verb, noun — 2 senses
Etymology From Middle English dechen, from Old English dēċan (“to smear, plaster, daub”), from Proto-West Germanic *dōkijan (“to apply with a rag or cloth, smear”), from *dōk (“cloth, rag”), from Proto-Germanic *dōkaz (“rag”); see duck (“canvas, cloth”). Cognate with Dutch doeken, German tuchen. For the noun sense, compare gound.
To smear, daub, plaster, or impregnate, especially with dirt which becomes hard and ingrained.
Etymology From Middle English dechen, from Old English dēċan (“to smear, plaster, daub”), from Proto-West Germanic *dōkijan (“to apply with a rag or cloth, smear”), from *dōk (“cloth, rag”), from Proto-Germanic *dōkaz (“rag”); see duck (“canvas, cloth”). Cognate with Dutch doeken, German tuchen. For the noun sense, compare gound.
Northern England, UK, Dialectal, Usually Dirt (or grime) ingrained on the hands, or in cracks, crevices, etc.
Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.