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dimber cove. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
dimber cove, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
dimber cove in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Noun
dimber cove (plural dimber coves)
- (obsolete, UK, thieves' cant) A gentleman.
1901, Fergus Hume, The Millionaire Mystery:Is it Mr. Gramp you want, m'dimber-cove?
1918, Jeffery Farnol, Our Admirable Betty:"Come now, Benno my dimber cove," cried Jerry at last, "what's the game? What ha' ye brought me here for? Tip us the office!"
- (obsolete, UK, thieves' cant) A handsome man.
2012, Kate Ross, A Broken Vessel:I seen his son once—Mr. Charles Avondale. Cor, he's a dimber cove! Hair like gold, and eyes as'd put blue violets to shame. He ever come here?
2013, Maria McCann, Ace, King, Knave:'Dimber cove, though, ain't he?'¶ 'Except his hair,' the other girl said. 'I don't care for this newfangled fashion, neither wig nor powder.'¶ 'But a fine colour,' Betsy-Ann said, thinking it would be a pity to powder such hair: like dulling a raven's wing.
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References
- [Francis Grose] (1788) “Dimber cove”, in A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 2nd edition, London: S. Hooper, , →OCLC.
- Albert Barrère and Charles G[odfrey] Leland, compilers and editors (1889–1890) “dimber cove”, in A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon & Cant , volumes I (A–K), Edinburgh: The Ballantyne Press, →OCLC, page 310.
- John S[tephen] Farmer; W[illiam] E[rnest] Henley, compilers (1891) “dimber cove”, in Slang and Its Analogues Past and Present. , volume II, Harrison and Sons] , →OCLC, page 287.