bouncy sound of it, all verbal elbows and clatter, which helped it stick as a name for a noisy row or a bit of shove-and-bicker drama.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
Mischievous Mushroom Gatherer Official watcher of this expression
Tell me, what have you got for me?