To
be a dog in a manger means to be a spoilsport; to be unwilling to let
others benefit when self benefit is not possible. All of this comes
from one of Aesop's fables in which a dog occupies an ox's manger. The
manger is full of hay, for which the dog has no use; never-the-less he
refuses to let the ox get at its fodder.
When
someone says that they are going to see a man about a dog they really
mean that they are unwilling to reveal the true nature of their
business. The expression comes from the long forgotten 1866 play
'Flying Scud' by a prolific Irish-born playwright of the period named
Dion Boucicault. One of the characters uses the words as an excuse to
get away from a tricky situation. This character, an eccentric and
superannuated old jockey, says: "Excuse me Mr. Quail, I can't stop;
I've got to see a man about a dog". This is the only thing that seems
to have survived from the play.
Dogs - he's gone to the dogs is an expression which describes someone
who has worsened in appearance, character, behaviour, etc. This is an
analogy to the scraps of waste food etc that were thrown to dogs from
medieval baronial dining tables. They were of no other use. Thus, if
someone is said to have 'gone to the dogs', he is also regarded as
worthless.
Dogsbody: If someone is a dogsbody they are regarded as a drudge or
menial. This is nautical in origin from a not very popular dish aboard
ship which consisted of passengers' leftovers mixed with ships
biscuits, reheated and called Dogsbody, ie a meal without much status
and then applied to those who once ate it. In this sense the expression
came into use in the 1920s, but the term, which is virtually unknown in
the US, had been in use from the 19C and referred to a stew, especially
peas pudding.
Doolally: To drive someone Doolally means to drive them mad. This is
another one that goes back to the days of the British Army in India.
After a tour of duty the troops were sent back to Britain for
redeployment. Troopships were the means of transport and the troops
were sent to the appropriate port to await the arrival of the ship.
There they had to wait, often for weeks, in the heat and humidity. They
were nearly driven mad by these and boredom. The port was called
Deolali which became Anglicised and used as a term of semi-abuse.
Incidentally, there was a large "lunatic asylum" in Deolali and its
presence may also have played a role in the evolution of the phrase.
Intriguingly Deo in Urdu means Devil and Lal means Red and is a very
ancient name.
Doornail: As dead as a doornail is an expression used to indicate
actual or apparent total lack of life. The saying is many hundreds of
years old and is one of many used over the centuries to describe death.
It has survived longer than all the others, e.g. dead as mackerel,
although "dead as mutton" is still in use. Medieval doors were studded
with heavy nails- Doornails, one of which was used as a knocker. This
nail was clearly very unresponsive and dead to the constant assault,
hence the saying.
Dot: When something is on the dot it is precise and accurate. The basis
of this one is not absolutely certain but probably comes from the
comparison with the minute hand of a clock being exactly over the dot
on the dial when it's precisely on the minute.
Double: To do something at the double is indicative of urgency and
speed. It's another with a nautical origin; in this instance double was
the old name for the rapid drumbeat summoning all hands to action
stations.
Dozen: When going nineteen to the dozen something or someone is going
at breakneck speed. The origin here is one of the nicest that I have
come across. It goes back to the time of the Cornish tin and copper
mines. These mines were often hit by floods. In the 18th century coal
powered, steam driven pumps were installed to clear the water. When
working maximally the pumps could clear nineteen thousand gallons of
water for every twelve bushels of coal.
Drum: To drum up support was a military term and described the custom
of recruiting parties marching into town and announcing their arrival
with fife and drum. Their duty was described as Drumming up recruits.
Duck: The phrase a lame duck implies that a person or business is
ineffectual. It was coined by the great actor Garrick in a play he
wrote in 1771. In the play he describes Stock-Jobbers (dealers) in the
Stock Exchange who could not or would not pay their debts as follows;
Change Alley bankrupts waddle out (like) lame ducks. The expression was
taken up by the Stock Exchange itself. It then spread to the USA where
it came to be applied to politicians near the end of their term of
office and therefore ineffectual.
Dutch: e.g. "I'm a Dutchman"; "Dutch courage", "Dutch treat" . All
these come from the time of the 17th century when the Dutch were hated
military and commercial rivals of the English. Examples include Dutch
reckoning, a bill that is presented without any details, and which only
gets bigger if you question it, and a Dutch widow, a prostitute. In the
same spirit are Dutch auction, one in which the prices go down instead
of up; Dutch courage, temporary bravery induced by alcohol; Dutch
metal, an alloy of copper and zinc used as a substitute for gold foil;
Dutch comfort or Dutch consolation, in which somebody might say "thank
God it is no worse!"; Dutch concert, in which each musician plays a
different tune; Dutch uncle, someone who criticises or rebukes you with
the frankness of a relative; and Dutch treat, one in which those
invited pay for themselves.
Dyed: A dyed in the wool individual is one with fixed, deep felt
beliefs. The saying is many hundred of years old and goes back to the
medieval method of adding dye to raw wool rather than to spun wool or
finished cloth. The final colour was much more long lasting and deeply
ingrained than dyeing at later stages of manufacture.
