Heading
Duffer = one who performs this operation, whilst the article operated upon is also a duffer by virtue of the fact itself. Cf., Duffer.
Duffer, subs. (old: now
recognised).—1. A pedlar; specifically
a hawker of Brummagem
(q.v.), and so-called smuggled
goods (hence senses 2 and 3). In
the population returns of 1831
duffer = one who gets a living
by cheating pawnbrokers.—See
Dudder and Duff.
1796. Colquhoun, Police of the Metropolis, p. 176. A class of sharpers who are known by the name of duffers, who go about from house to house, and attend public-houses, inns, and fairs, pretending to sell smuggled goods.
1843. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, ch. xxxvii., p. 361. Nor did it mark him out as the prey of ring droppers, pea and thimble-riggers, duffers, touters, or any of those bloodless sharpers, who are, perhaps, a little better known to the police.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. lx. Now it is a fact that Colonel Altamont had made a purchase of cigars and French silks from some duffers in Fleet Street about this period.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. i., p. 413. An intelligent street-seller, versed in all the arts and mysteries of this trade, told me that he understood by a duffer, a man who sold goods under false pretences, making out that they were smuggled, or even stolen, so as to enhance the idea of their cheapness.
2. (colloquial).—Anything (or person) worthless; anything sham. [From sense 1.]
d. 1845. Hood [quoted in Annandale]. Duffers (if I may use a slang term which has now become classical, and which has no exact equivalent in English proper) are generally methodical and old. Fosset certainly was a duffer.
1869. Mrs. H. Wood, Roland Yorke, ch. xi. Don't you think, Hamish, he must have been a great duffer to go and marry before he knew how he could keep a wife?
1872. Standard, 12 Sept. 'Who is to blame?' we ask, in the interests of our government, and natural curiosity. 'That duffer in feathers' is the curt reply, pointing with the finger of scorn at one hero whom we had mistaken for something little short of a field marshal.
1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 264. I'd several sovs.—good ones—with me, and also a whole lot of duffers.
1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish, p. 10. He made no bones about calling her stupid, and was more apt to call her a little duffer than to sympathise with her when she got into trouble.
1889. Answers, 29 June, p. 66, col. 1. If the note is a genuine one the water-mark will then stand out plainly. If a duffer it will almost disappear.
3. (nautical).—A female smuggler.
Duffer-out, verb. phr. (Australian
miners').—To get exhausted.
1887. Finch-Hatton, Advance Australia. He then reported to the shareholders that the lode had duffered out, and that it was useless to continue working.
Duffing, ppl. adj. (colloquial).—False;
counterfeit; worthless;
Cf., Duff and Duffer.
1862. London Herald, 27 Dec. 'Answers to Correspondents.' Houses burdened with ninety years' repairing leases and heavy ground rents are run up by the 'duffing' builder, merely for sale.
1873. Times, Jan. We know now that so-called 'duffing' jewellery is scattered far and wide over the land.
1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, ch. iii., p. 239. A 'shise' half-bull and a 'duffing' tanner: half-a-crown and a sixpence quietly palmed off on this man out of his half-sovereign.
Dugs, subs. (old).—The paps; once
used without reproach of women;
now only in contempt, except of
animals. [From same stem as
'daughter.'] For synonyms, see
Dairy.
Duke, subs. (old).—1. Gin. For
synonyms, see Drinks.
