Date:  Wed, 7 Jun 1995 09:10:49 -0700

From:  Allen Maberry <maberry[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]U.WASHINGTON.EDU>

Subject: Re: Dopp kit (fwd)



As a faithful patron of the Multnomah County Library for at least the

first 23 years of my life, I guess I'll take a stab at this one.

Although I coudn't find an example of the phrase itself, it may, if it is

indeed a British military term, have its origins in Hindi because of the

British military's long involvement in India.

The phrase MAY be a slang from the Hindi "dhob" meaning "washing" so the

term might be "wash kit"--

See OED under "dhobi" from Hindi dho[macron]bi[macron] from dhob >

"washing", cf. Sanskrit dha[macron]v-

The places to search might be in sources for Anglo-British jargon.

I must emphasize that this is merely a GUESS!



Allen Maberry

maberry[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]u.washington.edu

On Tue, 6 Jun 1995, Daniel S Goodman wrote:



> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> Date: Mon, 05 Jun 1995 11:51:20 -0700 (PDT)

> From: Jane Salisbury <janesa[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]nethost.multnomah.lib.or.us>

> To: stumpers <stumpers-list[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CRF.CUIS.EDU>

> Subject: Dopp kit

>

>

> Can anyone provide the origin and verification of the term "Dopp" or "Dop"

> kit - as in a man's shaving kit? Patron thinks maybe it is a British

> military term. We've checked dictionaries, OED, WWII slang, and a bunch

> of other slang dictionaries.

> Thanks!

>

> Jane Salisbury         Humanities Reference Librarian

> Multnomah County Library    801 SW 10th  Portland OR 97205

> (503) 248-5123 x4885      janesa[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]nethost.multnomah.lib.or.us

>