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| | Previous Columns/Posted 8/01/97 |
 | | I'm going to hazard a guess that what you're asking about is the phrase "Dutch treat," meaning "no treat at all because each person pays his or her own check." "Dutch treat" is a linguistic relic of a low point in relations between England and The Netherlands. |
 | | Along with "Dutch treat," which originally implied "cheap," other insults once popular included "Dutch courage" (liquor), "Dutch defense" (a retreat), "Dutch headache" (a hangover), "Do a Dutch" (commit suicide), "Dutch concert" (a drunken uproar), and "Dutch nightingale" (a frog, which seems an especially low blow). |
 | | "Dutch treat" has long since lost its original sting, and today "pay your own way" seems to be standard practice among those who date. |
| www.word-detective.com /back-l2.html (1766 words) |
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