Dutch Idioms

Several words have found themselves used in a number of phrases. We looked at 'break' last time and this time it's 'Dutch'. Before coming to what turns out to be rather a longer list than I expected, it should be noted that none of these will have been in use before 1600. Furthermore, many of these will be seen as derogatory which is down to the trading conflicts between the English/British and the Dutch since the 17th century.

Going Dutch is where those dining in company pay for themselves.

If that's true I'm a Dutchman is a way of denying what was said. (Also: if not I'm a Dutchman - seeks to strengthen an argument.)

Dutch cure is to commit suicide.

Dutch bargains are settled over drinks.

Dutch auction is where the price starts high and steadily reduced until someone accepts the offer.

Dutch agreement is made when intoxicated.

Beat the Dutch is to exceed expectations.

Dutch collar is a horse collar.

Dutch comfort is to derive comfort by thinking things could be worse.

Dutch concert is to make a lot of noise.

Dutch courage comes from alcohol.

Dutch defence is no defence at all.

Dutch headache is more often called a hangover.

Dutch leaf might look like gold leaf, but it isn't.

Dutch leave when a military man is Absent Without Leave (AWOL).

Dutch gold is an allow of copper and zinc, it's what Dutch leaf (above) is made from.

Dutch oven is an enclosed cooking pot from around 1769, but there is also a later definition in which there are two people sharing a bed and one farts and pulls the covers over the other to give them the dubious benefit of the full experience.

Dutch nightingales are frogs.

Dutch reckoning is a high bill, especially one not itemised.

Dutch rub is when one rubs their knuckles firmly across the top of the head of another.

Dutch talent is best defined as more brawn than brain.

Dutch widow or prostitute.

Dutch wife is a long bolster pillow.

Double Dutch refers to one talking gibberish.

Dutch uncle is seen from 1838 and refers to a kindly figure but one who is straight-talking and strict.

An etymologist's look at everyday 20th century words no longer used

Note it is often said the OED not only adds words each year but removes others. This is not the case, the OED merely marks some as 'obsolete' or 'no longer in use'. Here are some which you may or may not remember.

Regulo was a number used to give a setting on a temperature scale in gas ovens in Britain. It would often be heard or seen on television and in recipes: "Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, regulo 6" or "220 degrees, regulo 7". Today we hear the phrase "gas mark" but the scale is the same. The term 'regulo', while not specifically a trade name, was used by manufacturers for many years. It is clearly derived from 'regulate', itself from Latin regula 'a straight piece of wood' and Proto-Indo-European reg 'move in a straight line'.

Fuzzle is a word meaning 'to make drunk, the confuse' and likely a mispronunciation of fuddle also meaning 'to get drunk' and today still seen in 'befuddle'.

Resistentialism was a theory that inanimate objects showed spiteful behaviour. Confused? (Or even fuzzled?) The idea being that such things as a ball refused to bounce correctly and would have to be chased - when really the ball had been bounced incorrectly; or keys would deliberately hide - and not that the owner had forgotten where they had put them. No wonder the word fell out of use.Clearly derived from 'resist', as in not doing what is expected, this verb came to English through Old French and Latin from Proto-Indo-European sta 'to stand, make firm'.

Lumming spoke of how gentlemen would go for a walk after a meal and smoke (usually a pipe). This has its origins in the slang term 'lum', a reference to the flue drawing smoke from an open fire into the chimney and away from the house.

Aerodrome began to give way to 'airport' from 1909 and has now disappeared entirely. It comes from the Greek aerodromos 'running through the air', and first used as a name for an early flying machine.

Overmorrow is not tomorrow but the day after tomorrow. Clearly from 'morrow', a word sharing an origin with 'morning' in coming to English through the Germanic languages and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mer 'to blink, twinkle', and a reference to the breaking of the new day.

Groak is to 'stare at someone eating', presumably in the hope of being offered a share. Origins are obscure, although it is tempting to suggest it is related to 'gaek' and 'gawp'.

Thrape is to punish, beat, to thrash. Latterly rarely used in the physical sense, but more likely used to describe a verbal tirade, and also a heavy defeat in a sporting contest.