derring-do
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of derring-do
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English durring-do literally, “daring to do,” erroneously taken as noun phrase; see dare, do 1
Explanation
Looking for a colorful word to describe brave or courageous action? Try derring-do! Your adventurous cousin's stories of derring-do might include climbing mountains, wrestling alligators, and bungee jumping. This old-fashioned word is perfect if you want a funny way to talk about slightly reckless feats of bravery. A series of misprints and misunderstandings led to poet Edmund Spenser's interpretation of derrynge do (intended to mean "in daring to do") as a noun meaning "heroism." He used it that way in his epic poem, The Faerie Queene. Sir Walter Scott was the first to use derring-do as one word, in his 1820 novel Ivanhoe.
Vocabulary lists containing derring-do
Endling: The Last
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A Prayer for Owen Meany
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Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I once asked someone who served alongside my father how he had come by that name," says Ms Almonds-Windmill, who has penned books charting his tales of derring-do.
From BBC • Jan. 25, 2025
Good on James Mangold for tracking a bit of mud on Bob Dylan’s legacy, the kind of irreverent derring-do the movie’s own Johnny Cash celebrates.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 24, 2025
China hasn’t achieved this technological ascendancy through sheer grit and derring-do.
From Slate • May 28, 2024
If you like your fantasy novels packed with comedy, action and old-fashioned derring-do, “Promise” is the book for you.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 30, 2024
It seems the boy is always running afoul of a pack of shamblers in the midst of his Missouri adventures, and the boy’s derring-do reminds me of my own exploits.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
