Chit-chat.—Formed by reduplication from chat. A word (says Johnson) used in ludicrous conversation. It occurs in the Spectator and Tatler.
Fiddle-faddle.—Formed in a similar manner from to fiddle, in its sense of to trifle. It occurs in the Spectator.
Flim-flam.—An old word, of which examples are cited from Beaumont and Fletcher, and Swift. It is formed from flam, which Johnson calls "a cant word of no certain etymology." Flam, for a lie, a cheat, is however used by South, Barrow, and Warburton, and therefore at one time obtained an admission into dignified style. See Nares' Glossary in v.
Hab or nab.—That is, according to Nares, have or have not; subsequently abridged into hab, nab. Hob or nob is explained by him to mean "Will you have a glass of wine or not?" Hob, nob is applied by Shakspeare to another alternative, viz. give or take (Twelfth Night, Act III. Sc. 4.). See Nares in v. Habbe or Nabbe.
Handy-dandy.—"A play in which children change hands and places" (Johnson). Formed from hand. The word is used by Shakspeare.
Harum-scarum.—"A low but frequent expression applied to flighty persons; persons always in a hurry" (Todd). Various conjectures are offered respecting its origin: the most probable seems to be, that it is derived from scare. The Anglo-Saxon word hearmsceare means punishment (see Grimm, Deutsche Rechtsalterthümer, p. 681.); but although the similarity of sound is remarkable, it is difficult to understand how harum-scarum can be connected with it.
Helter-skelter.—Used by Shakspeare. Several derivations for this word are suggested, but none probable.
Higgledy-piggledy.—"A cant word, corrupted from higgle, which denotes any confused mass, as higglers carry a huddle of provisions together" (Johnson). It seems more probable that the word is formed from pig; and that it alludes to the confused and indiscriminate manner in which pigs lie together. In other instances (as chit-chat, flim-flam, pit-a-pat, shilly-shally, slip-slop, and perhaps harum-scarum), the word which forms the basis of the rhyming reduplication stands second, and not first.
Hocus-pocus.—The words ocus bochus appear, from a passage cited in Todd, to have been used anciently by Italian conjurers. The fanciful idea of Tillotson, that hocus-pocus is a corruption of the words hoc est corpus, is well known. Compare Richardson in v.
Hoddy-doddy.—This ancient word has various meanings (see Richardson in v.). As used by Ben Jonson and Swift, it is expressive of contempt. In Holland's translation of Pliny it signifies a snail. There is likewise a nursery rhyme or riddle: