Word of the Week over at REDEFiNE iT (March 30 - April 5) dotard

Word of the Week over at REDEFiNE iT: Dictionary of Newfoundland English (March 30 - April 5):

dotard n also daughter, doater, doter, etc

dotard n also daughter, doater, doter, etc [phonetics unavailable]. O Sup2 ~ 3 (Nfld: 1884); DC doter (Nfld: 1771, 1963). Common seal, esp in its second or third year (Phoca vitulina); BAY SEAL, HARBOUR ~ , RANGER.

Also attrib. [1766] 1971 BANKS 393 Incolis Harbour seal or Dotard.[1770] 1792 CARTWRIGHT i, 30 After breakfast I went up the river again; looked at the traps; got a tub of fine sand; and killed a doater with my rifle. 1792 ibid Gloss i, x Doater. An old, common seal.

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