Wowser vs Dowser - What's the difference?
wowser | dowser |
(obsolete) A lout or similar disruptive person.
(Australia, New Zealand, derogatory) One with strong moral views against excessive consumption of alcohol, gambling, pornography, etc., who seeks to promulgate those views.
* 1996 , , Virago Press, paperback edition, page 65
* 1999 , Anna E. Blainey, The prohibition and total abstinence movement in Australia, 1880 - 1910'', Robert Dare (editor), ''Food, Power and Community ,
* 2010 , Robert Cettl, Offensive to a Reasonable Adult: Film Censorship and Classification in 'Secular' Australia ,
As nouns the difference between wowser and dowser
is that wowser is a lout or similar disruptive person while dowser is a divining rod used in searching for water, ore, etc.; a dowsing rod.wowser
English
(wikipedia wowser)Noun
(en noun)- As for the rest, the pay is not bad, coming as it does from the pockets of the three local warlords who hired me: two graziers, one of whom is also a terrible wowser (everyone calls him 'Mr Prophet', though I call him - privately, of course - Mr Brimstone, or Old Blood-and-Thunderguts); the third is the owner of the pub.
page 142,
- When they have paid attention to temperance advocates they have tended to dismiss them as ‘wowsers ’ or ‘puritans’ intent on suppressing pleasure.
page 43,
- Quite simply, to a wowser , adults should not be allowed to see, hear and read as they wished, but should only be allowed to see hear and read that which fully conforms to Australia's Christian heritage.
Synonyms
* killjoy, moral crusader, party pooper, prude, spoilsportSee also
* wowsers (interjection) * wowzer * straight edgeReferences
*Australian National Dictionary Centre: Home » Australian words » Meanings and origins of Australian words and idioms » W
