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1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 1 S., ch. xvii. I met a man this mornin' . . . frum Halifax, a real conceited lookin' critter as you e'enamost ever seed, all shines and didoes.
1851. New York Tribune, 10 April, Had the Free States been manly enough, true enough, to enact the Wilmot Proviso as to all present or future territories of the Union, we should have had just the same didoes cut up by the chivalry that we have witnessed, and with no more damage to the Union.
DIE or DEE, subs. (American thieves').—A
pocket-book. Matsell's
Vocabulum [1859]. For synonyms,
see Leather.
Die-by-the-Hedge, subs. phr.
(provincial).—The flesh of animals
deceased by accident or of
disease; by implication, inferior
meat.
Die-Hards, subs. (military).—The
Fifty-Seventh Foot. [From the
rallying call at Albuera (1811) its
Colonel (Inglis) calling to the men,
'Die hard, my men, die hard,' when
it had thirty bullets through the
King's Colour, and only had one
officer out of twenty-four, and one
hundred and sixty-eight men out
of five hundred and eighty-four,
when left standing.]
Die in One's Boots or Shoes,
verb. phr. (old).—1. To be hanged.
For synonyms, see Ladder.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais.
1837. R. H. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends. 'The Execution' (ed. 1862), p. 196. And there is McFuze And Lieutenant Tregooze, And there is Sir Carnaby Jenks of the Blues All come to see a man die in his shoes.
1888. Denver Republican, 9 April. When in liquor he was quarrelsome and the prediction was commonly made that he would DIE WITH HIS BOOTS ON.
2. (American).—To 'die standing': at work, 'in harness,' in full possession of one's faculties.
1887. Scribner's Magazine. These stiff prairie plants never wilt—they die in THEIR BOOTS.
1888. Cincinnatti Enquirer, Title: died with his boots on. The killing of the notorious Desperado Leo Renfro.
Die with One's Ears Stuffed
with Cotton.—See Cotton.
Dig, subs, (colloquial).—1. A blow,
thrust, punch, or poke; in pugilism
= a 'straight left-hander'
delivered under the guard on the
'mark.'
1819. Moore, Tom Crib's Memorial, p. 51. While ribbers rung from each resounding frame, and divers digs, and many a ponderous pelt.
1876. C. W. Wall, trans. Molière, vol. i., p. 80. The digs in the ribs I gave you with such hearty good will.
English Synonyms.—Auctioneer; biff; bang; buck-horse; buster; chatterer; chin-chopper; chopper; clip; click; clinker; clout; cock; cork; comber; cuff; cant; corker; dab; downer; douser; ding; domino; floorer; ferrica-*douzer; fibbing; facer; flush-hit; finisher; gooser; hot 'un; jaw-*breaker; lick; mendoza; muzzler; noser; nobbler; nose-ender; nope; oner; punch; stock-dollager; stotor; spank; topper; twister; whack; wipe.
French Synonyms.—Un coup d'encensoir (popular: a tap on the nose; 'one on the smeller'); un coup de tampon (pop.: tampon = buffer); un coup de Garibaldi (thieves': a butt in the stomach); un moule de gant (popular: 'a mould for a glove'); une mornifle (colloquial: 'a wipe in the jaw');
