Dud
/dʌd/noun
Something that fails to work, produce the expected result, or explode as intended.
Did you know?The word appears in English in the 19th century with a likely slang origin, and its meaning was strongly shaped by ammunition that refused to fire, making failure itself sound like a curse.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
English
dud
“A thing that fails, especially a shell or cartridge that does not explode”
19th Century
English
dud
“Something worthless, ineffective, or a failure”
Origin uncertain
English slang
dud
“Possibly a term first used for defective or useless goods”
Modern English
English
dud
“Anything that does not work or succeed as expected”