Chapter Drunkenness to Dudgeon of D by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

which "ducks and drakes" are made on water. The allusion is to the sport of throwing stones to skim over water for the sake of seeing them ricocheting or rebounding.

"What figured slates are best to make
On watery surface duck and drake."
Butler: Hudibras, ii. 3.

"Mr. Locke Harper found out, a month after his marriage,that somebody had made ducks and drakes of his wife's money." -Dinah M. Craik: Agatha's Husband, chap. xxiii.

Duckie Diminutive of "duck," a term of endearment = darling or beloved one. (Norwegian and Danish, dukke, a doll, a baby.)

Ducking (A). A drenching. (German, ducken, to dive under water.)

Duckweed A weed which floats on the surface of stagnant water and forms a harbour for insects which ducks feed on. Its Latin name is "Lemna;" Greek, limne (a stagnant pool).

Dude A masher. One who renders himself conspicuous by affectation of dress, manners, and speech. The word was first familiarised in London in 1881, and is a revival of the old word dudes (clothes). We have several derivations, as dudder, one who sells dress-pieces; duddery, a rag-shop; duddle, to wrap up warmly (Halliwell), etc. It is not of American origin.

"I should just as soon expect to see Mercutio smoke a cigarette, as to find him ambling about the stage with the mincing manners of a dude." - Jefferson: Century Magazine, January,1890, p. 383.

Dudeism (3 syl.). The tomfoolery of a dude (2 syl.).

Dudgeon (The). The handle of a dagger, at one time made of box-wood root, called "dudgeon-wood;" a dagger with such a handle. Shakespeare does not say, "and on the blade o' the dudgeon gouts of blood," but "on the blade and dudgeon . . ," both blade and handle.