Douse the Glim
Put out the candle; also, by extension, to blind a man. Among sailors "to douse a sail" means to lower it in haste.
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dove's dung
In 2 Kings vi, 25, we are told that during the siege of Samaria "there was a great famine . . . and ... an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
dove-tail
A species of regular answer, which fits into the subject, like the contrivance whence it takes its name: Ex. Who owns this? The dovetail is, Not you by your asking.
dove-tart
A pigeon pie. A snake tart is an eel pie.
dovercourt
A noisy assemblage; "all talkers and no hearers, like DOVERCOURT." At Dovercourt, in Essex, a court is annually held; and as the members principally consist of rude fishermen, the irregularity noticed in the proverbial saying frequently prevails. Bramston in his Art of Politics says:—
dowd
A woman’s nightcap.—Devonshire: also an American term; possibly from DOWDY, a slatternly woman.
dowdy
A coarse, vulgar-looking woman.
dowdy up
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
dowlas
A linendraper. DOWLAS is a sort of towelling.
down
Aware of a thing. Knowing it. There is NO DOWN. A cant phrase used by house-breakers to signify that the persons belonging to any house are not on their guard, or that they are fast asleep, and have not heard any noise to alarm them.
down
To be aware of, or awake to, any move—in this meaning, exchangeable with UP; "DOWN upon one’s luck," unfortunate; "DOWN in the mouth," disconsolate; "to be DOWN on one," to treat him harshly or suspiciously, to pounce upon him, or detect his tricks.
down and dirty
Unfair or unscrupulous, using any means to win
down and out
Beaten.
down at heel
Worn out or run down, often financially or socially
down but not out
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
down cellar
in or to the basement
down for the count
completely defeated or unable to continue
down in the chops
Down in the mouth; in a melancholy state; with the mouth drawn down.
down in the dumps
Unhappy.
down in the mouth
Unhappy.
down in the mouth
Out of spirits; dis- heartened. When persons are very sad and low spirited, the corners of the mouth are drawn down. Down in the jib is a nautical phrase of the same meaning.
down on his luck
In ill luck; short of cash and credit. Down on the nail. See NAIL.
down on one's luck
Experiencing a period of bad fortune or misfortune
down on one's luck
Short of cash and credit. He has the luck of the devil, or the devil's own Juck. He is extraordinarily lucky; every- thing he attempts is successful.
down on one's uppers
completely destitute or extremely poor
down the cludgie
to be thrown away or discarded
down the drain
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
down the khazi
Lost or wasted, often due to unfortunate circumstances
down the line
at a future point in time
down the pan
To fail or be wasted completely
down the road
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
down the road, not across the street
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
down the toilet
completely wasted or lost
down the track
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
down the tubes
Completely failed or lost
down to a fine art
To have perfected a skill or activity through practice
down to the ground
An American rendering of the word entirely; as, "that suits me DOWN TO THE GROUND."
down to the short strokes
near the end of a process or project
down to the wire
Until the very last moment or deadline
down under
Australia or New Zealand
down with the kids
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
down with your shot
Your reckoning or quota, your money. See SCOT. As the fund of our pleasure, let us each pay his shot. BEN JONSON.
downer
A sixpence; apparently the Gipsy word, TAWNO, "little one," in course of metamorphosis into the more usual "tanner."
Downing College
A college at Cambridge, founded by the will of Sir George Downing (c. 1684-1749) (a grandson of the Sir George of Downing Street, <?.v.). The college was chartered in 1800, after much litigation. He also founded the chair occupied by the Downing Professor, the Professor of the Laws of England at Cambridge.
Downing Street
A name often given to the heads of the British Government collectively.
Downright Dunstable
Very blunt, plain speaking, straightforward; like the Dunstable road (a part of the Roman Watirag Street), which runs very evenly from London and lias many long, straight stretches. Hence also the phrase Plain as the road to Dunstable. As Shakespeare says, "Plain as way to parish church.
downs
Tothill Fields’ Prison.
downtown
The human genitalia.
downy
Knowing or cunning; "a DOWNY COVE," a knowing or experienced sharper. Literally, a DOWNY person is one who is "DOWN to every move on the board." In Norfolk, however, it means low-spirited, i.e., DOWN in the mouth.
dowry
A lot, a great deal; "DOWRY of parny," lot of rain or water.—See PARNY. Probably from the Gipsy.
dowser
Vulgar pronunciation of DOUCEUR.
dowsers
Men who profess to tell fortunes, and who, by the use of the divining rod, pretend to be able to discover treasure-trove.—Cornish.
doxies
She beggars, wenches, whores.
doxy
The female companion of a tramp or beggar. In the West of England, the women frequently call their little girls DOXIES, in a familiar or endearing sense. Orthodoxy has been described as being a man’s own DOXY, and heterodoxy another man’s DOXY.—Ancient Cant.
drab
Poison.
drab
A nasty, sluttish whore.
drab
A vulgar or low woman.—Shakspeare.
draft on aldgate pump
An old mercantile phrase for a fictitious banknote or fraudulent bill.
drag
To go on the drag; to follow a cart or waggon, in order to rob it. CANT.
drag
A cart of any kind, term generally used to denote any particularly well-appointed turnout, drawn by a pair or four horses, especially at race meetings.
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