Deeker, subs. (old).—See quot.
1821. D. Haggart, Life, Glossary, p. 171. Deeker, a thief kept in
pay by a constable.
Deep, adj. (colloquial).—Artful; e.g., ‘a deep one.’ [An extension of
the figurative sense = remote from comprehension, hard to
penetrate—usages frequent in Biblical language.]
1672–1726. Vanbrugh, The Mistake, Act I. When you take us for
fools, we never take you for wise men. For my part, in this present
case, I take myself to be mighty deep.
1688. Shadwell, Sq. of Alsatia, III., in wks. (1720) iv., 63.
Fools! nay, there I am sure you are out: they are all deep, they
are very deep, and sharp.
1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 268. I can scarcely believe my eyes. Oh!
he’s a deep one.
1880. A. Trollope, The Duke’s Children, ch. vi. He was, too, very
deep, and some men, who could put up with his other failings, could
not endure that.
1890. Pall Mall Gaz., 17 Oct., p. 2, col. 2. His Majesty the Sultan
is ‘a deep one,’ it is clear.
Deerstalker, subs. (popular).—A felt hat. For synonyms, see Golgotha.
1870. London Figaro [letter dated Dec. 9]. Either the wind must be
bottled up or the P. of W. must start the fashion of wearing
deerstalkers ... in the windy weather.
Deferred Stock, subs. (city).—Inferior soup. [A play upon words.] For
synonyms, see Glue.
1871. Pall Mall Gaz., 22 May. A few years ago, at an economical
Chancellor of Exchequer’s dinner on the Queen’s Birthday, the
Chairman of one of the Revenue Boards, after tasting the soup,
asked the Governor of the Bank of England, who happened to be
sitting next to him at the table, ‘What is this?’ ‘Deferred Stock,
I suspect,’ replied the Governor.