• DUABLE
adj. 1647 obs. – divisible into two
• DUAD
n. 1660 – a group or combination of two; a couple, a pair
• DUAL
adj. 20C teen & high school sl. – good
n. 1. 1541 obs. – the two middle incisor-teeth in each jaw
n. 2. World War II Amer. sl. – a date accompanied by a chaperone
• DUALIZE
vb. 1856 – to make or regard as two
• DUARCHY
n. 1586 – a government by two coordinate rulers; a diarchy
• DUB
n. 1. a1513 chiefly Sc. – a muddy or stagnant pool; a small pool of rain water in a road; a puddle
n. 2. c1572 – a beat of a drum; the sound of a drum when beaten
n. 3. a1700 sl. – a key used by a burglar
n. 4. 1837 – a short, blunt dull-sounding thrust or blow
n. 5. 1887 sl., orig. & chiefly US – an ineffectual or incompetent person
n. 6. Bk1913 Amer. dial. – a novice; a raw beginner; an unskilful person
n. 7. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a bluff
n. 8. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a weakling
vb. 1. a1300 obs. – to dress, to clothe. to array, to adorn
vb. 2. c1330 – to invest with a dignity or new title
vb. 3. 1513 obs. – to stab as with a dagger; to bring down a club
vb. 4. 1607- to name or nickname; to speak of or set down as
vb. 5. a1661 – to trim or crop trees, hedges, etc.
vb. 6. 1699 sl. obs. – to open a door
vb. 7. 1753 sl. – to shut up, as a door etc.; also to button one’s coat, etc.
vb. 8. 1802 – to renovate old cloth or clothes
vb. 9. 1823 sl. – to pay up; to pay at once
vb. 9. 1879 – to beat blunt or flat
• DUBB ALONG
vb. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – to move along slowly
• DUBBED
adj. 1747 – blunted; blunt, pointless
• DUBBER
n. 1225-6 obs. – a renovator of old clothes
• DUBBING
n. a1300 obs. – attire, dress, array
• DUBBY
n. 1. 1825 colloq. & Eng. dial. – blunt, not pointed; squat, short, dumpy
n. 2. 20C Brit. juvenile sl. – a W.C.
• DUBEE
n. M20 US sl. – a marijuana cigarette
► DUBEROUS adj. dubious, doubtful, uncertain, suspicious → 1818 Eng. & Amer. dial.
• DUBERSOME
adj. 1837-40 – dubious, doubtful
• DUBIETY
n. 1. c1750 – a being dubious; doubtfulness, dubiousness
n. 2. 1807 – a matter of doubt
• DUB IN
vb. 1893 sl. – to pay out money
• DUBIOSITIES
n. 1646 – a doubtful matter
• DUBIOSITY
n. 1859 – doubtfulness; uncertainty, ambiguity
► DUBITABLE adj. doubtful, uncertain; open to doubt or question; capable of being doubted → 1624
• DUBITABLY
adv. 1864 – in a doubting manner
• DUBITANCY
n. 1649 obs. – doubt, hesitation, uncertainty of opinion
• DUBITANT
adj. 1821 – doubting, having doubts
n. 1821 – one who doubts
► DUBITATE vb. to doubt, to hesitate, to waver → 1837
• DUBITATION
n. c1450 – a doubting; doubt, uncertainty; hesitation
• DUBITATIVE
adj. 1615 – inclined or given to doubt; expressing doubt or hesitancy; doubting, uncertain
• DUBITATIVELY
adv. 1615 – in a doubting manner; doubtingly
• DUBLIN JACKEEN
n. M19 Anglo-Irish – a Dubliner, as opposed to a country person
• DUBMENT
n. c1400 obs. rare – dubbing, adornment, array
• DUBROUS
adj. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – dubious, doubtful, dangerous
• DUB-SKELPER
n. 1823 Sc. -one who runs through the ‘dubs’; a rambling fellow
• DUB UP
vb. 1. 1753 sl. – to lock someone up in a prison cell
vb. 2. 1893 sl. – to pay out money
• DUBY
n. M20 US sl.- a marijuana cigarette
• DUCAL
adj. a1513 – characteristic of a duke or dukedom
• DUCALLY
adv. 1823 – as a duke
• DUCAT
n. 1. 1794 – a piece of money, money; cash; often in plural
n. 2. Bk1914 criminals’ sl. – a ticket of admission or transportation
n. 3. 1926 US sl. – in prison: a written order given to a prisoner for an appointment
• DUCE
n. Bk1903 sl. – twopence
• DUCENARIOUS
adj. 1656 obs. rare – pert. to two hundred
• DUCHERY
n. 1. 1387 obs. – a duke’s rule or term of office
n. 2. a1400 obs. – the domain or territory of a duke
• DUCHESS
n. 1. 1393 obs. – Lady (feminine of ‘lord)
n. 2. 1699 sl. – a woman of imposing demeanour or showy appearance
n. 3. 1895 Brit. sl. – a wife or mother
n. 4. 1945 US sl. – a girlfriend
n. 5. 1953 sl. – a term of address to a female
n. 6. 1960 UK rhyming sl. (Duchess of Teck) – a cheque
n. 7. 1993 US sl. – a female member of a youth gang
n. 8. 2002 UK sl. – a comfortably-off or grandly well-appointed homosexual man
vb. 1956 Aust. sl. – to treat as a VIP
• DUCHESS OF FIFE
n. 1961 UK rhyming sl. – a wife
• DUCHESS OF PUDDLE-DOCK
n. 17C sl. – an imaginary aristocrat
• DUCHESS OF TECK
n. 1960 UK rhyming sl. – a cheque
• DUCHESS OF YORK
n. 1992 UK rhyming sl. – pork
• DUCHY-PEERAGE
n. 1750 obs. – a dukedom
• DUCIBLE
adj. 1. 1633 obs. – that can be led; tractable
adj. 2. 1657 obs. – able to be drawn out, ductile
• DUCK
n. 1. 1590 Brit. sl. – a term of endearment
n. 2. 1848 US prison sl. – an unrelentingly gullible and trusting person; an odd person
n. 3. 1857 US sl. – a fellow
n. 4. 1868 UK sl. – in cricket: a score of zero/nought
n. 5. 1938 US sl. – an amphibian airplane capable of landing on water or ground
n. 6. Bk1942 Amer. college sl. – an attractive girl
n. 7. 1945 US sl. – an admission ticket for a paid event
n. 8. 1965 US sl. – an attractive target for a robbery
n. 9. 1970 US sl. – a stolen car discovered by police through serendipitous checking of number plates
n. 10. 1972 US sl. – inexpensive wine
n. 11. 1980 US sl. – a portable urinal for male hospital patients
n. 12. 1988 US sl. – in a deck of playing cards: a two
n. 13. 1990 US sl. – a prison sentence of two years
n. 14. 1990 US sl. – in pool: a shot that cannot be missed or a game that cannot be lost
n. 15. 1991 US sl. – a surfer who lingers in the water, rarely catching a wave
n. 16. 1997 New York police sl. – a firefighter
n. 17. 20C US sl. – a young woman; a woman considered sexually
n. 18. 20C US sl. – a male urinal bedpan
vb. 1. 1864 US sl. – to avoid
vb. 2. Bk1914 criminals’ sl. – to retire; to leave; to flee; to disappear
vb. 3. 1993 US sl. – in pool: to miss a shot or lose a game intentionally to mislead an opponent as to your true ability
• DUCK A DATE
vb. 1981 US circus and carnival usage – to fail to perform as scheduled
• DUCK ANATOMY
n. 1951 sl. – a style of haircut in which the hair at the back of the head is shaped like a duck’s tail
• DUCK AND DIVE
vb. 1960 UK rhyming sl. for ‘skive’ (to avoid or evade) – to avoid or evade, esp. with regard to legality or responsibility; to dodge work; to shirk; hence, to avoid regular employment but make living nevertheless
• DUCK AND DRAKE
n. 1. 1585 – a pastime consisting in throwing a flat stone or the like over the surface of water so as to cause it to rebound or skip as many times as possible before sinking
n. 2. 1614 – idle play, reckless squandering
vb. 1700 – (as ‘duck-and-drake’) to make ‘ducks and drakes’ of; to throw away idly
• DUCK-ARSE
n. a 1951 sl. – hairstyle with the hair on the back of the head shaped like a duck’s tail, favoured by Teddy boys
vb. 1968 UK sl. – (usually as ‘duck arse’) when smoking: to wet the cigarette end with saliva
• DUCK BUCKET
n. 1996 US sl. – in poker: a poor hand that wins a pot, esp. a pair of twos
• DUCK BUTT
n. 1. 1939 US sl. – a short person, esp. someone with large posteriors
n. 2. 1955 US sl. – a hairstyle popular in the early 1950s, in which the hair was tapered and curled on the nape of the neck like the feathers of a duck’s tail
• DUCK BUTTER
n. 1. 20C US sl. – semen
n. 2. 1933 US sl. – smegma or other secretions that collect on and around the genitals
• DUCK DAY
n. 1946 US sl. – the day when a member of the US armed forces is honourably discharged
• DUCK DISEASE
n. 1925 UK sl. – shortness of stature, esp. applied to short legs
• DUCK-DIVE
vb. 1988 US sl. – in surfing: to push the nose of the surfboard down under a breaking wave
• DUCK-DRENCHER
n. 1962 Amer. dial. – a very heavy rain, a downpour
• DUCK-DROWNDER
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – a very heavy rain, a downpour
• DUCK EGG
n. 2003 UK sl. – a fool
• DUCKERING
n. M19 gypsy & tramps’ sl. – fortune-telling
• DUCKEROO
n. 1. Bk1942 Amer. college sl. – an attractive girl
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something excellent
n. 3. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something beautiful or attractive
• DUCKERS
n. 1985 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a swimming costume or a pair of swimming trunks
• DUCKET
n. 1. 1871 sl. obs. – a rail ticket
n. 2. 1874 sl., obs., chiefly US – a ticket for admission to a theatre, a sporting event, etc., a free ticket
• DUCKETS
n. 20C teen & high school sl. – money
• DUCKETY
adj. 1841 chiefly Irish & Newfoundland – designating a drab nondescript colour, esp. a dull brown resembling the colour of mud; of such a colour
• DUCKEY
n. 20C US sl. – an effeminate male
• DUCK FACTORY
n. 1964 Can. sl. – an area of marsh where ducks nest
• DUCK-FIT
n. 1903 Amer. dial. – a state or fit of excitement, impatience, or uneasiness; a tantrum
• DUCK-FUCKER
n. 1. L18 Brit. nautical sl. – the man in charge of poultry aboard ship
n. 2. 1986 US sl. – a lazy person
• DUCKIE
n. 1819 Brit. sl. – a term of endearment
• DUCKING-STOOL
n. 1597 – a device used to punish scolding women and dishonest tradesmen; a ‘machine’ used to duck or dip offenders into water or excrement
• DUCK-LEGGED
adj. 1650 – having unusually short legs
• DUCK-LEGS
n. 1714 – short legs
• DUCKLING
n. 1630 obs. – a term of endearment
• DUCK-MOLE
n. 1875 – the Duck-billed Platypus
• DUCKO
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – excellent; first-rate
• DUCK-OIL
n. M19 – water, moisture
• DUCKO LOOKER
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something beautiful or attractive
• DUCK OUT (OF)
vb. 1984 UK sl. – to avoid responsibility; to fail to attend a meeting
• DUCK PLUCKER
n. 1976 US euphemism – a contemptible or despicable person; a despised person; a motherfucker
• DUCK REST
n. 1965 Barbados sl. – a poor night’s sleep
• DUCKS
n. 1. 1590 Brit. – a term of address, usually an endearment
n. 2. 1997 US sl. – money
• THE DUCKS
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something excellent
• DUCK’S ANATOMY
n. 1951 UK euphemism – a hairstyle popular in the early 1950s, esp. among Teddy Boys; the hair was tapered and curled on the nape of the neck like the feathers of a duck’s tail
• DUCKS AND DRAKES
n. 1967 Aust. rhyming sl. for ‘shakes’ – delirium tremens
• DUCKS AND GEESE
n. 1966 Aust. rhyming sl. – the police
• DUCK’S ARSE; DUCK’S ASS
n. 1. 1950s UK rhyming sl. for ‘grass’ – an informant
n. 2. 1955 UK sl. – a hairstyle popular in the early 1950s, esp. among Teddy Boys; the hair was tapered and curled on the nape of the neck like the feathers of a duck’s tail
n. 3. 1993 UK sl. – a cigarette end that is over-moistened with a smoker’s saliva
• DUCK’S BEHIND
n. 1951 sl. – a hairstyle with the hair on the back of the head shaped like a duck’s tail, favoured by Teddy boys
• DUCK’S DINNER
n. 1990s Aust. sl. – a drink of water, but no food to accompany it
• DUCK’S DISEASE
n. 1925 jocular usage – shortness of legs
• DUCK’S EGG
n. 1863 – in cricket: the zero or ‘0’ placed against a batter’s name in the scoring sheet when he fails to score; hence: ‘nought’
• DUCK’S GUTS
n. 1. 1965 Barbados sl. – trouble
n. 2. 1979 Aust. sl. – something superlative
• DUCK SHOOT
n. 1940s sl., orig. military – a simple operation
• DUCK-SHOVER
n. 1. 1898 Aust. & NZ sl. – a cabman who does not wait his turn in the rank, but touts for passengers
n. 2. 1910s Aust. & NZ sl. – one who uses unfair business methods
• DUCK-SHOVING
n. 1. 1910s Aust. & NZ sl. – fighting for status, rank, position, esp. in political terms; in gambling: manipulating, using sleight of hand
n. 2. 1984 NZ sl. – the passing of a problem on to another
• DUCK’S MEAT
n. 1. a1627 – a term of contempt
n. 2. 1990s Ulster sl. – mucus produced in the eye
• DUCK’S NECK
n. 20C Aust. rhyming sl. – a cheque
• DUCK SOUP
n. 1. L19 US sl. – the total destruction of
n. 3. 1900s US sl. – a guaranteed success
n. 4. 1910s US sl. – something that suits one perfectly
n. 5. 1912 sl., orig. & chiefly US – anything simple or easy; an easy task; a cinch
n. 6. 1912 Amer. sl. – a gullible person; a dupe
n. 5. 1940s US sl. – something strange
n. 7. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – nonsense
• DUCK’S QUACK
n. 1920s US sl. – of a person or thing: the very best; an excellent person or thing
• DUCK SUIT
n. 1959 US sl. – a brown and tan camouflage suit, not dissimilar to the suit worn by a duck hunter, issued to US special forces in Vietnam
• DUCK-TAIL
n. 1. 1943 US sl. – a hairstyle popular in the early 1950s, in which a boy’s hair was tapered and curled on the nape of the neck like the feathers of a duck’s tail
n. 2. 1959 S. Afr. sl. – the South African equivalent of the Teddy-boy; an unruly South African youth
• DUCK TRACKS
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – illegible handwriting
• DUCK UNCLE
vb. M19 US sl. – to avoid the draft
• DUCKY
adj. 1897 Brit. colloq. – delightful, pleasing; excellent, first-rate
n. 1. a1533 obs. – a woman’s breast
n. 2. 1819 UK – used as a term of address, usually an endearment
• DUCKY NUMBER
n. Bk1942 Amer. college sl. – an attractive girl
• DUCT
n. 1. 1654 obs. – the act of leading; guidance
n. 2. 1650 obs. – course, direction trend
n. 3. 1670 obs. – a passage, etc. leading in any direction
n. 4. 1986 US sl. – cocaine
• DUCTARIOUS
adj. 1656 obs. – leading, guiding
• DUCTATE
n. 1610 obs. – the product of two quantities multiplied together
• DUCTILE
adj. 1622 – capable of being led or drawn; yielding readily to persuasion or instruction; tractable, pliable, pliant
• DUCTILITY
n. 1654 – capability of being easily led or influenced; tractableness, docility
• DUCTION
n. c1430 obs. – the act of leading or bringing (literal & figurative)
• DUCTOR
n. a1500 obs. – the leader of a band of music, an officer belonging to the court
• DUCTURE
n. 1645 obs. – leading, guidance, direction
• DUCY
n. 20C US colloq. – the penis
• DUD
adj. 1. 1903 sl. – counterfeit
adj. 2. 1903 UK sl. – worthless, useless, unsatisfactory
adj. 3. 1908 – defective; worn out; not fit for purpose
adj. 4. 1914 – of a person: inept, ineffectual; lacking in talent or ability
n. 1. 1679 obs. rare exc. Eng. dial. – a teat, a nipple
n. 2. 1721 Sc. obs. – a person dressed in ragged clothing; hence, a feeble, spiritless, or indolent person
n. 3. 1897 sl. – a counterfeit coin, banknote, etc.
n. 4. 1908 UK sl. – a worthless or unsuccessful person or thing; a failure
n. 5. Bk1942 Amer. college sl. – a diligent student
vb. 1970 Aust. sl. – to fool or deceive; to swindle
• DUD BASH
n. 1967 Aust. sl. – an unsatisfying sexual partner
• DUDDER
n. 1. 1746 sl. rare – a dishonest trader or peddler, esp. of clothes ort handkerchiefs; one who dupes others into buying inferior goods for a high price
n. 2. 1988 Aust. sl. – a swindler; a con artist
vb. c1640 – to shudder, to shiver
• DUDDINESS
n. 1825 rare – raggedness
• DUDDLE
n. 1. a1708 obs. rare – a teat, a nipple
n. 2. 18C colloq. – the penis, esp. that of a child
n. 3. L18 UK criminals’ sl. – the hand
vb. 1548 obs. rare – to disorientate; to fascinate, to hold spellbound
• DUDDY
adj. 1718 Sc. obs. – ragged, shabby; esp. used of a child
• DUDE
adj. 1982 Bahamas sl. – well-dressed
int. 1989 – used to express surprise, delight, etc.
n. 1. 1877 colloq. rare – a man who shows an ostentatious regard for fashion and style in regard to dress or appearance, an affected male; a dandy; a fop
n. 2. 1883 sl., orig. & chiefly US – a male person, a fellow
n. 3. 1884 rare – a man from the eastern United States; a male city dweller, esp. one unused to ranching or rural life in general; later, a guest at a dude ranch
n. 4. 1945 US sl. – a term of address, young male to young male
n. 5. 1967 – a person regarded as being ‘cool; or fashionable, or as embodying some other admirable or desirable quality
n. 6. 1946 US sl. – a railway conductor
n. 7. M20 US sl. – any male buddy or chum
• DUDED UP
adj. 1892 colloq., orig. & chiefly US – dressed in one’s smartest or most impressive clothes; stylish, smart, or eye-catching in appearance
• DUDEEN
n. 1825 – a short-stemmed clay tobacco pipe
• DUDELHEIMER
n. 1931 Amer. dial. – something whose name is unknown or forgotten; a gadget
• DUDENHEIMER
n. 1931 Amer. dial. – something whose name is unknown or forgotten; a gadget
• DUDESS
n. 1883 – a female dude; the female companion of a dude
• DUDETTE
n. 1883 – a female dude; the female companion of a dude
• DUDE UP
vb. 1. 1899 US colloq. – to dress up
vb. 2. World War II usage Amer. sl. – to dress in one’s best uniform
• DUDGEON
adj. 1. 1589 obs. – simple, unadorned; of poor or inferior quality; worthless, feeble, ineffectual
adj. 2. 1592 obs. – indignant, resentful
n. 1. 1573 – indignation, resentment
n. 2. 1593 obs. rare – nonsense; drivel
vb. 1. 1859 obs. – to argue; to bicker
vb. 2. 1906 rare – to offend; to make indignant or resentful
• DUDGEONED
adj. 1796 – offended, indignant
• DUDINE
n. 1883 rare – a female dude
• DUDINKUS
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a thing
• DUDLEY
adj. 1982 US sl. – of a boy: extremely boring
n. 1. 1992 UK rhyming sl. – ‘Dudley Moore’ – a sore; hence, any kind of uncomfortable skin condition
n. 2. 2003 US sl. – a beginner gambler
• DUDLEY DOGOODER
n. 1990 US sl. – the epitome of a sincere, moral, upstanding citizen, despised by those who live on the fringes of the law
• DUDLEY DO-RIGHT
n. 1990 US sl. – the epitome of a sincere, moral, upstanding citizen, despised by those who live on the fringes of the law
• DUDLEY MOORE
n. 1992 UK rhyming sl. – a sore; hence, any kind of uncomfortable skin condition
• DUDLY
adj. 1982 US sl. – of a boy: extremely boring
• DUDMAN
n. 1670 rare – a scarecrow
• DUDRON
n. a1450 obs., chiefly Sc. – a slovenly person; a person with shabby or ragged clothes
• DUD ROOT
n. 1985 Aust. sl. – an unsatisfying sexual partner
• DUDS
n. 1. 1307 UK sl. – clothing
n. 2. 1508 rare, chiefly Sc. – rags, scraps of cloth
n. 3. 1665 obs. rare – general or personal effects
n. 4. 1996 UK drug culture sl. – fake drugs
Back to INDEX D
Back to DICTIONARY
Lexicophilia 