Devil's-ring. A kind of hairy caterpillar which curls up on being touched (Wild Life, ch. xvii).—N.W.
'Devyls-gold-rynge, the colewort worme.'—Huloet.
'Oak-egger and fox moths, which children call "Devil's Gold Rings."'—Kingsley, Chalk-stream Studies.
Dew-beater. A man who has large feet, or who turns out his toes, so that he brushes the dew off the grass in walking (A.S.).—N. & S.W. Compare:—
'The dew-beaters [early walkers, pioneers] have trod their way for those that come after them.'—Hacket's Life of Williams, i. 57.
Dew-bi. A very early breakfast (A.).—N. & S.W.
Dew-pond. A pond on the downs, not fed by any spring, but kept up by mist, dew, and rain. Such ponds rarely fail, even in the longest drought. Also Mist-pond.—N.W.
*Dewsiers. The valves of a pig's heart (A.B.G.); a corruption of O.F. jusier.
Deyhus, Da'us, Day'us. A dairy, a cheese-room (A.B.). From deye, a dairymaid; Icel. deigja (Skeat). In this and similar words, as Brewhouse, Woodhouse, &c., house is always pronounced as A.S. hús (Akerman), the h, however, not being invariably sounded.—N.W.