Dodger
/ˈdɒdʒə(r)/noun
A person who avoids responsibilities, questions, or difficulty through evasive or crafty behavior.
Did you know?The word became especially vivid through Dickens’s Artful Dodger, the quick-witted pickpocket in Oliver Twist, published in 1838.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
dodge
“To evade, elude, or move aside; the word’s deeper origin is uncertain.”
Late 16th Century
English
dodger
“A person who dodges or evades.”
17th Century
English
dodger
“A crafty or deceitful person, especially one skilled at avoiding obligations.”
1838
English
Artful Dodger
“The nickname of Jack Dawkins, a clever young thief in Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist.”
19th Century
English
dodger
“A person who uses evasive tactics or dishonest cleverness.”
20th Century
English
Dodger
“A name used in popular culture and sports, most famously by the Los Angeles Dodgers.”