Dorcas Society
A woman's circle for making clothing for the poor. So called from Dorcas, in Acts ix, 39, who made "coats and garments" for widows.
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dorian mode
The scale represented by the white keys on a pianoforte, beginning with D. A simple, solemn form of music, the first of the authentic Church modes.
doric dialect
The dialect spoken by the natives of Doris, in Greece. It was broad and hard. Hence, any broad dialect such as that of rustics. Robert Burns's verses are an example of British Doric.
Doric Order
The oldest, strongest, and simplest of the Grecian orders of architecture. The Greek Doric is simpler than the Roman imitation. The former stands on the pavement without fillet or other ornament, and the flutes are not scalloped.
dork
A quirky, silly or stupid, socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends and typically has unfashionable hobbies. (Overlaps conceptually with nerd and geek, but does not imply the same level of intelligence.)
dorko
A dork.
dorkwad
A dork.
dorkweed
dork; idiot
Dormer Window
The window of an attic standing out from the slope of the roof; properly, the window of a bedroom. (O.Fr. aormeor, a dormitory.
dormitive principle
A humorous term for a circular or meaningless explanation
dormitive virtue
A quality or property that is claimed to explain a phenomenon but actually explains nothing
Dos a Dos
Back to back. Two books share three boards between them and open on opposite sides. Popular in the 17th century for binding books in pairs, such as the Old and New Testaments.
dos and don'ts
rules or advice about what to do and what not to do
dose
Three months’ imprisonment with hard labour.
dosh
Money.
doss
A bed. Probably from DOZE, though quite as likely from DORSE, the back. Least likely of all, as any one who knows aught about the surrounding circumstances of those who use the term will admit, is it from the Norman, DOSSEL, a hanging or bed canopy, from which some have professed to derive it.
doss down
To sleep on someone's sofa or floor because there is no bed spare.
dot and carry one
An infant just beginning to toddle; one who limps in walking; a person who has one leg longer than the other.
dot and go one
To waddle: generally applied to persons who have one leg shorter than the other, and who, as the sea phrase is, go upon an uneven keel. Also a jeering appellation for an inferior writing-master, or teacher of arithmetic.
dot the i's and cross the t's
To carefully check and complete all details
Dotheboys Hall
A school in Dickens's Nicfwlas Nickleby where boys were taken m and done for by Mr. Wackford Squeers, a brutish, ignorant, overbearing knave, who starved them and taught them nothing. The ruthless exposure of this kind of "school" led to the closing or reformation of many of them.
Douai Bible
See BIBLE, THE ENGLISH. The English college at Douai was founded by William Allen (afterwards cardinal) in 1568. The Douai Bible translates such words as repentance by the word penance, etc., and the whole contains notes by Roman Catholic divines.
double
To tip any one the double; to run away in his or her debt.
double
"to tip (or give) the DOUBLE," to run away from any person; to double back, turn short round upon one’s pursuers, and so escape, as a hare does.—Sporting.
double back
to return to a previous place or point
double booked
Having two appointments or commitments at the same time
double bookkeeping
Maintaining two sets of financial records, one honest and one fraudulent.
double cross
A CROSS in which a man who has engaged to lose breaks his engagement, and "goes straight" at the last moment. This proceeding is called "doubling" or "putting the double on," and is often productive of much excitement in athletic circles.—See CROSS.
double dealing
Professing one thing and doing another inconsistent with that promise.
double Dutch
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Double Dutch
Gibberish, jargon, of a foreign tongue not understood by the hearer. Dutch is a synonym for foreign; and double implies something excessive, in a twofold degree.
double entendre
An incorrect English version of the French double entente, a word which secretly expresses a rude or coarse covert meaning, generally of an indelicate character. Entendre is the infinitive mood of the French verb, and is never used as a noun.
double in brass
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
double jugg
A man's backside. Cotton's Virgil.
double lines
Ship casualties. So called at Lloyd’s from the manner of entering in books kept for the purpose.
double or quits
The winner stakes his stake, and the loser promises to pay twice the stake if he loses again; but if he wins the second throw his loss is cancelled and no money passes.
double over
to bend forward suddenly due to pain or laughter
double take
An acting trick. It consists in looking away from the person who has addressed a remark to you, and then looking back at him quickly when the purport of the remark sinks in.
double taker
Someone who takes two helpings, especially of food.
double tap
to shoot someone or something twice in quick succession
double-shuffle
A low, shuffling, noisy dance, common amongst costermongers. Sometimes called "cellar flap," from its being danced by the impecunious on the cellar-flaps of public-houses, outside which they must perforce remain.
doublet
A spurious diamond, made up of two smaller stones for pawning or duffing purposes. These articles are cleverly manufactured and excellently set, and a practised eye can alone detect the imposition.—See MOSKENEER.
doubt is the beginning, not the end, of wisdom
Questioning leads to knowledge and understanding
Doubting Castle
The castle of the giant Despair, in which Christian and Hopeful were
doubting Thomas
Someone who refuses to believe without strong evidence
dough
Money.
doughy
A baker.
doughy
A sufficiently obvious nickname for a baker.
douglas
Roby Douglas, with one eye and a stinking breath; the breech. Sea wit.
douse
To put out; "DOUSE that glim," put out that candle. In Norfolk this expression is DOUT, which is clearly for DO OUT. Sometimes DOUSE means to rinse; and sometimes to throw water, clean or dirty, over any one, is to "DOUSE it."
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.
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.
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