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doctor1 n NID ~ 2 d, EDD So D for sense 1; EDD
sb 7 for sense 4.
1 A man with power to charm or cure
ailments; WIZARD.
1966 FARIS 178 'Wizards' or 'doctors' (both
terms are used in Cat Harbour) are always men. This is an all good category, and
those possessing this quality are able to 'charm' (stop) blood, cure warts, toothache,
stomach upset, and find lost objects. C 69-5 The seventh son in a family was always
hailed as the 'doctor.' The residents always said that the proof of his ability to cure
was that an earthworm would die if it was put into the palm of his hand.
2 A minute aquatic form or copepod which attaches itself to
the wound of a fish; also attrib.
1912 CABOT 127 When a fish is
hurt he hurries away for the 'doctor,' a beetlish bug which fastens to the wound until it
heals. This doctor and his mission are told of seriously on all the fishing coast. There
is no questioning the doctor's existence and activity, though the motives for his
attentions may well be suspected.
P 1-69 Doctor fish: found in
sores on fish and believed by fishermen to be cleaning the wound or abrasion.
3 Water strider of the family Gerridae; WATER DOCTOR.
1970 Evening Telegram 22 Apr, p. 18 We drank from small
pools where water-striders freckled the surface: 'Doctors' we called them, and believed
that they cured trout of leech-marks. P 70-34 Doctors were queer hopping water spiders.
They flitted about on top of the streams and brooks. We caught them in our bare hands.
They were easier to catch than pricklies.
4 Stickleback;
PRICKLY: PRICKLEY (P 183-73).
5 Comb doctor's box:
ship's medicine chest.
T 194-65 So I took the pneumonia pills
out of the doctor's box, took this bottle o' medicine and went ashore.
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