didder, v. Now only dial.
(ˈdɪdə(r))
Forms: 4 diddir, 5 didir, dyder, dedir, -ur, 6 dydder, 7– didder. See also dither.
[Found in the 14th c. related to dadder and dodder; the form in all being frequentative as in totter, flutter, etc.
It is not certain whether they belong to an ablaut stem did, dad, dod, (dud), or whether they are entirely onomatopœic, didder e.g. being a natural imitation of tremulous motion, and dadder, dudder, dodder, variations expressing clumsier or heavier forms of it. Didder is chiefly northern; dither, which appears later, is also midl. and southern, the -ther arising out of -der, as in father, mother, hither, etc.]
intr. To tremble, quake, shake, shiver.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints, Johannes 264 Cald [frigus]..Þat makis wrechis ful chel to diddir. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxv, Dyntus gerut him to dedur. c 1440 York Myst. xxviii. 2 My flesshe dyderis & daris for doute of my dede. c 1460 Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 28, I dase and I dedir For ferd of that taylle. c 1550 Hye Way to Spyttil Hous 118 in Hazl. E.P.P. IV. 28 Boyes, gyrles, and luskysh strong knaues, Dydderyng and dadderyng, leaning on their staues. a 1693 Urquhart Rabelais iii. xx. 167 Diddering and shivering his Chaps, as Apes use to do. 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. (Morell) 1, To didder (shiver with cold), algeo. 1790 Mrs. Wheeler Westmld. Dial. (1821) 34, I quite didderd for fear. 1869 Lonsdale Gloss., Didder, to shiver, to tremble. |
Hence ˈdiddering vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 121/1 Dyderynge for colde, frigitus. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Bergerac's Com. Hist. i. 18 By his extraordinary chattering and diddering, one half of his Teeth dropt out. 1785 Hutton Bran New Wark (E.D.S.) 347 Her knocking knees, and diddering teeth melted my heart. 1869 Lonsdale Gloss., Didderin'-girse, quaking grass. |