paddywhack
English
Alternative forms
- paddy-whack (and sometimes capitalized)
Etymology
Corruption of paxwax. In the sense of a blow, especially in reference to the folk song This Old Man.
Noun
paddywhack (plural paddywhacks)
- (dated, derogatory) An Irishman.
- (dated) A blow; a slap.
- A strong elastic ligament or tendon in the midline of the neck of sheep or cattle (generally any quadruped) which relieves the animal of the weight of its head.
See also
- ligamentum nuchae
Verb
paddywhack (third-person singular simple present paddywhacks, present participle paddywhacking, simple past and past participle paddywhacked)
- (dated, transitive) To slap.