didapper
A small diving water bird frequenting rivers and fresh waters, specifically a little grebe or dabchick.
Noun
- A small diving water bird frequenting rivers and fresh waters, specifically a little grebe or dabchick.
- The misery of man may fitly be compar'd to a Didapper, who when she is under water, past our sight, and indeed can seem no more to us, rises again; […] - 1679, Francis Beaumont, Fifty comedies and tragedies, page 483:
- A scoundrel, a worthless person
- If a Martin can play at cheſtes, as well as his nephewe the ape, he ſhall knowe what it is for a ſcaddle pawne, to croſſe a Biſhop in his owne walke. Such dydoppers must be taken vp, els theile not ſtick to check the...
- In earneſt thus; There is a Doctor and his Fart, that haue kept a foule ſtinking ſtirre in Paules Churchyard; I crie him mercie I ſlaundered him, he is ſcarſe a Doctor till he hath done his Acts: this dodipoule, this...
- In this towne two Cut-purſes were taken, that with other two of their companions followed mee from Lõdon (as many better diſpoſed perſons did): but theſe two dy-doppers gaue out when they were apprehended, that they had...
Origin
From Middle English dydoppar, from earlier douedoppe, deuedep, dyuedap with agentive suffix -er, from Old English dūfedoppa (“diving bird, pelican”), from dūfan (“to dive”) + *doppa (“diver”) (whence modern English dop (“diving bird”)). By surface analysis, dive + dop + -er.