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Dutchman's breeches

noun, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A plant of the species Dicentra cucullaria, native to eastern North America and the Columbia River basin. plural, plural-only
  2. 2
    delicate spring-flowering plant of the eastern United States having white flowers with double spurs wordnet
  3. 3
    A plant of the species Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly Dicentra spectabilis, similar to D. cucullaria, but red or pink. plural, plural-only
  4. 4
    Something proverbially blue, used in phrases relating to a clear blue sky, as in "enough blue sky to make [or patch] a Dutchman's breeches", etc. colloquial, plural, plural-only
  5. 5
    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see Dutchman, -'s, breeches. plural, plural-only

    "A Dutchman's breeches, in full taste, / Two contrasted extremes divide; / Buttons, like platters, at the waist, / And studs, like peas, along the side."

Etymology

In the case of the plants, named because their flower petals resemble baggy pants worn by Dutch settlers to North America (compare slops, knickerbockers).

See also for "dutchman's breeches"

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