civvy street

From civvy (“(informal) civilian”, adjective and noun) + street.[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪvi stɹiːt/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪvi ˌstɹit/

• Audio (GA)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: civ‧vy street

civvy street (uncountable)

1. (chiefly British, military slang) The condition or status of a civilian; civilian life.
   • 1943 November, Desmond Cox, Harold Elton Box (lyrics and music), “It Serves You Right (You Shouldn’t Have Joined)”, in Bell-Bottom George (released 7 February 1944; soundtrack), performed by George Formby:

     You might have been in Civvy Street / Instead of in the fight; / But it serves you right, / You shouldn't have joined [the navy], / It jolly well serves you right.

   • 2002, Sam Smith, Vera and Eddy’s War, Nibley, South Gloucestershire: BeWrite Books, →ISBN:

     In civvy street he had been a bus cleaner.

• Civvy Street

• civilian on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “civvy street”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “civvy street” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.