The English Dialect Dictionary; Being the Complete Vocabulary of All Dialect Words Still in Use, or Known to Have Been in Use During the Last Two Hundred Years Volume 6 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...drdl. 1. To dandle, as one does an infant. Fif. (jam.) See Doodle, v.1 Hence Deedley-dumplin', sb. a term of endearment. Kcb. Bless its wee bonny rosy face It's mammie's deedleydumplin', Armstrong Ingleside (1890) 143. 2. To train an infant. (JAM. Suppl.) 3. To sing in a low key; to croon over an air without the words of the song; gen. in phr. to deedle and sing. Sc. Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1870) 322. Fif. Deedle denotes an intermediate key between cruning or humming, and lilting, which signifies lively singing (JAM.). Hence (1) Deedle-doodle, sb. a meaningless song, or badly-played tune; (2) Deedle linkum dodie, phr., words used in singing to children. (I) Sc. A meaningless lilt, rhyme, or song, run over in nurse fashion, is called a deedle-doodle; so also is a badly played tune on a flute, violin, or other instrument (jam. Suppl.. (a) Sc. Deedle linkum dodie We've gotten drucken Davie's wife, The smith of Tullibody, Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1870) 322. DEEDLE, see Diddle, v.1 DEEDLESS, adj. Yks. drdlas. Helpless, spiritless, inefficient. n.Yks.1; n.Yks.2 'There was deedless deed, ' no activity displayed. DEEDY, adj. Sc. Yks. Nhp. Oxf. Brks. Mid. Hmp. Sus. Wil. Dor. Also written deedle Fif. drdi. Full of activity; industrious, painstaking, earnest. Also used as adv. See Deed, sb. Abd. The swift, deep, deedie water, Macdonald Alec Forbes (1876). Yks. I was deedy over my book one day, Fetherston Yks. Farmer, Pref. n.Yks.2 ' A deedy body, ' a practical person; an industrious worker. m.Yks.1 Nhp.1 You're like the Welchman's cow, little and deedy. Oxf.1 Said of a person who is very handy, and thinks for herself. 'She is a very good girl, but she isn't deedy, ' is an ordinary character with a servant. Brks. (Coll. L.L.B.); He be a main deedy little chap...