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Dude

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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.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Duchesne
Duchess
Duck
Duck Lane
Duck’s Egg
Duck’s-foot Lane [City.]
Ducks and Drakes
Duckie
Ducking (A)
Duckweed
Dude
Dudeism
Dudgeon (The)
Dudman and Ramhead
Duds
Dudu
Duende
Duenna [Lady]
Duergar
Duessa (Double-mind or False-faith)
Dufarge