delope
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From French déloper (“throw away”). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Verb
[edit]delope (third-person singular simple present delopes, present participle deloping, simple past and past participle deloped)
- (obsolete, Ireland, British) To fire a gun into the air in order to end a duel.
- 1868, Andrew Steinmetz, The Romance of Duelling in All Times and Countries, volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, page 107:
- The old man raised his arm as though it had been palsied, and fired, of course without effect. The other principal immediately deloped, much to the satisfaction of my friend and all present.
- 2003, Catherine Coulter, Lord Harry, Penguin, →ISBN, page 326:
- Scuddy said simply, “You deloped, Lord Harry. I was very proud of you.” “Deloped? Come, Scuddy, one delopes with a pistol. Our duel was with foils.”
