What it means
Means sulky, moody, and acting like the world’s personally offended you. If someone’s being mardy, they’re having a strop, pulling faces, and making it everyone else’s problem. Often you’ll hear it as mardy arse, usually said with a bit of affection when your mate’s overreacting. Works for kids, grown-ups, and anyone who’s gone all huffy over nowt. Not exactly a meltdown, more a proper sulk.
Usage examples
"We only ran out of gravy and he's sat there arms folded like a toddler. Pack it in, lad, you're being proper mardy over nowt."
"He's been mardy all morning just because we ran out of his favourite cereal."
"Don't go all mardy on me, we can watch your film straight after this one finishes."
Where it comes from
It grows from marred, the old sense of a child spoiled soft, indulged until every little upset brings on a sulk. A mardy one is that spoiled mood made flesh, all huffs and pulled faces over the smallest thing, the grown-up version of a toy being taken away.
Other ways to say it
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