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nagging is universally useful only with maids. She lost her temper occasionally, and the suffering angel dodge is a very much more effective as well as Christian resource.
1865. Spectator (On the Academy Dinner), p. 492. Earl Russell . . . broke loose from one conventionality of public dinners to fall into another. He dodged the toast of Her Majesty's Ministers, and did not promise the Academy.
1883. Daily Telegraph, 23 March, p. 6, col. 1. He is naturally anxious to ascertain if any new dodge has been brought to light, and what was the amount of the penalty imposed for its perpetration.
Dodger, subs. (common).—1. A
trickster. Cf., The 'Artful
Dodger' (Dickens, Oliver Twist,
ch. viii.). Fr., être ficelle = 'to be
a dodger.'
1611. Cotgrave, Dict., Caqueraffe, a base micher, scurvie hagler, lowsie dodger, etc.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan's Well, ch. xxviii. A sly cock, this Frank Tyrrel, thought the traveller; a very complete dodger—but no matter—I shall wind him, were he to double like a fan.
1887. Baumann, Londonismen, vi. So from hartful young dodgers, From vaxy old codgers, From the blowens ve got Soon to know vot is vot.
2. (popular).—A dram; provincially, a nightcap. For synonyms, see Go.
3. (American).—A hard-baked cake or biscuit, more usually termed corn-dodger. When mixed with beef, beef-dodgers.
4. (American).—A handbill.
1888. Texas Siftings, 15 Sept. Then I would have a great quantity of little dodgers printed to throw around everywhere.
Dodo, subs. (old).—A stupid,
old man.
Dodrotted, ppl. adj. (American).—A
euphemistic oath. See Oaths.
1887. Century Magazine. You ketch us with yer dodrotted foolin', says he; we hain't the kind to be fooled.
Does it? phr. (common).—A sarcastic
retort.—See Does your
Mother know you're out?
Does your Mother know you're
out? phr. (streets').—A popular
locution, vague as to meaning
and inexact in application—an expression
expressive of contempt,
incredulity, sarcasm, anything you
please.—See All my eye, Street
cries, and infra.
English Variants.—Has your mother sold her mangle? Not to-day, or it won't do, Mr. Ferguson! Sawdust and treacle! Draw it mild! And the rest! Who are you? All round my hat! Go it, ye cripples! Shoo, fly! How does the old thing work? Well, you know how it is yourself! How's your poor feet? Why, certainly! I'll have your whelk! Not to-day, baker, call to-morrow, and we'll take a crusty one! Do you see any green in my eye? Put that in your pipe and smoke it! Where are you going on Sunday? Go to Putney! Who stole the donkey: the man in the white hat! Cough, Julia! Over the bender! There you go with your eye out! etc., etc.
French Variants.—Et les mois de nourrice = (and the rest!); du combustible (popular: = go it you cripples); tu t'en ferais péter le cylindre (popular: = don't you wish you may get it); chiche! (popular: a defiant refusal); chaleur! (popular: expressive of contempt, disbelief, and ironical admiration); croyez ça et buvez de l'eau (popular: = believe that and
