Dutch (thing)

The word 'dutch' has taken on quite a few new meanings in the English language - meanings that have very little to do with the language spoken by the Dutch people, and that are usually derogative, interestingly enough.

To my knowledge, this should be a fairly complete list. If you can think of any others, let me know:

• Double Dutch - A jumping rope game, but can also mean to be stupid
• To do a dutch, Dutch Act or Dutch Route- To commit suicide
• Dutch Auction - An auction where the bidding starts at a high sum - the auctioner then lowers the price until somebody buys the item.
• Dutch Courage - Courage attained through being under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Dutch Cap - a diaphragm
• Dutch Cheese - apart from obviously being cheese from Holland, it is also used about bald people
• Dutch Comfort - Deadpan sarcastic way of trying to comfort someone. i.e "Could have been worse" or "you could have lost both your legs.
• Dutch Defence - to surrender or flee
• Dutch Feast - A party at which the host is drunk before the guests. Or even before the guests arrive.
• Dutch Leave - to desert the armed forces, going AWOL
• Dutch Rod - a firearm of inferior quality. Also used about the Luger in particular
• Dutch Widow - a prostitute
• Dutch Wife - an inflatable sex doll
• Beating the Dutch - used as "Well, that beats the dutch", about something that is baffling or weird

You Brits and Americans must have been mighty loving about us Dutchmen, ey? Well, if nothing else, at least we are known for being tolerant, and are more likely to shrug, have another Grolsch, Amstel or Heineken and shrug it all off.