dub-a-dub
[Echoic; cf. dub v.2]
The sound made in beating a drum: used, a. advb., or without construction, as a simple representation of the sound; b. as n., to name the sound, or the drummer who makes it; and c. as adj. to characterize it.
| a 1553 Udall Royster D. iv. vii. (Arb.) 74 Now sainct George to borow, Drum dubbe a dubbe afore. 1576 Gascoigne Steele Gl. (Arb.) 67 When drums are dumb, and sound not dub a dub. 1583 Stanyhurst æneis viii. (Arb.) 137 Lowd dub a dub tabering with frapping rip rap of ætna. a 1592 Greene Alphonsus Wks. (Rtldg.) 242 Hark, how their drums with dub-a-dub do come! 1608 Day Hum. out of Br. v. ii. (1881) 77 These drumming dub adubs loues pleasure feares. 1708 Motteux Rabelais v. xviii. (1737) 81 The Dub-o-dub Rattling of the Drums. 1878 Stevenson Inland Voy. 86 Each dub-a-dub goes direct to a man's heart. |
¶ Applied, by confusion, to the accolade given in conferring knighthood.
| 1612 Field Woman a Weathercock i. ii. in Hazl. Dodsley XI. 23 The dub-a-dub of honour, piping hot Doth lie upon my worship's shoulder-blade. |
So dub-a-dub v. = dub v.2 2.
| 1598 Florio, Tambussare..to dub a dub, to drum. 1851 Blackw. Mag. Nov. 573 Trumpets and drums, blown and dub-a dubbed by fellows that..I would not trust [etc.]. |