duds

[duhdz] /dʌdz/
plural noun, Informal.
1.
clothes, especially a suit of clothes.
2.
belongings in general.
Origin
1275-1325; Middle English dudde; perhaps akin to Low German dudel coarse sackcloth

dud

[duhd] /dʌd/
noun
1.
a device, person, or enterprise that proves to be a failure.
2.
a shell or missile that fails to explode after being fired.
Origin
1815-25; special use of dud, singular of duds
Synonyms
1. fiasco, debacle, fizzle, miscarriage.
Examples from the web for duds
  • My new duds were sewn from old bolts of cloth, so they cost a fortune.
  • He was one of the brighter products of the coup system, otherwise notable for its duds.
  • We cannot judge its performance solely by the duds that it produces.
  • With high interest rates and inflation a number of these deals may turn out to be duds.
  • Even one or two consequent duds would not cause a failure because the inertia of the ship is so high.
  • In those early days, even the duds came with conversational melodies that had a balance of sweetness and economy.
  • In the private-equity game, a few big successes can disguise a lot mediocre investments, and even some duds.
  • The dark reality of duds and misguided bombs hangs over a pilot each time he goes up.
  • And there have been so many romantic duds, it's a risk they will take only for a great script.
  • Allow a big enough sample so you can have a few duds in each group.
British Dictionary definitions for duds

dud

/dʌd/
noun
1.
a person or thing that proves ineffectual or a failure
2.
a shell, etc, that fails to explode
3.
(pl) (old-fashioned) clothes or other personal belongings
adjective
4.
failing in its purpose or function: a dud cheque
Word Origin
C15 (in the sense: an article of clothing, a thing, used disparagingly): of unknown origin
Word Origin and History for duds
n.

c.1300, dudde "cloak, mantle," later in plural, "ragged clothing" (1560s), of uncertain origin.

dud

n.

c.1825, "person in ragged clothing," from duds (q.v.). Sense extended by 1897 to "counterfeit thing," and 1908 to "useless, inefficient person or thing." This led naturally in World War I to "shell which fails to explode," and thence to "expensive failure."

Slang definitions & phrases for duds

duds

noun

Clothing; threads: To see them washed and put in and out of their duds was perhaps the greatest pleasure of her life

[1300+; origin unknown; perhaps fr one or another English or Celtic words meaning ''cloth, rag'']


dud

modifier

: a dud bomb

noun
  1. A failure: The show's a dud/ He was a bit of a dud (1908+)
  2. A shell or bomb that fails to explode (WWI armed forces)