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1822. Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel, ch. v. That was his father. . . . You old dotard. Dot-and-carry-one that you are.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (Lay of S. Nicholas). How he rose with the sun, limping dot and go one.
1841. Leman Rede, Sixteen String Jack, Act i., Sc. 4. Kit. Of all the rummy chaps I ever did see, that dot-and-carry-one-of-old poetry is the queerest; he's as green as a babby, and as deep as a wooden spoon.
2. (old).—A writing-master or teacher of arithmetic. [Grose, 1785.]
Verb (old).—To 'hirple'; especially applied to a person with one leg shorter than the other, or, 'with an uneven keel.'
Do tell! intj. (American).—A
useful interjection, for listeners
who feel that some remark is
expected; equivalent to the English
Really? and Indeed? A similar
phrase in the South is the old
English, You don't say so? which
a Yankee will vary by, I want
to know! Do tell is also used
with inexperienced Munchausens
who by its means may often be
lured to repeat themselves.
1824. R. B. Peake, Americans Abroad, Act I., Sc. ii. Mrs. L. But when they order nothing at all— Dou: What then, du pray tell?
1854. N. and Q., 1 S., x., p. 84, R. Does Jeremiur behave well now? S. No, he's very ugly. He tried to burn the barn. R. do tell!
1871. De Vere, Americanisms, p. 598 s.v.
Dots, subs. (American journalist).—1.
Items of news.
2. (popular).—Money. For synonyms, see Actual and Gilt.
Dotter, subs. (common).—A
reporter; penny-a-liner. Cf.,
Dots, sense 1.
Dottle, subs. (common).—The
same as Dodder (q.v.).
1885. John Coleman, in Longm. Mag., VII., 69. During the performance of 'It's Never Too Late to Mend,' some gentleman of the proletariat, in knocking out the burning dottle of his pipe, succeeded in setting the gallery on fire.
Dotty, adj. and adv. (common).—1.
Feeble; dizzy; idiotic; e.g.,
dotty in the crumpet = weak
in the head; dotty in the pins
= unsteady on the legs. [Totty
is given in Cole's Eng. Dict.
(1724) = dizzy, but cf., dotish
and dotage.] For synonyms,
see Apartments, Balmy, and
Cf., Cabbage-head.
1870. Sportsman, 9 April. Although he begins to go a little stiff in his limbs and dotty on his feet he enjoys good health.
1884. Daily Telegraph, 9 April, p. 2, col. 6. His bad leg grows worse . . . and, as usual, he [a race-horse] pulled up in a dotty condition.
1889. Ally Sloper's Half Holiday, 3 Aug., p. 242, col. 3. As poor Doody on his knees had dropt In front of lovely Tottie, And the fatal question just had pop't. He really look'd quite dotty.
Subs. (common).—The fancy man of prostitutes of the lowest type.
Doubite, subs. (old).—A street.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue's Lexion, s.v.
Double, subs. (colloquial).—1. A
trick.
2. (theatrical).—An actor playing two parts in the same piece; used also as a verb.
1825. Egan, Life of an Actor, 'The Country Manager.' I make no reserve for myself, like all other managers; indeed, I am to double any character, and only anxious to make the most of every little bit.
3. (thieves').—See quot.
