Meaning & use
oops-a-daisy
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Meanings
interjectioninformalchild language
Used when someone, especially a small child, has a small accident or almost falls, to make it seem unimportant and friendly.
Grammar: Stands alone as a complete remark; you do not add an object or a clause after it.
Patterns
- Oops a daisy!
- Oops a daisy, are you all right?
Oops a daisy! Let me help you up.
She dropped the spoon and her father laughed: "Oops a daisy!"
Oops a daisy, that was a wobbly step.
interjectioninformalhumorous
Used in a light, joking way when you yourself make a small mistake or drop something.
Grammar: Said by the speaker about their own small mishap; often followed by a short apology.
Patterns
- Oops a daisy, sorry!
- Oops a daisy, my fault.
Oops a daisy, I've knocked over your cup — sorry about that.
Oops a daisy, wrong button. Let me try again.
Common combinations
- say "oops a daisy"
- She says "oops a daisy" every time the baby tumbles over.
- a little "oops a daisy" moment
- Losing my keys again was a little "oops a daisy" moment.
- go "oops a daisy"
- He went "oops a daisy" as the tray slid off the table.
- "Oops a daisy!" she cried
- "Oops a daisy!" she cried as the ball rolled under the car.
- a quick "oops a daisy"
- With a quick "oops a daisy" she caught the falling glass.
Synonyms and how they differ
- oops
- The short, everyday form used on its own in both British and American English; it is far more common and works for adults as well as children.
- uh-oh
- Shows that something has gone wrong and sounds more worried or warning than playful, so it does not comfort a child the way "oops a daisy" does.
- whoops
- A close variant of "oops", slightly more informal and often used about the speaker's own mistake rather than a child's fall.
Word family
Commonly confused: oops-a-daisy or upsy-daisy? oops-a-daisy or lazy?
oops-a-daisy vs upsy-daisy
A different playful expression, said when you lift a small child up; "oops a daisy" is about a small accident or stumble, not about lifting someone.
oops-a-daisy vs lazy
Only the sound is vaguely similar; "lazy" is an adjective meaning unwilling to work, with no connection in meaning.
Practice
Which situation fits the remark "Oops a daisy!" best?
Choose one answer.
"Oops a daisy" is a gentle, playful remark for a small accident, especially one involving a child, so a toddler tripping fits. Announcing bad news or arguing with an officer is far too serious for this light expression, and answering correctly is not a mishap at all.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “oops-a-daisy”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.