dodger

[ doj-er ]

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.

dodger

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of dodger¹

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

Example Sentences

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

From BBC

The president’s campaign released a digital ad featuring three veterans criticizing Donald Trump as ‘a draft dodger,’ unfit to be commander in chief.

From New York Times

The policy will cost £1.3 billion in the first year, Labour says, and will be paid for by clamping down on tax dodgers, and closing non-dom tax loopholes.

From BBC

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

From Los Angeles Times

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also signed two other laws Friday, allowing prisoners to join the army and increasing fines for draft dodgers fivefold.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

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