hodmandod, n. (a.)
(ˈhɒdmənˌdɒd)
[A reduplicated variation of dodman, hoddy-dod; app. influenced in form by hodman: it has the dial. variants hodmadod, hodmedod, hodman Hob, hodmandon.]
1. A shell-snail, a dodman.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva §732 The Crab, the Crafish, the Hodmandod or Dodman, the Tortoise. a 1654 Webster Appius & Virg. iii. iv, I am an Ant, a Gnat, a worm..a Hodmandod amongst flies. 1674–91 Ray S. & E.C. Words 102 A Hodmandod, a shell-snail. 1766 [Anstey] Bath Guide vi. 27 As snug as a Hod'mandod rides in his Shell. 1858 Spurdens Suppl. Forby in E. Angl. Gloss., Hodman Hob, a snail-shell. 1893 Wiltsh. Gloss., Hodmedod, a snail. |
b. fig. Applied to a deformed person.
| 1663 Killigrew Parson's Wed. v. iv. in Hazl. Dodsley XIV. 525. 1807 Flowers Lit. 278 His head was thrice broader than his body, which..accident had made such a hodmandod one of the greatest philosophers of this age. |
† 2. An early corruption of the name Hottentot.
| 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1729) I. 536 The Natural Inhabitants of the Cape are the Hodmodods, as they are commonly called, which is a corruption of the word Hottantot. 1710 E. Ward Vulgus Brit. iii. 40 So Hodmontots, because their Feasts Chiefly consist of Gutts of Beasts. 1729 Cowley's Voy. in Collect. Voy. IV. ii. 35 The Hodmandods are born white, but make themselves black with Sut. |
3. Any strange creature; a scarecrow. dial.
| 1881 Isle of Wight Gloss., Hodmandod, any strange animal, a nondescript. 1888 Berksh. Gloss., Hodmedod, a scarecrow; usually a figure with a hat on, holding a stick to represent a gun. |
B. adj. Short and clumsy; = hoddy-doddy B. 1.
| 1825 Britton Beauties Wiltsh. III. Gloss. (E.D.S.), Hodmandod, hodmedod, short and clumsy. 1893 Wiltsh. Gloss. |