Origin of Like the Dickens Believe it or not, this phrase actually has nothing to do with Charles Dickens, the famous English writer. Dickens is a substitute for the word devil. Some people try to avoid saying the word devil for religious reasons.
What does it mean to run like the dickens?
old-fashioned To use all of one’s power or effort while running. (“Dickens” is an informal name for the devil.) I ran like the dickens to get away from the barking dog.
What does the idiom Dickens mean?
what (in) the dickens. An exclamation used to emphasize surprise, shock, or bafflement.
Where did the phrase little dickens come from?
It stands for Devil. A little Dickens is an imp. Used familiarly, it is usually affectionate. The phrase “what the dickens” was coined by William Shakespeare and originated in The Merry Wives Of Windsor Act 3, scene 2, 18–23.
Where does the name Dickens come from?
Dickens is an ancient name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of emigration that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The name comes from the Norman baptismal name which means the son of Diccon, which is a diminution of the parent name, Richard.
Where did hurts like the dickens originate?
This phrase has nothing to do with Charles Dickens. Dickens is a euphemism, specifically a minced-oath, for the word devil, possibly via devilkins. Shakespeare used ‘dickens’ in ‘the Merry Wives of Windsor, 1600: I cannot tell what the dickens his name is my husband had him of.
Who Says What the Dickens?
Shakespeare
One of its earliest literary appearances is in a Shakespeare play – The Merry Wives of Windsor (Act 3, Scene 2) where Mistress Page exclaims: “I cannot tell what the dickens his name is ….”
What is a synonym for Dickens?
synonyms for like the dickens
ardently. assiduously. carefully. diligently. eagerly.
What phrases did Dickens invent?
He’s credited with inventing such standard English terms as boredom, flummox, rampage, butter-fingers, tousled, sawbones, confusingly, casualty ward, allotment garden, kibosh, footlights, dustbin, fingerless, fairy story, messiness, natural-looking, squashed, spectacularly and tintack.
What the dickens and I do mean Dickens?
Dickens is a euphemism for the word devil, possibly via devilkins. A devilkin is a diabolical imp – a king of mini-devil. Euphemisms that avoid mention of either God or the devil are known as minced-oaths and ‘what the dickens’ is an archetypal example of that form.
What does hotter than the dickens mean?
old-fashioned slang Extremely and uncomfortably hot. On summer days in Texas, when it’s hot as the dickens outside, there’s nothing quite like a tall glass of sweet tea. I hate working in the theme park during the summer because it’s as hot as the dickens in the costumes they make us wear.
Is McQueen Scottish or Irish?
Scottish Gaelic
McQueen, Mcqueen, and MacQueen, Macqueen are English-language surnames derived from Scottish Gaelic. There have been several differing etymologies given for the surnames; as well as several differing ways to represent the surname in modern Scottish Gaelic.
Did Dickens make up the name Scrooge?
DICKENS invented the name Scrooge for his miserly main character in our favourite festive story, A Christmas Carol. Since then, it has become a common term.
What is Charles Dickens most famous quote?
Famous Charles Dickens quotes
1. “A day wasted on others is not wasted on one’s self.” 2. “Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.”
How did Charles Dickens feel about slavery?
Dickens’s attitudes towards African Americans were also complex. In American Notes he fiercely opposed the inhumanity of slavery in the United States, and expressed a desire for the abolition of American slavery.
What is Scrooge’s famous phrase?
Scrooge: “Bah, humbug!” Narrator: “Oh! but he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!”
What does you scared the dickens out of me mean?
scare the dickens out of (one)
To shock or frighten one very suddenly or severely. “Dickens” is a euphemism for “devil.” Don’t sneak up on me like that—you scared the dickens out of me!
What is the word for a sad song?
dirge
- elegy.
- hymn.
- chant.
- coronach.
- cry.
- jeremiad.
- keen.
- lament.
What is the opposite of a Scrooge?
Someone generous is the opposite of a scrooge.
What’s another word for Grinch?
What is another word for grinch?
| spoilsport | killjoy |
|---|---|
| drag | wet blanket |
| party pooper | grouch |
| sourpuss | damper |
| stick in the mud | misery |
How much did Charles Dickens make per word?
At £20 per installment, Dickens earned £400 per book. Many believe that Dickens earned a penny a word. It was less than that. He earned a farthing per word.