{To cut a dido}, to play a trick; to cut a caper; -- perhaps so called from the trick of Dido, who having bought so much land as a hide would cover, is said to have cut it into thin strips long enough to inclose a spot for a citadel. [1913 Webster] ||
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
Dido — Di do, n.; pl. {Didos}. A shrewd trick; an antic; a caper. [1913 Webster] {To cut a dido}, to play a trick; to cut a caper; perhaps so called from the trick of Dido, who having bought so much land as a hide would cover, is said to have cut it… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
cut up — Synonyms and related words: act up, afflict, aggrieve, anguish, antic, apportion, barb the dart, behave ill, break down, bring to tears, broken down, brokenhearted, bruise, caper, caracole, carp, carry on, carve, carve up, catch at straws, cavil … Moby Thesaurus
Dido flip — Dido with Youssou N Dour at Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, London, July 2005 The Dido flip was a female hairstyle of the early 21st century in imitation of the singer and songwriter Dido Armstrong. It was a chopped style that gave Dido a… … Wikipedia
dido — ☆ dido [dī′dō ] n. pl. didoes or didos [< ? DIDO, from the story that Dido, on purchasing as much land as might be covered with the hide of a bull, ordered the hide cut into thin strips, with which she surrounded a large area] Informal a… … English World dictionary
dido — prank, caper, 1807, Amer.Eng. slang, perhaps from the name of the Carthaginian queen in the Aeneid. Usually in phrase to cut didoes … Etymology dictionary
cut (up) didoes — N. Amer. informal play pranks. → dido … English new terms dictionary
cut up didoes — To behave in an extravagant way • • • Main Entry: ↑dido … Useful english dictionary
Dido — n. (pl. oes or os) US colloq. an antic, a caper, a prank. Phrases and idioms: cut (or cut up) didoes play pranks. Etymology: 19th c.: orig. unkn … Useful english dictionary
dido — noun (plural didoes or didos) Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1807 1. a mischievous or capricious act ; prank, antic often used in the phrase cut didoes 2. something that is frivolous or showy … New Collegiate Dictionary
dido — [ dʌɪdəʊ] noun (plural didoes or didos) (in phr. cut (up) didoes) N. Amer. informal play pranks. Origin C19: of unknown origin … English new terms dictionary
