What it means
Short for marvellous, used as a laid-back bit of praise when something’s gone better than expected. You’ll hear it said with a wink, like you’re being dead sincere but not taking yourself too seriously. Works great for a top roast, a tidy plan, or a bargain that’s actually decent. You can even chuck it in a text.
Usage examples
"That roast was proper marv, mate, Yorkshires doing bits and the gravy was banging. I’m having a nap after this, no arguments."
"The weather held all weekend, the food was spot on, honestly the whole trip was marv."
"She fixed the boiler in ten minutes flat, absolute marv, we owe her a proper cup of tea."
"Got the train for once, found a seat, and the pub still had Sunday roasts on. Marv, that."
"You fixed the Wi-Fi and found my keys in one go. Marv. Thought today was fully cursed till you turned up."
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Where it comes from
It’s a clipped form of marvellous, part of that very British habit of shaving longer praise words down into something breezier and less stiff. You hear it as a casual compliment with a cheeky glint, especially when something turns out better than expected and you want to big it up without sounding too grand.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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