dukdalf

From French duc d'Albe (“duke of Alba”), referring to Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, a duke who tyrannically ruled the Low Countries in name of the King of Spain in the time of the Eighty Years' War. According to early modern etymologists, this name was used for these types of poles because they were, like the duke, 'hard and unmovable'. It is however more likely that they are called this way because Alba was the one who introduced them to the Low Countries.

Another explanation connects the word to duiken (“to dive”) and dol (“pole”), but this doesn't explain the word-final -f.

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʏk.dɑlf/

• Audio:

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• Hyphenation: duk‧dalf

dukdalf m (plural dukdalven, diminutive dukdalfje n)

1. dolphin, post for mooring boats
2. (obsolete, derogatory) any cruel tyrant, in particular the Duke of Alba
   • 1731, Justus van Effen, De Hollandsche Spectator:

     Een party wyven die my voor een tyran, voor een beul, voor een Ducdalf uitschelden.

     A group of women who call me a monster, a sadist, a tyrant.