didapper
(ˈdaɪˌdæpə(r))
Forms: 5 dydoppar, 6–7 dydopper, 7 didopper, dydapper, dy-dapper, 6–9 diedapper, 6– didapper.
[A reduced form of dive-dapper, in same sense.]
1. A small diving water-fowl; = dabchick.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 121/1 Dydoppar, watyr byrde. 1565–73 Cooper Thesaurus, Collimbris, the birde called a Douker, or Didapper. 1591 Percivall Sp. Dict., Somorgujo, ducking, diuing, a diedapper. 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. v. 775 The nimble Teal, the Mallard strong in flight, The Di-dapper, the Plover and the Snight. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. ii. ii. i. (1651) 67 All fenny Fowl..as Ducks..Didappers, Waterhens. 1699 R. L'Estrange Colloq. Erasm. (1711) 11 One while up, and another while down, like a Didapper. 1837 Wheelwright tr. Aristophanes II. 142 Daws, chickens, coots, wrens, ducks and didappers. 1885 Swainson Prov. Names Bird. 216 From its diving propensities this bird [little grebe] is called Diver (Renfrew); Diedapper (Dorset, Hants, Norfolk); Divedapper, or Divedop (Lincolnshire); Divy duck (Norfolk); Dive an' dop (Norfolk). |
2. Applied ludicrously to a person.
| 1589 Pappe w. Hatchet 3 Such dydoppers must be taken vp, els theile not stick to check the king. 1612 R. Carpenter Soules Sent. 20 Thou art a Didapper peering vp and downe in a moment. 1727 Pope, etc. Art Sinking 83 The didappers are authors, that keep themselves long out of sight, under water, and come up now and then, where you least expected them. 1851 C. Colton Lacon I. 163 Wilkes was one of those didappers, whom, if you had stripped naked, and thrown over Westminster bridge, you might have met on the very next day, with..a laced coat upon his back, and money in his pocket. |