dudgeon

¹ American  

[duhj-uhn] / ˈdʌdʒ ən /

noun

1. a feeling of offense or resentment; anger.

   He had every right to express his dudgeon.

   Synonyms:

   pic, indignation

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idioms

1. in high dudgeon, in a state of great resentment or anger.

   He stood up and left the room in high dudgeon.

dudgeon ² American  

[duhj-uhn] / ˈdʌdʒ ən /

noun

Obsolete.

1. a kind of wood used especially for the handles of knives, daggers, etc.

2. a handle or hilt made of this wood.

3. a dagger having such a hilt.

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dudgeon ¹ British  

/ ˈdʌdʒən /

noun

1. obsolete a wood used in making the handles of knives, daggers, etc

2. archaic a dagger, knife, etc, with a dudgeon hilt

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dudgeon ² British  

/ ˈdʌdʒən /

noun

1. anger or resentment (archaic, except in the phrase in high dudgeon )

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dudgeon More Idioms  

1. see in high dudgeon.

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Etymology

Origin of dudgeon¹

First recorded in 1565–75; origin uncertain

Origin of dudgeon²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; related to Anglo-French digeon, digeoun, dogeon; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

European leaders issued a joint statement External link in high dudgeon on Tuesday, insisting that “Greenland belongs to its people.”

From Barron's • Jan. 8, 2026

It's not just the financial press in high dudgeon over his policies.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2025

Over the past few years, with social media commenters in high dudgeon, a slew of art and architectural critics, including The Times’ Christopher Knight, have lobbed repeated salvos at the redesign.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2020

But neither her dudgeon nor the Zoom itself turn out to be what they first seem; in a code-switching coda, Diamond suggests just how confusing our world’s new terrain can be.

From New York Times • Aug. 31, 2020

Basil strode off in high dudgeon, re-emphasizing his previously forgotten limp.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques