Show Origin of Expression E Dutch That Beats the An American Glossary by Thornton Thornton Thorn Thorn- ton gives examples of the use of the expression beats the Dutch as enlI early eaily as 1775 the line Our car cargoes oes of ot neat meat drink and beat the Dutch appearing in a Revolutionary Song by hy Bartlett of that date In Inthe Inthe Inthe the Public Ledger of February February Feb Feb- G 0 1837 occurs this statement That beats the Dutch saith the proverb pro meaning that as ns the lie Dutch beat Old Nick It is s 8 something of an nn exploit to beat them and De Bekkers Bekker's of or Idioms states that the phrase originated In Inthe Inthe inthe the days das when bitter enmity prevailed between the Dutch nn and other nations In this connection however It Is worth worthy of notice that most of the expressions ex ex- expressions that arose out of or the struggle struggle gle between the English and the Dutch in the Seventeenth century were derogatory or derisive e among these are Dutch courage comage to talk tall leuv i ble Dutch Dutch comfort Dutch co con concert concert cert Im I'm a Dutchman If It I do Dutch treat trent Dutch gold talk like a n Dutch uncle The fhe sa saying ying That beats the Dut Dutch h Is not derogatory derogator and Is an American and not an En English lIsh one so that it possibly expresses admiration for the fighting qualities of the Dutch DutchIn In their long struggle with Spain and later with England Again as ns the name Dutch Is also applied to Germans Germans Germans Ger Ger- mans It may be a re reference to the German mercenary troops of ot Colonial days |