floppy, a. and n. colloq.
(ˈflɒpɪ)
[f. flop v. + -y1.]
A. adj.
1. Inclined to flop, having a tendency to flop about. Also fig.
| 1858 Geo. Eliot Scenes Clerical Life, Amos Barton ii, In those days even fashionable caps were large and floppy. 1890 Pall Mall G. 2 Sept. 7/1 A divided skirt..is the clumsiest, floppiest..article that a woman can put on. 1905 D. Sladen Playing Game ix, She's such a young heifer—she's at the floppy sentimental age. |
2. floppy disc (Computing): a small, flexible plastic disc with a magnetic coating used as an inexpensive light-weight storage device of moderate capacity (typically a megabyte or less); this together with its protective envelope.
| 1972 Computer Design May 132/1 Century Data Systems has introduced the CDS-100 ‘floppy disc’ drive, a portable storage device that utilizes a single, removable, disc cartridge as the recording medium. 1977 Sci. Amer. June 57/2 The full system can include dual floppy disks, terminals, plotters, printers and tape cassettes. 1979 Personal Computer World Nov. 12 (Advt.), The basic Apple II Plus can be used on its own (with your TV) or as the basis of a most comprehensive business computer system by adding such items as floppy disc drives and printers. 1984 S. Townsend Growing Pains A. Mole 180 Pandora went round to Brainbox Henderson's house to break the news, but he was out buying floppy discs, so she left a message on his word processor. |
B. ellipt. as n. Computing. A floppy disc.
| 1974 Mod. Data Dec. 38 The floppy disc has captured the DP industry's imagination since its introduction in 1970 as a loader on IBM's 3330 disc system. The floppy, however, was destined for a more visible fate. 1979 Personal Computer World Nov. 48 The review machine..was a 56K RAM, twin floppy system. 1982 Which Computer? June 83/3 Most systems sold with a Winchester disc have a floppy disc for back-up so that the floppies can be taken from the machine for safe-keeping and a permanent record of the data on the hard disc can be kept. 1983 Guardian 24 Nov. 25/4 Even better than floppies are hard or Winchester discs. |
Hence ˈfloppily adv.; ˈfloppiness.
| 1884 St. James's Gaz. 11 Sept. 6/2 An aimless feeble old humbug, he sits floppily on the wrong side of his boat. 1892 Daily News 2 July 6/7 There is now a regrettable tendency to ‘floppiness’ of attire. |