also slow poke, 1848, American English from slow (adj.) + poke (n.3), the name of a device, like a yoke with a pole, attached to domestic animals such as pigs and sheep to keep them from escaping enclosures. Bartlett (1859) calls it "a woman's word."

masc. proper name, from Old French Robin, diminutive of Robert (q.v.). Robin Goodfellow, "sportive elf or domestic fairy of the English countryside," said to be the offspring of King Oberon of Fairyland and a mortal, is attested by 1530s (Tyndale), popular 16-17c.; Robin Hood is from at least late 14c.

"collection of wild animals kept in captivity," 1712, from French ménagerie "housing for domestic animals, yard or enclosure in which wild animals are kept" (16c.), from Old French manage "household" (see menage).

also red-cap, "porter at a railroad station," 1914, American English, from red (adj.1) + cap (n.). Earlier it was the name of the goldfinch, a type of domestic hen, a long-toothed spectre in Scottish castles, and anyone who wears a red hat (1540s).

mid-14c., "troublesome;" late 14c., of persons, conduct, "wanton, dissolute, extravagant," from Old French riotos "argumentative, quarrelsome," from riote "dispute, quarrel, domestic strife" (see riot (n.)). The meaning "tumultuous, turbulent, of the nature of an unlawful assembly" is from mid-15c. Related: Riotously; riotousness.

1851, from flat (adj.), which was used from late 14c. of plates, dishes, saucers in a sense "shallow; smooth-surfaced" + ware (n.). Originally as distinguished from hollow ware; U.S. sense of "domestic cutlery" recorded by 1895.

1910, American English, perhaps an alteration of gimcrack, or an anagram of magic.

In a hotel at Muscatine, Iowa, the other day I twisted the gimmick attached to the radiator, with the intention of having some heat in my Nova Zemblan booth. [Domestic Engineering, Jan. 8, 1910]

"the young of the domestic hen," also of some other birds, mid-14c., probably originally a shortening of chicken (n.).

Extended 14c. to human offspring, "person of tender years" (often in alliterative pairing chick and child) and thence used as a term of endearment. As modern slang for "young woman" it is recorded by 1927 (in "Elmer Gantry"), supposedly from African-American vernacular. In British use in this sense by c. 1940; popularized by Beatniks late 1950s (chicken in this sense is by 1860). Sometimes c. 1600-1900 chicken was taken as a plural, chick as a singular (compare child/children) for the domestic fowl.

"small enclosure for domestic animals," Old English penn, penne, a word of uncertain origin, perhaps related to Old English pinn "pin, peg" (see pin (n.)) on the notion of a bolted gate or else "structure made of pointed stakes."