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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

Dutch reckoning en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. (archaic, idiomatic, uncommon, uncountable) A (falsified) bill that is not itemised, and that is unjustifiably high.
    • 'That's better!' he said, still smiling, but very much more pleasantly. 'Rig Jane out in the first style of elegance, and send me a Dutch reckoning: I don't want to know the particulars.' 2009, Georgette Heyer, Frederica, page 75:
    • As if all Light of Reasoning were so shut up in Clavius his Brain, that because he does not see, the rest of Mankind must be blind; and what is that way of Reasoning that he betakes himself to, but by huddling the Principles of Geometry into Confusion, without order of method of Reasoning, to make a Conclusion, like a Dutch''' Reckoning of Allem-al? 1712, Roger Coke, A Detection Of The Court and State Of England During The Four Last Reigns, page 22
    • "You knows we never took Mike's duds till you couldn't pay his charges any longer; and since we comes to that, there's two weeks of three shillings and sixpence due for your lodging in the Star-Chamber, for yourself and Master Lionel Falconer, which I supposes you means to pay with a Dutch reckoning: you sees I can speak some names right enough,—d'ye take me,—hey?" and with an ill-natured leer he left the hall. 1828, Death on Board-Wages, published in Tales of an Antiquary (volume 2 of 3) by Henry Colburn, New Burlington Street, London
  2. (uncountable) A false or incorrect reckoning of position.
  3. (uncountable) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see Dutch, reckoning.
    • 1 March 1625 in the Dutch reckoning was, in the English reckoning of the time, 19 February 1624.