doedoe, verb intransitive

/ˈdudu/
Forms:
Also do-do, do-doo.
Origin:
Afrikaans, IsiZulu, Dutch, MalayShow more Nursery word, in Afrikaans as doedoe, but of many possible origins: isiZulu duduza to lull (a baby) to sleep, or Dutch dodijnen to rock (a child) to sleep, or Malay dodoi a lullaby.
colloquial
In children’s language: to (go to) sleep. Also (frequently doedoes) used with adverbial or adjectival force in the phrases to go doedoe, to go doedoes,or (by analogy with ‘beddy-byes’) to go doedoebye, to go doedoebyes, to go to sleep, to go to bed. Cf. lala.
[1934 C.P. Swart Supplement to Pettman. 42Doedoe, An onomatopoeic word used by Afrikaans-speaking mothers when children are lulled to sleep. The term is also used as a verb signifying to sleep.]
1970 J. Lenton Informant, OrkneyDo-doo. Sleep (slang).
1972 Radio South Africa 17 Oct. (Children’s Programme)Doe-doe my baby, Doe-doe my darling, Sleep, little sleepy-head.
1989 M. Ceh Informant, Johannesburg, GautengI must actually go doedoes now; I’m very tired, only got back after 12 last night.
1990 Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)Time to go doedoebyes, my baby.
to (go to) sleep.
Derivatives:
Hence doedoe  noun, a sleep, a nap.
1991 V. Warren Informant, Alberton, GautengDon’t make a noise, the baby is having a doedoe.
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19341991

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doedoe, n.

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