The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #164289   Message #3930898
Posted By: Raedwulf
14-Jun-18 - 03:14 PM
Thread Name: BS: what is a huff?
Subject: RE: BS: what is a huff?
Keb - Nope! There's only... Actually, there's only high dudgeon. I don't think I've ever heard dudgeon used on its own, oddly enough (you can find examples on t'net). It's always 'high'. Even my dear old OED says "Origin unknown". The only alternative definition is that it's the name of a wood, possibly the root of the box* that was used to make hilts for knives & daggers. Quite how that relates to a feeling of being rather miffed...

* box is very hard wearing so this is plausible, but what the connection between Norman digeon 'box root' (maybe) & English dudgeon 'miffed' is... Well, it's beyond me! ;-)