dowitcher (douicher)

[A corruption of G. deutsch, German (or D. duitsch, Dutch), deutscher, a German: see Dutch.] The red breasted or gray-backed snipe, Macrorhamphus grise us: a popular and now a book name of this species, which was formerly locally (Long Island and vicinity) called German or Dutch snipe, to distinguish it from the so-called English snipe, Gall in a go wilson i. A closely related species, M. scolo pace us, is known as the long - billed, western, or white - tailed dowitcher. The name is sometimes locally misapplied to the pectoral sandpiper, Actodromas maculata. Also dow itch, dowitchee. Bastard dowitcher or dowitch, the stilt-sandpiper, Micro palama him an top us. dowk, dowke (douk), n. [E. dial., prob. dalk, varieties of slate clay, sometimes common clay, dauch, "a soft and black substance chiefly of clay, mica, and what resembles coaldaugh = = = Sc. dust," given in the mining districts of the north of England to the dark-colored argillaceous material which not unfrequently constitutes a considerable part of the veins. E. dough, q. v.] The name The news of bonny dowk and excellent rider have frequently proved the only solace of unsucce ful adventures. Sopwith , Mining District of Alston Moor, p. 109. dowl (doul), n. [Also written dowle , doul , prob. douille , doille , doulle , soft, something soft (> F. douillet , soft, downy, douillette , a wadded garment), F. dial. douilles , hairs, ductilis , ductile: see ductile .] One of the filaments which make up the blade of a feather; a fiber of down; down. down There is a certain shell-fish in the sea... that bears a mo y dowle or wool, whereof cloth was spun. Hist. of Man . Arts (1661). No feather or dowle of a feather but was heavy enough for him. De Quincey. dowlas, dowla (dou'las), n. [Prob., like many other names of cloths, from a town-name; said to be from Doullens , a town in the department of Somme, France.] A strong and coarse linen cloth, used, until the introduction of machine woven cotton cloth, for purposes not requiring fine linen. Yorkshire and the south of Scotland were the chief places of its manufacture during the eighteenth century. The maid, subdued by fees, her trunk unlocks, And gives the cleanly aid of dowla -smocks. Gay, To the Earl of Burlington. [ME., dowle , doule, dole, etc.: dowledt, a . see dole2.] Dead; flat. Hall i well . And loke ye gyue no persone noo dowled drynke, for it wyll breke ye scab be. Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 268. dowle (dou'les), a. [Sc., also dole , dow1 , = do2 , + -le .) Feeble; wanting spirit or activity; shiftle . Dorle fowk, for health gaue down, Along your howms be streek an Their limms this day. Picken , Poems, p. 55. dowlyt, adv . [ME., dowle , doule , dole , etc.: see dole2.] Feebly; despairingly. With fainttyng & feblenes he fell to the ground All dowly , for dole, in a dede swone. Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), L. 13937.