dowd2 (doud)

[Origin obscure.] A woman's nightcap. [Scotch and prov. Eng.] dowdet, n. A Middle English form of dowdy. dowdily (dou'di-li), adv. In a dowdy or slovenly manner. A public man should travel gravely with the fashions, not foppishly before, nor dowdily behind, the central movement of his age. R. L. Stevens on, Samuel Pepys. dowdine (douʼdi-nes), n . [ dowdy + -ne .] The state of being dowdy. dowdy (dou'di), n . and a . [E. dial. also dawdy , Sc. dawdie , dowde , a dowdy; origin obscure. Appar. not connected with dawdle , idle, trifle: see dawdle .] I. n.; pl. dowdies (-diz). dowdy A slatternly, slovenly, ill-dre ed woman; a slattern, especially one who affects finery. If she be never so fowlle a dowde . Towneley Mysteries , p. 112. Laura, to his lady, was but a kitchen-wench;. Dido, a dowdy ; Cleopatra, a gipsy. Shak., R. and J., ii. 4. High company; among others the Duche of Albemarle, who is ever a plain, homely dowdy . Pepys , Diary, I. 158. II. a. Slovenly; ill-dre ed; slatternly: applied to women. No huswifery the dowdy creature knew; To sum up all, her tongue confe ed the shrew. Gay, Shepherd's Week, Wednesday. Pallas in her stockings blue, Imposing, but a little dowdy . O. W. Holmes, The First Fan. dowdyish (dou'di-ish), a. [