codger

codger
   Etymologically a variant of ‘cadger’, but ‘codger’ applied to a man does not imply that he cadges money. ‘Codger’ is a whimsical term, used with little reverence, of or to an old man. The term is familiar in Britain, and is to some extent kept alive, by the ‘Old Codgers’ in the national newspaper, The Daily Mirror, who theoretically reply to readers’ letters. In direct address ‘codger’ is now decidedly dated. It is found in Dickens’s novels, e.g. in Nicholas Nickleby, where Mr Squeers says: ‘I haven’t been drinking your health, my codger.’ The Pickwick Papers has Sam Weller addressing his father as ‘old codger’, amongst a number of other terms peculiar to that speaker.

A dictionary of epithets and terms of address . . 2015.

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  • Codger — Codg er, n. [Cf. {Cadger}.] 1. A miser or mean person. [1913 Webster] 2. A singular or odd person; a familiar, humorous, or depreciatory appellation. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] A few of us old codgers met at the fireside. Emerson. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • codger — 1756, probably a variant of cadger beggar, which is of unknown origin …   Etymology dictionary

  • codger — ► NOUN informal, derogatory ▪ an elderly man. ORIGIN perhaps a variant of cadger (see CADGE(Cf. ↑cadger)) …   English terms dictionary

  • codger — [käj′ər] n. [prob. var. of CADGER] Informal an elderly fellow, sometimes one who is eccentric: a term used in good humor …   English World dictionary

  • codger — noun (C) informal old codger an old man: He s a charming old codger …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • codger — UK [ˈkɒdʒə(r)] / US [ˈkɑdʒər] noun [countable] Word forms codger : singular codger plural codgers an insulting word for an old man …   English dictionary

  • codger — /ˈkɒdʒə / (say kojuh) noun Colloquial 1. Also, old codger. a man, especially elderly: *He s an old codger, sixty three and she s only thirty or so, it s a terrible difference, isn t it? –christina stead, 1944. 2. a mean, miserly person. {?… …  

  • codger — noun Etymology: probably alteration of cadger Date: 1756 an often mildly eccentric and usually elderly fellow < old codger > …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Codger — 1. mean, miserly person; 2. odd or peculiar (old) person: a lovable old codger ; 3. fellow; chap (18th C. British slang) …   Dictionary of Australian slang

  • codger — Australian Slang 1. mean, miserly person; 2. odd or peculiar (old) person: a lovable old codger ; 3. fellow; chap (18th C. British slang) …   English dialects glossary

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