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Lurgy

Approximate British equivalent of the American playground term cooties, meaning a fictitious, yet highly infectious disease. Unlike cooties, now used by adults to refer to an general undefined infectious malady.

Normally used in the form "the dreaded lurgy".

The term originates from an episode of the 1950s radio comedy "The Goon Show" in which an epidemic of "The Dreaded Lurgi" was said to be about to sweep across Britain. It turned out that the lurgi was in fact a ficitious disease created by brass instrument makers who had claimed that no brass band player had ever died of the lurgi (thereby increasing sales hugely).

"The Goon Show" was an anarchic and surreal radio comedy series that starred Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe. It was written by Spike Milligan and Eric Sykes.
I think I've got the dreaded lurgy.

He's not coming into work today, apparently he's coming down with a lurgy.

I'm not quite sure what's wrong. Just some form of lurgy.

Urgh. You've got the LURGY!
by mammon_the_source August 3, 2009
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lurgy

an illness that is not serious but passes easily from person to person.
My throat is sore and my head hurts. I think I've caught the dreaded lurgy.
by SnowManCymru October 28, 2008
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Related Words

lurgy

Man, I have this really bad stomach lurgy.
by Anonymous July 21, 2003
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Lurgy

I've got the lurgy I caught it from a dinner lady at my school when I was helping lay the chairs out for lunchtime.😭I hate. Having the lurgy
I have the lurgy and I hate it.
by Lurgy March 21, 2017
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Lurgy

Lurgy (sometimes spelt Lurgi) is the British variant of the American Cootie virus and it acts in the same way.
It mostly affects children between 4 and 11.
It's spreads by either touching or in some cases being in the proximity of the opposite gender.
It has been known to pass from others of the same gender due to the child's social status.

Poor and uncool children are highly contagious to both sexes.

It has been noted that there can be some that are more infectious than others usually due to popularity or hygiene.
Symptoms can vary though the most common are:
Rash
Paralysis
Embarrassment
Lips, hands, or eyebrows falling off
Blindness

Social rejection
General Flu like symptoms

Crying

In extreme cases death (usually depends on the popularity of the child who infected the deceased)

Is it unknown exactly how long a child can be infected.

There are some that believe denying is will cure it but very rarely does

Saying "No, you!" Is a more recent remedy that has had some promising results but not always affective

The only real known cure is when the infected's peers forget about them having it.
"Don't go near them! She has the LURGY!"

"You got the Lurgy, You got the Lurgy, You got the Lurgy!"

"I'm sorry Sir, after your sons check up we have found that he is the carrier of the lurgy virus."

"I understand that can be traumatic to hear, so I have arranged a Lurgy specialist to see him this afternoon"
by TheProzacKid November 23, 2021
mugGet the Lurgy mug.

Lurgy

Lurgy (sometimes spelt Lurgi) is the British variant of the American Cootie virus and it acts in the same way.
It mostly affects children between 4 and 11.
It's spreads by either touching or in some cases being in the proximity of the opposite gender.
It has been known to pass from others of the same gender due to the child's social status.

Poor and uncool children are highly contagious to both sexes.

It has been noted that there can be some that are more infectious than others usually due to popularity or hygiene.
Symptoms can vary though the most common are:
Rash
Paralysis
Embarrassment
Lips, hands, or eyebrows falling off
Blindness

Social rejection
General Flu like symptoms

Crying

In extreme cases death (usually depends on the popularity of the child who infected the deceased)

Is it unknown exactly how long a child can be infected.

There are some that believe denying is will cure it but very rarely does

Saying "No, you!" Is a more recent remedy that has had some promising results but not always affective

The only real known cure is when the infected's peers forget about them having it.
"Don't go near them! She has the LURGY!"

"You got the Lurgy, You got the Lurgy, You got the Lurgy!"

"I'm sorry Sir, after your sons check up we have found that he is the carrier of the lurgy virus."

"I understand that can be traumatic to hear, so I have arranged a Lurgy specialist to see him this afternoon"
by TheProzacKid November 23, 2021
mugGet the Lurgy mug.

Lurgy

Somebody says: isn't menopause is a button on a the Tv remote
Responds: Are you and ID10T or something?
Replies: I don't know what that is
Responds: You must have Lurgy.
by 14Words88KFCWatermelon42069 February 21, 2025
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