doorstep, v. colloq.
(ˈdɔːstɛp)
[f. door-step n.]
1. trans. To abandon (a child for whom one is responsible) to the care of someone else; to leave or ‘park’ with a child-minder.
| 1945 N. Mitford Pursuit of Love ii. 13 When it became obvious..that my parents intended to doorstep me, Aunt Sadie had wanted to bring me up with Linda. 1985 Daily Tel. 8 Nov. 14/2 Her early years were largely spent being doorstepped on anyone available. |
2. a. intr. To go from door to door selling, canvassing, etc.
| 1966 Daily Tel. 28 Mar. 22/3 Dr. David Owen, a young St. Thomas' Hospital research graduate, is doorstepping assiduously in politically doubtful streets. 1982 Times 8 Mar. 3/2 Up to 50 volunteers a night have been door-stepping and distributing leaflets. 1986 Sunday Express Mag. 3 Aug. 14/1 He shook hands and doorstepped like a pro. |
b. trans. Of a press reporter, etc.: to call upon or wait on the doorstep for (someone), in order to obtain an interview, photograph, etc. Also transf.
| 1981 Listener 19 Feb. 230/2 Jane Drabble and I decided to doorstep him. 1985 Guardian 6 Nov. 32/8 Sara's views about the ‘frightful men’ from that newspaper who doorstepped her. 1987 Daily Tel. 5 Jan. 3/6 The incident..came amid mounting Royal Family anger with newspaper and freelance photographers ‘doorstepping’ their annual holiday, who had ignored informal requests to leave. 1990 Observer 17 June 19/7 Immediately after the revolution, it was they who were afraid, running from our cameras... It would be madness to doorstep the Securitate today. |
So ˈdoorstepping vbl. n.; ˈdoorstepper n., one who doorsteps.
| 1909 Daily Chron. 13 Mar. 8/5 She had begun to bring grist to the family mill by ‘door-stepping’ and running errands. 1974 Times 29 Jan. 12/4 There they are, nearly every day..in wet and windy streets waiting for endless crunch meetings to come to a crunch... Door-stepping, we call it in the trade. 1976 Times 23 Oct. 18/3 Adolescent deviller and doorstepper for the local Labour Party machine. 1983 Observer 19 June 17/3 High-pressure, door-to-door selling of unit trusts and linked life bonds is on the way..in the wake of apparently successful lobbying by the powerful life offices to retain the doorstepping rights of their salesmen. 1987 Daily Tel. 10 Nov. 16/8 Fraser was clearly unable to compete as a doorstepper with the sprightly David Owen. |