doddle en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈdɒdl̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈdɑd(ə)l/ (General-American)
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Uncertain. Possibly from dialectal English doddle (“to toddle, to sway, to nod drowsily”).
Meanings
-
(Australia, Ireland, New-Zealand, UK, informal) A job, task, or other activity that is easy to complete or simple.
He was a QC from Edinburgh, wearing the black jacket and pinstripe trousers of his trade, as if straight from court, and probably persuaded to come in the belief that if you could interest the Budhill and Springboig party in the repressive Gaullist policies in Algeria then becoming Solicitor-General was a dawdle.
2009, Archie Macpherson, “Thumping the Tub”, in A Game of Two Halves: The Autobiography, Edinburgh: Black & White Publishing, →ISBN, page 63:Retailing in Europe's biggest economy, with 82m mostly well-off people, may sound a doddle. It is not.
2002 September 14, “KarstadtQuelle: Below par”, in The Economist:[Dr Bullard]'s on his hols. I'm standing in. Anyway, this one's a doddle. Death by strangulation, about five or six days ago at a guess.
1999 February 3, Anthony Horowitz, “Strangler's Wood”, in Midsomer Murders:Centurion: Have you ever seen anyone crucified? Matthias: Crucifixion's a doddle.
1979, Monty Python's Life of Brian:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| doddles | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| dawdle | alternative | lexicographic |
Synonyms
layup · child's play · snap · slam dunk · piece of piss · picnic · duck soup · open and shut case · doddle · easy pickings · walkover · plain sailing · low-hanging fruit · waltz · breeze · cinch · bagatelle · doss · gimme · piece of cake · cake and gingerbread · cakewalk · no-brainer · plane sailing · walk in the park
Translations (2)
ru пустя́к (an easy task) · ru легкотня́ (an easy task)