Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) to avoid responsibilities; to ‘get out of’; to give up on.

1865

Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 19/1: In the hopes of finding some means of ‘barneying’ the job, I asked what made him so certain about the apartments. [Ibid.] 87/2: The affair was about being ‘barneyed’ when Yellow Jemmy hinted that if we’d allow Black Bill to be in it, he would do that job as part of his share in the ‘burst’.

2. (Aus./N.Z.) to fight, to argue; also barney over.

1860		Bell’s Life in Sydney 20 Oct. 3/2: [He] honestly admitted after somr barneying that the ‘thimble’ was outward bound on board the Vimiera.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 16 May 14/3: Miller said his wrist was bad, and that they could not ‘barney’ him into a match until he has had a complete rest. Jackson’s backers must be ‘off their head.’.
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 72: Starlight has been barneying with me about sending for you.
1890		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Colonial Reformer II 42: If you go barneying about calves, or counting horses that’s give in, he’ll best ye.
1901		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ In Bad Company 8: That’s the worst of bein’ married, you never can follow your own opinions without a lot of barneyin’ and opposition.
1946		D. Stivens Courtship of Uncle Henry 75: We can hear them barneying away out the back where they lived.
1951		D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 58: They go on barneying for a few minutes. I didn’t say anything because I reckoned it was best to let Ziegler get it off his chest.
1955		N. Pulliam I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 230/1: barney – to argue, to quarrel.
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 293: How they had managed to barney away the sweet evenings of the dying summer he didn’t know. It felt like they’d been fighting forever.
2023		R. Milward Man-Eating Typewriter 18: Please try to refrain from [...] vomiting, ejaculating, parneying, barneying, rioting.

3. (US prison) to travel.

1960

(con. 1950-1960) R.A. Freeman Dict. Inmate Sl. (Walla Walla, WA) 6: Barney – to travel.