dudgeon

¹

[ duhj-uhn ]

noun

1. a feeling of offense or resentment; anger:

   He had every right to express his dudgeon.

   Synonyms: pic, indignation

dudgeon

²

[ duhj-uhn ]

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.

dudgeon

¹

/ 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

dudgeon

²

/ ˈdʌdʒən /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of dudgeon¹

C15: from Anglo-Norman digeon, of obscure origin

Origin of dudgeon²

C16: of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

   He stood up and left the room in high dudgeon.

More idioms and phrases containing dudgeon

see in high dudgeon .

Example Sentences

But some Angelenos took their picket signs and their dudgeon to City Hall.

From Los Angeles Times

But now they're in high dudgeon because they refuse to accept a world where a Black woman has the right to make accusations against a rich white man.

From Salon

A synonym for “winsome” is “cheerful,” but she is in medium dudgeon about the latest strangeness from the public schools of Fairfax County, Va., an affluent Washington suburb.

From Washington Post

Oversized groups of partisan guests dialed up the moral dudgeon nightly.

From New York Times

And slamming the door in Meg’s face, Aunt March drove off in high dudgeon.

From Literature