Etymology of 'dohickey'

[nq:1]It's not difficult to work out the meaning and origin of 'whatchamacallit', but where on earth does 'dohickey' come from?[/nq]
Obviously, you can't afford a dictionary. So then you certainly can't afford a computer.
So, where are you posting from? The public library?

But... the public library HAS a dictionary!
\\P. Schultz

[nq:1]It's not difficult to work out the meaning and origin of 'whatchamacallit', but where on earth does 'dohickey' come from?[/nq]
(SOED5)
doohickey, noun.
/"du;hIki/
colloq. (chiefly N. Amer.). Also dohickey, doohicky. E20. (from DOO(DAD + HICKEY.)
An unspecified object or device, esp. a mechanical one.

Martin Ambuhl

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[nq:2]It's not difficult to work out the meaning and origin of 'whatchamacallit', but where on earth does 'dohickey' come from?[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't know but you need a doohickey to get the dingus to framulate.[/nq]
And then again, there's that thingamabob that doesn't work -a don'thickey.
S&

[nq:2]It's not difficult to work out the meaning and origin of 'whatchamacallit', but where on earth does 'dohickey' come from?[/nq]
[nq:1](SOED5) doohickey, noun. /"du;hIki/ colloq. (chiefly N. Amer.). Also dohickey, doohicky. E20. (from DOO(DAD + HICKEY.) An unspecified object or device, esp. a mechanical one.[/nq]
That would really be illuminating if one had any idea what a doo-dad was,

[nq:2]It's not difficult to work out the meaning and origin of 'whatchamacallit', but where on earth does 'dohickey' come from?[/nq]
[nq:1]Obviously, you can't afford a dictionary. So then you certainly can't afford a computer. So, where are you posting from? The public library? But... the public library HAS a dictionary! \\P. Schultz[/nq]
Martin has kindly shown us that the dictionary doe

[nq:1]That would really be illuminating if one had any idea what a doo-dad was, and what kind of a hickey a doo-dad would combine with.[/nq]
I knew what a doo-dad is, but I only knew the other definition of hickey.

Dena Jo
You can email me at denajo2 at the usual Yahoo domain

[nq:1]Martin has kindly shown us that the dictionary doesn't provide the answer. The dictionary Martin used tells us what a ... as legitimate a question as most here. Do you have an answer or are you just posting to stifle curiosity?[/nq]
Since I did not provide the SOED5 entries for doo-dad or hickey, one might think that Tony (and CJ) might be wrong. But, in fact, they are right. SOED5 doesn

Martin Ambuhl filted:
[nq:1]Since I did not provide the SOED5 entries for doo-dad or hickey, one might think that Tony (and CJ) might ... thingummy; esp. a fancy ornament of an unnecessary kind. R. Davies Full of marquetry woodwork..and filigree doodads around the ceiling.[/nq]
Not that I'm questioning SOED5, but I don't get "esp. a fancy ornament" out of "doodad"...for me it's just anothe

[nq:2]That would really be illuminating if one had any idea what a doo-dad was, and what kind of a hickey a doo-dad would combine with.[/nq]
[nq:1]I knew what a doo-dad is, but I only knew the other definition of hickey.[/nq]
I don't see how you can know what a doo-dad is. A doo-dad, by definition, is something not readily namable. I can see how you can recognize something as being a doo-d