[Flash Bazbeaux]

“Who says don anymore to mean putting on clothes?”

A few years ago I was involved in a matter related to putting on and taking off protective clothing for radiation remediation. Taking it off is as important as putting it on, because the outside will be contaminated. They used the terms “donning” and “doffing”. I thought it was dorky.

Just within the past month, I learned something which should have been immediately obvious, but didn’t clue in until it was pointed out: “Don” and “Doff” are just the words “On” and “Off” with a “D” in front.

[Blue Highway]

Just within the past month, I learned something which should have been immediately obvious, but didn’t clue in until it was pointed out: “Don” and “Doff” are just the words “On” and “Off” with a “D” in front.

Interesting. Never figured that out myself, but it makes sense now.

[Lisbon1940]

Interesting. This is from Vocabulary.com.

The word doff and its antonym don date to the mid-14th century. Doff is a contraction of “do (take) off,” and don is short for “do (put) on.” By 1755, these words were all but obsolete, but they came back into vogue thanks to Sir Walter Scott, author of works like Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, and The Lady of the Lake. The popular Scottish author used them frequently, and he and his readers kept doff and don alive.

[thecodont]

Just within the past month, I learned something which should have been immediately obvious, but didn’t clue in until it was pointed out: “Don” and “Doff” are just the words “On” and “Off” with a “D” in front.

I recall a time when men used to doff their hats.