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Derring-Do

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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Webster Dictionary
• Derring
Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Antony Francis Van Der Meulen
• Arnold Escher von Der Linth
• Ars-an-Der-Mosel
•   (only first 3 shown)
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Aare, Diederik (Dirk or Thierry) Van Der
• Avont, Pieter Van Der
• Banck, Peter Van Der
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Nuttall Encyclopedia
• Afrikan`der
• Agesan`der
• Argelan`der
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Heinrich der Glïchezäre
• Maximilian Van der Sandt
• Moritz Hohenbaum van der Meer
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Beobachter, Der
• Bibel'sche Orient, Der
• Culturverein Der Juden
•   (only first 3 shown)

Valour, chivalrous conduct, or "desperate courage," as it is defined by Sir Walter Scott. The word in its present accepted substantival form is a misconstruction of the verbal substantive dorryng or durring, daring, and do or don, the present infinitive of "do," the phrase dorryng do thus meaning "daring to do." It is used by Chaucer in Troylus, and by Lydgate in the Chronicles of Troy. Spenser in the Shepherd's Calendar first adapted derring-do as a substantive meaning "manhood and chevalrie," and this use was revived by Scott, through whom it came into vogue with writers of romance.