Unskilled workers on a major building project. Derived from large numbers of Irish workers who came to England in the mid-1700's to dig out the navigational canals.
by Sean C. L April 26, 2008
by Gregory Jones June 14, 2005
Unlike Itsy Bitsy and Teeny Weeny, Navvy Gravvy doesn't refer to just a small size but to a small amount. A navvy gravy is a very small amount, a little tiny bit, a very fine shaving. In common use within the Royal Dockyards where very small adjustments have to be made, by shipwrights and shipfitters, to customise components in order to get them to fit correctly. Thought to date from around the mid-nineteenth century when many tasks in shipbuilding were still carried out by 'eye', although the origins or the words themselves are not entirely clear, it is still in use today where non-standard sized items have to be adjusted to fit.
As an illustration; if a hole is drilled in a piece of metal to take a bolt, the hole is the correct size but the bolt doesn't fit. The drill is then run through the hole again and the bolt fits. Careful examination may reveal a few grains of metal dust or the tiniest finest curl of swarf removed by the drill, that tiny amount is a navvy gravvy.
As an illustration; if a hole is drilled in a piece of metal to take a bolt, the hole is the correct size but the bolt doesn't fit. The drill is then run through the hole again and the bolt fits. Careful examination may reveal a few grains of metal dust or the tiniest finest curl of swarf removed by the drill, that tiny amount is a navvy gravvy.
by AKACroatalin April 19, 2015
by Sarah Downing March 21, 2006
"-Danny, could you please close some programs on your laptop, it's going to die!
- Oh, thanks for the heads up, sorry you have to live with someone so tech navvy."
- Oh, thanks for the heads up, sorry you have to live with someone so tech navvy."
by DanieKK August 8, 2023
by kxismyzaddy July 22, 2022