Show origin of expression that beats the dutch an american glossary by thorn ton gives examples of the use of the expression blat beata beats the dutch as early as 1775 the line our cargoes of meat drink and deaths beat the dutch appearing ina in a revolutionary song by bartlett of that date in the philadelphia Phila dephia public ledger of feb auary G 6 1837 occurs this statement that beats the dutch the meaning that as the dutch beat old nick it Is something of an exploit to beat them and de bekkers Desk book ot of idioms states that the phrase originated in the days when bitter enmity prevailed between the dutch and other nations in this connection however it Is worthy of notice that most of the ex pres that arose out of the gle between fhe anglish and the dutch in tl e seventeenth century were derogatory or derisive among these are dutch courage to talk dou ble dutch dutch comfort dutch con cert I 1 in a dutchman it I 1 do dueck treat dutch gold talk like a dutch uncle the saving that beats the dutch Is not derogatory and Is an american and not an english one so that it possibly expresses admiration for the fighting qualities of the dutch in their long struggle with spain and later with england again as the name dutch Is also applied to ger mans it may be a reference to the german mercenary troops of colonial das |