Dewdropper

/ˈduːdrɑːpər/ noun

Definition

A person who idles away time outdoors in the morning, or historically, a young vagrant or beggar who loitered in public places, particularly in 19th century Britain.

Etymology

From 'dewdrop' + '-er' (agent suffix). The term emerged in British slang around the 1800s, referring to people literally out at dawn, later applied dismissively to loafers and vagrants.

Kelly Says

Victorian Londoners used 'dewdropper' as slang for a young unemployed person who had nothing better to do than hang around in the morning—it's a fascinatingly specific insult that tells you exactly what Victorians thought about idleness!

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