derring do | derring-do, n.
Forms:
In ME dorryng, ( dorynge, duryng) don ( do, to do), ME doryng(e do, 15 derrynge do, derring doe, 18 dareindo, derring-do.(Show Less)
pseudo-archaism.
The two words durring, dorryng, daring, vbl. n. from durran, dorren to dare v.1, and don, do, pres. inf. of do v., literally daring to do, which, by a chain of misunderstandings and errors, have come to be treated as a kind of substantive combination, taken to mean, Daring action or feats, ‘desperate courage’. The words come incidentally in their ordinary sense and construction followed by the object ‘that’ (= what, that which) in Chaucer's Troylus; whence, in an imitative passage by Lydgate, in an absolute construction more liable to misunderstanding; Lydgate's dorryng do was misprinted in the 16th c. editions (1513 and 1555) derrynge do, in which form it was picked up by Spenser and misconstrued as a subst. phrase, explained in the Glossary to the Sheph. Cal. as ‘manhood and chevalrie’. Modern romantic writers, led by Sir W. Scott, have taken it from Spenser, printed it derring-do, and accentuated the erroneous use.
c1374 Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde v. 837
Troylus was neuere vn-to no wight..in no degre secounde, In dorryng don [v.rr. duryng do, dorynge to do] þat longeth to a knyght..His herte ay wiþ þe firste and wiþ þe beste Stod paregal, to dorre don [v.rr. durre to do, dore don] that hym leste.
1430 Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy ii. xvi.
(MSS. Digby 232 lf. 56 a/2; 230 lf. 81 a/1)
And parygal, of manhode and of dede, he [Troylus] was to any þat I can of rede, In dorryng v.rr. doryng(e do, this noble worþy wyght, Ffor to fulfille þat longeþ to a knyȝt, The secounde Ector..he called was. [1513, 1555 In derrynge do, this noble worthy wyght.]
1579 Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Oct. 65
For ever who in derring doe were dreade, The loftie verse of hem was loved aye. [Gloss., In derring doe, in manhood and chevalrie.]
1579 Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Dec. 43
I durst in derring to [sic] compare With shepheards swayne.
1590 Spenser Faerie Queene ii. iv. sig. Q3v
Drad for his derring doe, and bloody deed.
1596 Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene vi. v. sig. Dd4
A man of mickle name, Renowmed much in armes and derring doe .
1819 Scott Ivanhoe II. xv. 300
Singular..if there be two who can do a deed of such derring-do. [Note Derring-do, desperate courage.]
1843 E. Bulwer-Lytton Last of Barons I. i. vi. 107
Such wonders and dareindo are too solemn for laughter.
1866 G. W. Dasent Gisli 107
Such a deed of derring-do would long be borne in mind.
1885 R. F. Burton tr. Arabian Nights' Entertainm.
(1887)
III. 433
Who is for duello, who is for derring-do, who is for knightly devoir?
c1374—1885(Hide quotations)
Derivatives
† derring-deed n. Obs. ; †der-doing adj., q.v.
1633 P. Fletcher Purple Island vi. v. 66
That Mantuan swain, who chang'd his slender reed..From Corydon to Turnus derring-deed.
1633—1633(Hide quotations)