do-nought, donnot Now chiefly dial.
(ˈduːnɔːt, ˈdɒnət)
[app. f. the words do nought: though sometimes taken as a corruption of an earlier dow not: cf. Ger. taugenichts.]
One who does nothing or no good; an idler (= do-nothing); a good-for-nothing.
| 1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits (1616) 12 Through griefe of seeing his sonne such a doo-nought. Ibid. 218 The buzzards, the sots, and the doe noughts. 1674 Ray N.C. Words 14 A Donnaught or Donnat..Naught, good for nothing: idle persons being commonly such. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxxii, What's brought thee back again, thou silly donnot? 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Donnot or Do-naught, a good-for-nothing person..the popular designation with reference to Satan himself. 1870 Morris Earthly Par. II. iii. 38 A do-nought by the fire-side. |