dodger

American  

[doj-er] / ˈdɒdʒ ər /

noun

1. a person who dodges.

2. a shifty person, especially one who persistently evades a responsibility, as specified.

   tax dodger; draft dodger.

3. a leafhopper.

4. a small handbill; throwaway.

5. Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. corn dodger.

6. Nautical. a shield, as of canvas, erected on a flying bridge to protect persons on watch from wind, flying spray, etc.

7. Australian. a large slice, lump, or portion of food, especially of bread.

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dodger British  

/ ˈdɒdʒə /

noun

1. a person who evades or shirks

2. a shifty dishonest person

3. a canvas shelter, mounted on a ship's bridge or over the companionway of a sailing yacht to protect the helmsman from bad weather

4. archaic a handbill

5. informal food, esp bread

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Etymology

Origin of dodger

First recorded in 1560–70; dodge + -er ¹

Example Sentences

The mass demonstration follows a recent crackdown on ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers, with thousands of call-up notices ignored in recent months and several deserters imprisoned.

From Barron's

In 1988, I won the office pool and with my hundred dollar winnings I bought myself a dodger hat, which is long gone, and a World Series T-shirt, which I have to this day.

From Los Angeles Times

Park has been living in the country as what the military authorities consider a draft dodger.

From Los Angeles Times

Train ticket inspectors should treat deliberate fare dodgers differently to people who make genuine mistakes, the passenger watchdog has said.

From BBC

Was he a draft dodger who fled to Canada on principle to escape military service?

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• charlatan
• con artist
• crook
• hypocrite
• impostor
• rascal
• rogue
• swindler
• trickster