Doit
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A small Dutch coin, equivalent to one-eighth of a stiver. historical
"'"You got a lot of gold off Mr. Beauclerc," says Glascock. '"Not a doit more than I wanted," says he, laughing again. "And who, pray, had a better right—did not I murder him?""
- 2 A small amount; a bit, a jot. archaic
"[…] when they will not giue a doit to relieue a lame Begger, they will lay out ten to ſee a dead Indian: […]"
- 3 In jazz music, a note that slides to an indefinite pitch chromatically upwards.
"Jazz symbols include many contoured articulations and inflections, such as doits, fall-offs, and scoops."
- 1 To stumble; to blunder. Scotland, rare
"I trembled with astonishment; and on my return from the small window went doiting in amongst the weaver's looms, tillI entangled myself, and could not get out again without working great deray amongst the coarse linen threads that stood in warp from one end of the apartment unto the other."
Example
More examples"'"You got a lot of gold off Mr. Beauclerc," says Glascock. '"Not a doit more than I wanted," says he, laughing again. "And who, pray, had a better right—did not I murder him?""
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle Low German doyt, cognate with Middle Dutch duit. Doublet of thwaite.
Borrowed from Scots doit, apparently a Scots cognate of dote.