I know Justice Stevens is old, but seriously. For those of you needing to understand today’s IBP, Inc. v. Alvarez decision from the Supreme Court, I’ve cribbed from the OED2 for you.
doff, v.
(dQf) Pa. tense and pple. doffed (dQft). [Coalesced form of do off: see do v. 47. Cf. also daff v.2
In ordinary colloquial use in north of England (not in Scotl.). Elsewhere, since 16th c., a literary word with an archaic flavour. Ray noted it as a northern provincialism; Johnson, as ‘in all its senses obsolete, and scarcely used except by rustics’. In 19th c., from the time of Scott, very frequent in literary use.]
1. trans. To put off or take off from the body (clothing, or anything worn or borne); to take off or ‘raise’ (the head-gear) by way of a salutation or token of respect.
c1350 Will. Palerne 2342 Dof blive þis bere skyn. c1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxv. 120 He doffez his hatte. 1401 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 107 The sacred host+to whiche we knele and doffe our hodes. 1483 Cath. Angl. 103/1 To Doffe, exuere. 1595 Shakes. John iii. i. 128 Thou weare a Lyons hide! doff it for shame. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. ix. 36 Calidore+doffing his bright armes, himselfe addrest In shepheards weed. 1621 G. Sandys Ovid’s Met. xiii. (1626) 259 Then made him d’off those weeds. 1714 Gay Sheph. Week iv. 21 Upon a rising Bank I sat adown, Then doff’d my Shoe. 1768 Beattie Minstr. i. xxxv, The little warriors doff the targe and spear. 1808 Scott Marm. vi. xi, Doffed his furred gown, and sable hood. 1859 Tennyson Enid 1444 The+Earl+cast his lance aside, And doff’d his helm.†b. Const. off; also intr. with with. Obs. rare.
?a1400 Morte Arth. 1023 Þow doffe of thy clothes, And knele in thy kyrtylle. 1643 [see doffing vbl. n.]. 1764 Foote Mayor of G. ii. Wks. 1799 I. 186 If you will doff with your boots, and box a couple of bouts.
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This appears to be just a bouquet for the union laborer. We all “quaff & Doff” in special manners for our workstations in life and where should it begin? Perhaps with a “nightime beauty sleep” to face the mornings pressures. Take a step back and it makes it more difficult for the USA to be competitive in the World Trade environment. This is simply a salary raise and it should be only that and nothing more; Lest our vision becomes clouded by applying analysis to”quaffing & doffing”.
1. The Tum Appellate Court opinion had a simple definition: “To doff an item of clothing or equipment for these purposes means to take it off and place it in a bin or locker.” see Tum v. Barber Foods (1st Cir. 2003) no. 02-1679 (or did’ja just wanna make fun of Stevens??).
2. What the heck is Clark talking about “quaffing”? Is he upset that employers have to pay employees for worktime? Should employees voluntarily serve for free so corporate owners remain competitive with other business that do no pay for work, e.g., slave and prison labor? cheesh….
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