coffin dodger

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

coffin dodger (plural coffin dodgers)

1. (slang, derogatory, humorous) An elderly person, a person close to death, or good at avoiding death.
   • 1891 August 1, O.K., “Short Notes by "O.K."”, in Logan Witness‎, Beenleigh, Qld, Australia, archived from the original on 2019-06-20, page 2:

     That if parents don't look after their kids some long box makers are likely to be busy soon. That if after the discharge of buckshot these urchin's escape the "O.K" man will have to have another look out for the coffin-dodgers.

   • 1906 May 22, “Man About Town”, in The Evening Times‎, Grand Forks, N.D., archived from the original on 2019-06-22, page 4:

     Myers Gilbert known in Milwaukee, Wis., and in fact everywhere he has been as "Coffin Dodger," because of his good luck in wiggling out of tight places, is a typical tramp newsboy and a mighty clever sample of the progressive boy of the streets.

   • 1907 November 13, Longstaff, “Tram Troubadors”, in The Sydney Sportsman‎, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia, archived from the original on 2019-06-20, page 3:

     "Captain Cook" tells a tale of sin and deceit :- Have you ever heard of Harry, the Coffin Dodger, champion leg-puller of the Ultimo depot ?

2. (slang, humorous) An alcoholic drink, sometimes drunk as a hangover "cure".
   • 1897 November 13, “Barmaids, Avaunt!”, in The Esperance Times‎, Esperance, WA, Australia, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, page 2:

     While the Liquor Act Amendment Act was lately before the House, Mr. Leake tried to get the members to pass a clause imposing a penalty not exceeding £50 on any licensed person permitting any woman or girl to sell or serve liquor on his licensed premises. Parliament, however, did not see fit to abolish the fascinating female dispenser of the Cur-r-r-sed Dr-r-r-ink. She is still to be allowed to administer the "coffin-dodger" or "corpse-reviver" at will.

   • 1901 April 28, “Lovely Linda's Love Lore”, in Truth‎, Brisbane, Qld., Australia, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, page 2:

     All sorts came to see Linda, whose soulful innocence was as refreshing as a gin cocktail or a coffin-dodger the next morning, when one has a tongue like the corporation street brush and a mouth in semblance, to the bottom of a parrot cage.

   • 1905 December 16, “Pickup”, in The Express and Telegraph‎, Adelaide, SA, Australia, archived from the original on 2019-06-22, page 2:

     PICKUP. SIR JOHN BARLEYCORN. He is a Dispenser of everything WET, and a Vendor of COFFIN-DODGERS.

• (elderly person): antique, crinkly, twirly; see also Thesaurus:old person