• DOVE
n. 1. LME – a person, esp. a woman, for whom one feels tender affection; chiefly in ‘my dove’
n. 2. a1616 – a gentle or innocent person; formerly a simpleton
n. 3. 1962 – in politics: a person who believes in a policy of negotiation and conciliation rather than warfare or confrontation
n. 4. 1986 US sl. – an amount of crack cocaine
• DOVE-EYED
adj. 1717 – having eyes like a dove; meek, gentle, or soft-eyed
• DOVEHOUSE
n. 1523 – a small petty house or place
• DOVELING
n. a1618 – a term of endearment for a small child
• DOVELY
adj. a1400 obs. – dove-like; gentle
• DOVER
n. 1820 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – a light or fitful sleep; a doze
vb. 1. 1553 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. rare – to cause to doze or be unconscious; to stun, to stupefy
vb. 2. 1806 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – to slumber, to be in a state betwixt sleeping and waking; to doze
vb. 3. E19 Sc. – to wander aimlessly or confusedly; to walk unsteadily
• DOVESS
n. a1475 obs. – a female dove
• DOVETAILED
adj. 20C Ireland sl. – married
• DOVEY
n. 1769 – a term of endearment
• DOVIE
n. M18 – a term of endearment
• DOVISH
adj. 1548 – in politics: inclined to advocate negotiation and conciliation
• DOW
vb. 1. a900 obs. – to be good, strong, vigorous, virtuous, valiant, or manly
vb. 2. c950 obs. – to be of use or profit to a person
vb. 3. c1175 obs. – to be valid or of value; to be worth or good for something
vb. 4. a1225 obs. – to be good, fitting, or proper for any one; to become, to befit, to behove
vb. 5. a1400 obs. – to have the strength or ability, to be able to do something
vb. 6. 1481 obs. – to press, to squeeze, to wring
vb. 7. 1502 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – to lose brightness or freshness; to fade, to become dull or musty; to fall into a sleepy state
vb. 8. 1673 now Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – to do well, to thrive, to prosper
• DOWAGE
n. a1552 obs. rare – dower, dowry
• DOWAGER
n. 1870 colloq. – a dignified elderly lady
• DOWD
n. c1330 – a person, usually a woman, of dull unfashionable appearance; a dowdy woman
• DOWDY
adj. 1676 – shabbily, badly, or unattractively dressed
n. 1581 – a woman who is shabbily, badly, or unattractively dressed
• DO-WELL
n. 1. 1362 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – the act of doing well
n. 2. M19 rare – a prosperous person
• DOWEN
adj. c1450 obs. – buried
• DOWER
n. a1398 obs. – a burrow of rabbits or the like
• DOWF
adj. 1. a1522 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – lacking spirit or energy; gloomy; also, slow-witted, stupid
adj. 2. 1721 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – sad, melancholy, out of spirits; also, tedious
adj. 3. 1768 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – of a sound: dull, flat, hollow
adj. 4. 1786 obs. – of an excuse: unconvincing, feeble
adj. 5. 1811 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. rare – of the weather: dull, overcast, hazy
adj. 6. E19 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – of wood: decayed
n. 1. 1722 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – a spiritless, stupid, foolish, or gloomy person
n. 2. 1818 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – a dull blow, typically the result of striking with something soft
vb. 1. 1825 Sc. rare – to be or make dull or sluggish
vb. 2. 1825 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. obs. – to bounce a ball forcibly, esp. so as to land out of reach
vb. 3. 1825 Sc. rare – to hit with something soft; to thump, to punch, to strike
• DOWFART
adj. a1774 Sc. arch. – dull, stupid, foolish; lacking in spirit or courage; ineffectual
n. 1. 1719 Sc. arch. – a dull, foolish, or stupid person
n. 2. 1864 Sc. obs. rare – a dull blow; a punch
• DOWFING BOUT
n. 1825 Sc. obs. rare – a thumping, a beating
• DOWFNESS
n. a1522 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – lack of spirit
• DOWIE
adj. 1507 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – dull and lonely; melancholy, dreary; dismal
• DOWING
adj. c1175 obs. – valiant, virtuous; later, thriving
• DOWLESS
adj. 1788 Sc. – without strength or energy, feeble; infirm
• DOWLY
adj. c1540 N. Eng. dial. – doleful, miserable, gloomy, lonely
adv. c1540 N. Eng. dial. obs. – sadly, dolefully, lamentably
• DOWN
adj. 1. 1610 – depressed, dejected; dispirited
adj. 2. 1625 obs. – downright, absolute, complete
adj. 3. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – ill
adj. 4. 1952 colloq., orig. & chiefly US – smart, well-informed hip; following the latest trends and fashion
adj. 5. 1952 sl., orig. & chiefly US – eager, ready, willing
n. 1. a1000 obs. – a hill, also, a mountain
n. 2. 1523 obs. – a sand dune
n. 3. 1611 obs. – a refrain of a song
n. 4. 1819 sl. obs. – an alert or alarm which causes a criminal to abandon a planned crime; a warning that a crime is about to take place; a suspicion; a suggestion of illegality
n. 5. 1967 drug culture sl., orig. US – a barbiturate; often used in the plural
n. 6. 1863 sl. – the first domino played in a hand
n. 7. 1884 obs. – a train or coach travelling away from the capital or principal terminus
vb. 1. 1780 colloq. – to disparage; to criticize adversely
vb. 2. 1852 colloq. – to consume food
vb. 3. 1869 colloq. – to drink alcohol rapidly
vb. 4. 1904 – in golf: to sink a putt
vb. 5. 1922 sl. – to pass food at a mess table
vb. 6. 1971 Amer. criminals’ sl. – to sell stolen goods at wholesale; to fence
• DOWN AND DIRTY
adj. 1. 1960 – unprincipled, devious, viciously competitive; employing ruthless or aggressive tactics
adj. 2. 1969 – sexually explicit or provocative; raunchy
adj. 3.1977 – lacking finesse, refinement, or polish; direct and explicit; gritty, earthy
adv. 1959 – in a devious and surreptitious manner
• DOWN AND OUT
adj. 1906 – (as ‘down-and-out’) completely without resources or means of livelihood; reduced to destitution or vagrancy
adv. 1. 1894 colloq., orig. US – of a boxer, fighter, etc., who has been knocked to the floor and is unable to continue fighting: ‘out for the count’
adv. 2. 1901 – of a person, country, etc.: completely without resources or means of livelihood; reduced to destitution or vagrancy
adv. 3. 1916 – of a competitor, esp. a sports team: on the verge of defeat; facing certain defeat
n. 1889 Amer. sl. – (as ‘down-and-out’) a person who without money, a job, or a place to live; a homeless or destitute person
vb. 1916 colloq. – to annihilate or defeat
• DOWN-AND-OUTER
n. 1906 Amer. sl. – a person who without money, a job, or a place to live; a homeless or destitute person
• DOWN AT HEEL
adj. 1856 – (as ‘down-at-heel’) characterized by shabbiness, disrepair, neglect, or destitution; having a shabby or run-down appearance
adv. 1736 – so as to be in a poor or shabby condition; in or into a state of disrepair, neglect, or shabbiness
• DOWN-AT-HEELED
adj. 1884 rare – characterized by shabbiness, disrepair, neglect, or destitution; having a shabby or run-down appearance
• DOWNBEAR
vb. a1382 obs. – to bear or carry someone or something downwards; to press or strike down; to cause to sink; also, to oppress, to defeat, to put or bring down
• DOWN-BEARING
adj. 1690 obs. – that bears or brings someone or something down; that descends forcefully upon someone or something; oppressive
n. 1629 obs. – a bearing or bringing someone to something down; suppression; oppression
• DOWNBEAT
adj. 1. 1952 orig. US – depressing, gloomy, subdued, pessimistic, sombre, morose
adj. 2. 1953 orig. US – characterized by understatement or lack of ostentation; muted, restrained
• DOWN BELOW
adv. 1837 euphemism – in the genital region
• DOWNCAST
adj. 1592 – that has been cast down; thrown to the ground; overthrown, ruined
n. a1400 rare – a casting down a person or thing; overthrow, ruin; dejection
vb. 1. c1390 obs. – to overthrow, to depose a ruler, an institution, etc.; to bring down a person or oneself from a position of high standing
vb. 2. c1390 – to drop, throw, or lower something in a downward direction; to demolish a building
vb. 3. 1914 – to bring a person into a state of dejection or low spirits
• THE DOWNCAST
n. 1638 – disadvantaged or dejected people as a class
• DOWNCOME
n. a1522 now chiefly Sc. – descent from a higher place or position; downfall; humiliation; also, a downpour
vb. a1300 rare – to descend from a higher place or position
• DOWNCOMING
adj. 1663 obs. – characterized by falling prices
• DOWNCRY
vb. 1844 – to disparage or belittle a person or thing; to cry down
• DOWNDRAFT
n. 1852 – a depressing economic force or influence; a decline in economic activity or the value of a stock, a market, etc.; a downturn
• DOWN-DRAG
n. 1814 orig. Sc. – a person who or a thing which drags or weighs someone or something down; a depressing influence, a burden
• DOWNDRAUGHT
n. 1. a1681 Sc. rare – a person who or a thing which drags or weighs someone or something down; a depressing influence, a burden
n. 2. 1835 obs., chiefly Sc. – a profligate or extravagant person; a ne’er-do-well
• DOWNDRAW
n. 1. 1813 orig. Sc. – a drawing or pulling someone or something down; lowering, depletion
n . 2. 1874 Sc. rare – oppression, suppression
• DOWN EAST
n. 1. 1817 Amer. dial. – New England, esp. eastern Maine, and the Maritime provinces of Canada
n. 2. 1849 – the eastern part of the United States or the central parts of Canada, esp. Ontario, as regarded by inhabitants of more western parts
• DOWNEASTER
n. 1. a1828 Amer. sl. – a native of Maine, esp. a seaman
n. 2. 1835 Amer. sl. – a vessel from a Maine port
• DOWNER
n. 1. 1819 obs. – a knock-down blow
n. 2. 1859 Amer. sl. – a nickel
n. 3. 1886 colloq., orig. US – a cow or other domestic animal that is unable to stand up, esp. due to illness or injury
n. 4. Bk1903 sl. – sixpence
n. 5. 1964 Amer. sl. – in baseball: a good overhand curve
n. 6. 1965 Amer. drug culture sl. – a depressant drug; a barbiturate
n. 7. 1967 colloq., orig. US. – someone or something that is depressing or unpleasant
n. 8. 1967 Amer. drug culture sl. – a somnolent drug-induced state
n. 9. 1970 colloq., orig. US – a state of depression; a despondent mood
n. 10. 1976 sl. – a downward trend in business or the economy
• DOWNERMORE
adv. 1435 obs. – further down
• DOWNERMOST
adv. c1690 obs., chiefly Sc. – in the lowest position; so as to face down
• DOWNEY
n. 1859 Amer. sl. – a smooth, pleasant talker; a knowing fellow
• DOWNFACE
vb. 1762 orig. & chiefly Irish – to contradict a person; to claim to the contrary that something else is the case; to dispute a remark; also, to contend brazenly or defiantly that something false or improbable is the case
• DOWNFACED
adj. 1832 rare – having a downcast expression; dejected, dispirited
• DOWNFALL
n. 1. 1542 – a steep downward slope; an abyss, a gulf
n. 2. 1575 obs. – something that has fallen down; a ruin, a piece of debris
n. 3. 1578 obs. – a torrent or cascade of water, esp. one falling from a height as part of a river or stream; a waterfall
vb. c1350 – to fall in a downward direction; to fall down
• DOWN FLAT
adj. a1663 obs. rare – direct, plain; downright
• DOWN FOR THE LONG COUNT
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – dead
• DOWN FREAK
n. 1980 Amer. drug culture sl. – a person addicted to depressant drugs, esp. barbiturates
• DOWN GANGING
n. a1425 obs., chiefly Sc. – the setting of the sun
• DOWNGATE
n. 1440 arch. & rare – a going down or descending; setting, esp. of the sun; also, a descent
• DOWN-GO
n. 1913 Amer. dial. – a decline in health
• DOWNGRADE
n. 1857 – a decline in morals, status, prosperity, etc.
vb. 1889 obs. rare – to decline in morals, status, etc.
• DOWN HEAD
n. 1973 Amer. drug culture sl. – a person addicted to depressant drugs, esp. barbiturates
• DOWNHEARTED
adj. 1742 – exhibiting low spirits; discouraged, despondent, gloomy
• DOWNHIELD
n. a1400 obs. – a downward slope; decline, descent
• DOWNHILLER
n. 1849 obs. rare – a person who is in a deteriorating (physical or moral) condition
• DOWNHILLS
n. 1662 criminals’ sl. – dice that are loaded so as to roll a low number
• DOWNIE
n. 1966 Amer. drug culture sl. – a barbiturate or other depressant drug
• DOWNILY
adv. 1845 sl., obs. – cunningly, ingeniously
• DOWNINESS
n. 1865 sl. rare, orig. & chiefly Brit. – cunning, craftiness; a being alert, aware, or savvy
• DOWN IN THE BUSHES
adj. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – sick, in hard luck, etc.
• DOWN IN THE DIKE
adj. 1. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – out of funds
adj. 2. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – unwell, ill
• DOWN IN THE DUMPS
adj. 1714 – depressed
• DOWN IN THE MOUTH
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – somewhat ill; indisposed
• DOWNLAND
n. a1000 – hilly land, esp. when open and uncultivated
• DOWN-LIE
vb. 1505 rare – to lie down, to go to bed
• DOWNLONG
adj. 1876 obs. – of a stream, current, tide, etc.: rushing along
adv. 163 Eng. dial. – down and long a ride, slope, etc.; down to or down at a place
prep. 1895 obs. – down along
• DOWNLOOKED
adj. 1636 obs. – that has downcast eyes or a lowered countenance; guilty-looking, sullen; demure, sheepish, hangdog
• DOWNLOOKING
adj. a1626 rare – guilty-looking, sullen; demure, sheepish, hangdog
• DOWN LOW
adj. 1991 sl., orig. African-American – covert, secret, low-profile
• DOWN-LYING
n. 1. 1534 rare – a lying down or going to bed; the taking of permanent quarters
n. 2. 1561 rare – the action of a woman taking to bed for the birth of a child; confinement
• DOWN-MAN
n. 1670 obs. rare – a sick or infirm man
• DOWNMOST
adj. c1600 rare – that is furthest down; at the very bottom; lowest
adv. 1716 rare – in the lowest position; so as to face down
• DOWNMOUTH
vb. 1981 Amer. sl. – to derogate; to disparage; to attack verbally, to slander
• DOWN ON
adj. 1. 19C – attacking physically
adj. 2. M19 – annoyed with; disappointed in; holding a negative opinion of
vb. 1992 Amer. sl. – to disparage; to criticize adversely
• DOWN ON ONE’S UPPERS
adj. 1895 sl. – having no money
• DOWN ON THE KNUCKLE
adj. M19 sl. – virtually penniless
• DOWN ON THE KNUCKLEBONE
adj. M19 sl. – virtually penniless
• DOWN ON THE LIFT
adj. 1952 Amer. dial. – too weak to stand unaided; sick, ill, ailing, or exhausted
• DOWN ON THE NAIL
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – immediately; shortly
• DOWN OUT
vb. 1976 Amer. sl. – to stupefy with or as if with a barbiturate or tranquillizer
• DOWN-PEISE
vb. a1560 obs. – to cause something to sink down; to weight down; also, to compensate for
• DOWN PIN
adj. L19 sl. – depressed, indisposed
• DOWNPRESS
vb. 1579 now chiefly Rastafarian usage – to keep a person or group in a position of subjection and hardship; to oppress
• DOWNPRESSED
adj. 1579 now chiefly Rastafarian usage – oppressed
• THE DOWNPRESSED
n. c1425 now chiefly Rastafarian usage – those who are kept in a position of subjection and hardship; oppressed people collectively
• DOWNPRESSOR
n. 1962 W. Indies Rasta usage – an oppressor
• DOWN-PULLER
n. 1. 1583 obs. – a person who destroys or demolishes something
n. 2. 1861 – a person who or a thing which has a degrading or depressant effect
• DOWNRIGHT
adj. 1. 1530 obs. – directed straight downwards; running straight down; vertical
adj. 2. 1565 obs. – in its simplest or most basic form; ordinary
adv. 1. c1225 obs. – straight down; vertically
adv. 2. a1439 obs. – straightaway; straight; directly
adv. 3. 1607 arch. & rare – of speech and behaviour: in a direct and straightforward manner; clearly, bluntly; outright
n. 1. 1674 obs. rare – a vertical line; a perpendicular
n. 2. L19 UK tramps’ sl. – begging, tramping
• DOWNRIGHTER
n. 1930s sl. – a beggar; a tramp
• DOWNRIGHTS
adv. 1. a1170 obs. – straight down; vertically downwards
adv. 2. c1330 obs. – so that the act is finished at once; altogether; outright
• DOWNS
n. 1. Bk1891 sl. – a prison
n. 2. 2000s African-American sl. – money
• THE DOWNS
n. M19 UK criminals’ sl. – Tothill Fields prison
• DOWNSET
n. 1. 1608 obs. – the act of the sun in setting or going down; sunset
n. 2. 1818 Sc. rare – a property, estate, or situation obtained as part of a legal agreement, esp. on marriage; a settlement
n. 3. 1824 Sc. rare – a scolding or reprimand, a dressing down
• DOWNSETTING
n. 1. 1557 obs., chiefly Sc. – the act of setting something down
n. 2. 1582 obs. – the setting of the sun, sunset
n. 2. 1842 obs., chiefly Sc. – a scolding or reprimand
• DOWNSHIRE
n. 19C sl. – female pubic hair
• DOWNSIDE
n. 1977 Amer. sl. – a discouraging or negative aspect
• DOWN SIDE OF THE MOON
n. 1984 Amer. dial. – the time when the moon is waning or decreasing
• DOWNSIDE UP
adj. 1683 – turned upside down; inverted
adv. 1603 – upside down
• DOWN-SITTING
n. 1. 1535 rare – the act of sitting down; a resting, repose
n. 2. 1587 Sc. obs. – the opening of a session in a court, parliament, etc.
n. 3. 1694 Sc. – a sitting down to drink, a drinking bout
n. 4. 1826 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a comfortable settlement, especially in marriage
n. 5. 1865 Sc. – a location, home
• DOWNSOME
adj. 1888 colloq. obs. – in low spirits; down, dispirited
• DOWN SOUTH
adj. 1910s Aust. sl. – hidden, buried; in one’s pocket
• DOWNSTAIRS
adj. 1950 euphemism – belonging to the genital area or the area of the anus or buttocks
adv. 1. a1845 Amer. jocular usage – in hell
adv. 2. 1900 Amer. boxing sl. – in the belly
adv. 3. 1942 Amer. aviation usage – at or to a lower altitude; below
adv. 4. 1942 Amer. sl. – in the genital or pubic area; in the area of the buttocks
adv. 5. 1978 Amer. sl. – in baseball: low in the strike zone
n. 1. 1878 obs. rare – Hell
n. 2. L19 sl. – the urino-genital area
n. 3. 1910s sl. – the guts, the belly
• DOWNSTART
n. 1. 1840 – a person who comes from an aristocratic or privileged family background but has little or no inherited wealth
n. 2. 1960 rare – a person who pretends to be from a lower social background; an inverted snob
► DOWNSTEEPY adj. very steeply descending; steep and precipitous → 1603 obs.
• DOWN-TALK
vb. 1. 1901 rare – to out-talk
vb. 2. 1959 chiefly US – to disparage, to belittle; to criticize
• DOWN-TEMPO
adj. 1972 – characterized by a slow pace; relaxed
• DOWN THE CHUTE
adj. 1920s Aust. sl. – in prison
• DOWN THE CRAPPER
adj. 1930s sl. – wasted, lost, abandoned
• DOWN THE CREEK
adj. 1954 US sl. – in oil drilling: wasted or lost
• DOWN THE DRAIN
adj. 1930s sl. – lost, wasted, useless
• DOWN THE DRAINS
n. 1960s rhyming sl. – the human brains
• DOWN THE GURGLER
adj. 1930s Aust. sl. – ruined; irretrievably lost or destroyed; wasted; used of something that has not worked out
• DOWN THE HATCH!
int. 1920s, orig. nautical usage – a popular toast before taking a drink
• DOWN THE LINE
n. 1963 NZ sl. – a psychiatric hospital
• DOWN THE PAN
adj. 1930s sl. – wasted, lost, abandoned
• DOWN THE PLUG
adj. 1930s sl. – lost, wasted, useless
• DOWN THE PLUGHOLE
adj. 1930s sl. – lost, wasted, useless
• DOWN THERE
adv. 1928 euphemism – in the genital region
n. 1928 euphemism – the vagina; occasionally, the penis
• DOWN THE RIVER
adj. 1. L19 sl. – finished, over and done, used up
adj. 2. L19 sl. – serving time in prison
adj. 3. 1920s sl. – in debt
• DOWN THE ROAD
adj. 1. M19 sl. – stylish, fashionable
adj. 2. M19 sl. – vulgar, showy
• DOWN THE SHITTER
adj. 1930s sl. – wasted, lost, abandoned
• DOWN THE SPOUT
adj. M19 sl. – out of pawn
• DOWN THE SWANNY
adj. 1. L19 sl. – finished, over and done, used up
adj. 2. 1920s sl. – in debt
• DOWN THE TRACK
adj. 1. 1980s sl. – referring to the passage of time
adj. 2. 1980s sl. – experienced
• DOWN THE TUBE
adj. 1930s sl. – lost, wasted, useless
• DOWNTHRING
vb. c1430 Sc. obs. – to press down, to crush; to overthrow; to bring to ruin
• DOWNTHRINGER
n. a1572 Sc. obs. – an overthrower
• DOWNTHROW
n. 1615 rare – a being thrown down or usurped; overthrow, defeat
vb. 1563 rare – to throw or drop in a downward direction; to knock a person to the ground; also, to bring down a person from a position of high standing; to overthrow
• DOWNTHROWN
adj. 1595 rare – of a building: torn down; demolished; also, brought down from a position of high standing, overthrown
• DOWNTICK
n. 1952 chiefly US – a slight downward trend; a small decrease or decline in price, level or number
• DOWN TIMBER
n. 1837 N. Amer. – fallen trees brought down by wind, storms, or other natural agency
• DOWN TO
adj. 19C – alert to, aware of
• DOWN TO CASES
adj. 1. L19 US sl. – down to the hard facts
adj. 2. 1940s US criminals’ sl. – down to one’s last pennies
• DOWN TO DATE
adj. 1893 rare – (as ‘down-to-date’) aware of the latest knowledge or trends; up to date
adv. 1. 1840 rare – up to the present time
adv. 2. 1848 rare – in a condition that incorporates the latest trends or knowledge; up to date
• DOWN TO LARKING
adj. c1945 cant – wrongly convicted
• DOWN TO ONE’S SEAMS
adj. L19 US sl. – absolutely impoverished
• DOWN TO THE ABC
phr. 1899 sl. – down to first principles or the simplest rudiments
• DOWN TO THE BRICKS
adv. M19 – perfectly, thoroughly, completely
• DOWN TO THE MUCK
adv. M19 – perfectly, thoroughly, completely
• DOWN TO THE NOTCH
adv. 1965 Amer. dial. – to the proper standard; precisely; to perfection, perfectly; to the limit
• DOWNTOWN
adj. 1902 sl. – to a town or city’s police headquarters
n. 1. 1967 Amer. military aviation usage, now hist. – the Vietnamese cities of Hanoi and Haiphong and the area immediately surrounding as targets of bombing attacks and locations of intense antiaircraft fire
n. 2. 1980 Amer. sl. – in basketball, the thee-point field goal region
vb. 1971 Amer. sl. – in baseball: to hit a long home run
• DOWNTREAD
vb. 1536 chiefly literary usage – to suppress or subdue; to oppress by tyranny
• DOWN TRIP
n. 1. 1968 Amer. students’ sl. – anything boring, unpleasant, or uninspiring
n. 2. 1968 Amer. drug culture sl. – a frightening, dismaying, or unpleasant hallucinatory experienced induced by LSD or a similar drug
• DOWNTROD
adj. 1598 rare – oppressed, downtrodden
• DOWN TROU
n. 1973 NZ – a lowering of one’s trousers in public, esp. in order to insult or amuse people; also, an embarrassment or humiliation
• DOWN UPON
adj. 19C – alert to, aware of
• DOWNWARD-MOBILE
adj. 1943 – moving to a lower social or professional level; losing wealth and status
• DOWNWEIGH
vb. 1596 rare – to exceed in weight or influence; to outweigh
• DOWN WITH
vb. 1950s Amer. sl. – to be with it
• DOWNY
adj. 1803 sl., chiefly Brit. – knowing, artful, shrewd, aware, cunning, crafty
n. 1. 1821 sl. obs., chiefly Brit. – a person who is aware, alert, or savvy; a crafty or cunning person
n. 2. 1846 sl., rare – a bed
• THE DOWNY
n. 1843 Amer. sl. – a bed
• DOWNY AS A HAMMER
adj. 1821 Amer. sl. – knowing, artful, shrewd
• DOWNY ONE
n. 1823 sl. – a shrewd or very alert fellow
• DOWRIER
n. 1551 Sc. obs. – a dowager; a woman whose husband is dead and who is in the enjoyment of some title or some property that has come to her from him
• DOWRY
n. 1. c1440 – a ‘gift’ or talent with which any one is endowed by nature or fortune
n. 2. a1505 obs. – a present or gift given by a man to or for his bride
• DOWSABEL
n. 1612 – a sweetheart, a lady-love, typically from the countryside → obs.
• DOWSE
n. c1450 obs. – a sweetheart, a lover; also ironically, an immoral, unchaste woman; a harlot
vb. 1590 – to extinguish, hence, to destroy
• DOWSED
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – dead
• DOWSETS
n. c1560 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – the testicles of a deer
• DOWSY
adj. a1513 Sc. – stupid
• DOWTER
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a daughter
• DOWTHER
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a daughter
• DOWTOR
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a daughter
• DOX
n. 1977 colloq. – documents, either physical or electronic
vb. 2009 colloq. – to document or expose a person’s identity; to search for and publish private or identifying information about a person on the internet, typically with malicious intent
• DOXA
n. 1842 – opinion or belief; the body of established or unquestioned attitudes or beliefs held generally within a particular society, group, etc.
• DOXASTIC
adj. 1794 – pert. to opinion; depending on or exercising opinion
n. 1794 – an object of opinion
• DOXER;DOXXER
n. 2010 colloq. – a person who searches for and publishes private or identifying information about a person on the internet, typically with malicious intent
• DOXING
n. 2011 colloq. – a searching for and publishing private information about a person on the internet, typically with malicious intent
• DOXOGRAPHY
n. 1892 – a collection of philosophical opinions
• DOXOLOGICAL
adj. 1655 – pert. to or of the nature of a doxology; praising, glorifying
• DOXOLOGY
n. 1. 1649 obs. – the utterance of praise to God; thanksgiving
n. 2. 1906 – an utterance or ascription of praise and thanksgiving
• DOXOLOGY WORKS
n. 1871 Amer. jocular usage – a church
• DOXOLOGUE
n. a1617 obs. rare – a doxology
• DOXY
n. 1. 1515 – orig. the unmarried mistress of a beggar or rogue; a beggar’s trull or wench; hence, a mistress, a paramour, a prostitute
n. 2. 1730 colloq., usually humorous usage – opinion, esp. in religious matters
n. 3. 1818 sl. – a girlfriend; a woman
n. 4. 1825 Eng. dial. – a sweetheart
n. 5. Bk1913-17 Amer. sl. – a slovenly woman
• DOY
n. 1. 1862 Eng. dial. – a term of endearment for a child; a pet
n. 2. 19C Eng. dial. – a beetle, a cockroach
• DOYEN
n. 1. 1422 obs. – a leader of commander of ten
n. 2. 1670 – the senior member of a body
• DOYENNE
n. 1905 – a female doyen; the leading or senior woman in a group, society, etc.
• DO YOU DIG ME?
phr. World War II Amer. sl. – do you understand?
• DO YOU FEEL A BREEZE?
phr. 1965 Amer. dial. – used to warn a man that his pants are torn or that his fly is open
• DO YOU FEEL A DRAFT?
phr. 1965 Amer. dial. – used to warn a man that his pants are torn or that his fly is open
• DO YOU HAVE A BADGE?
phr. Bk1944 services’ sl. – aren’t you being a bit nosy?
• DO YOU LOVE YOUR DADDY?
phr. 1966 Amer. dial. – used to warn a woman that her slip is showing
• DO YOU OLIVER?
phr. L19 rhyming sl. (Oliver Cromwell on ‘tumble’ to understand) – do you understand?
• DO YOUR CRUET
vb. 1975 Aust. sl. – to lose your temper
• DO YOUR NANA
vb. 1968 Aust. sl. – to lose control; to get angry
• DO YOUR NUT
vb. 1. 1919 Brit. sl. – to explode with anger
vb. 2. 1959 Brit. sl. – to go mad; to feign madness
• DO YOUR OWN TIME!
int. 20C US sl. – mind your own business!
• DO YOU SAVVY?
int. L18 – do you understand
• DO YOU TAKE IN WOOD?
phr. M19 sl. – will you have a drink?
• DOZE
vb. 1. 1617 obs. – to stupefy; to muddle; to make drowsy or full; to bewilder, to confuse, to perplex
vb. 2. 1945 Amer. sl. – to clear or excavate with a bulldozer
• DOZED
adj. 1659 – stupefied; drowsy, sleepy
• DOZEN
vb. 1. 1487 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – to stun, to stupefy, to daze
vb. 2. 1576 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. – to make insensible or powerless; to benumb
• DOZENS
n. 1915 African-American sl. – a provocative exchange of obscene, often rhymed insults concerning esp. the mothers of those participating
• DOZENTH
adj. 1710 colloq. – twelfth
• DOZEY
adj. 1. 1872 – partly decomposed; of wood, poorly seasoned
adj. 2. 1924 Brit. sl. – foolish, slow-witted, unintelligent, stupid, lazy
• DOZY
adj. 1. 1530 obs. – dizzy
adj. 1. 1872 – partly decomposed; of wood, poorly seasoned
adj. 2. 1924 Brit. sl. – foolish, slow-witted, unintelligent, stupid, lazy
vb. 1568 obs. rare – to make giddy or dizzy
• DOZZLE
n. 1. 1855 Eng. dial. – an oddly-dressed, tawdry woman; a slattern
n. 2. 1867 Eng. dial. – a shapeless lump; a hunk; a small quantity
n. 3. 1892 Eng. dial. – the unburnt tobacco left at the bottom of a pipe and placed on top of the next pipeful
n. 4. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – an ornamental piece of pastry on the top of a pie crust
n. 5. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a small rosette or ornament upon articles of clothing
n. 6. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a prim, stiff-looking person
n. 7. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a doll made of a quantity of rags tied up together
n. 8. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a plug of lint or rag for stopping a wound
vb. 1. a1670 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – to render stupid; to stupefy, to confuse
vb. 2. 1866 Eng. dial. – to drizzle, to rain finely
vb. 3. 1876 Eng. dial. – to overdress, to deck oneself out
• DOZY
adj. 1924 Brit. sl. – foolish, slow-witted, unintelligent, stupid
Back to INDEX D
Back to DICTIONARY
Lexicophilia 