Standard Lemma guide

derring-do

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌdɛɹɪŋˈduː/
  • US: /ˌdɛɹɪŋˈduː/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Valiant deeds in desperate times.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • With a cry of sheer derring-do, the climber leapt across the chasm.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Brave and adventurous (albeit often reckless) actions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

brave and heroic feats

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: feat, effort, exploit

History

Etymology

From Middle English daring (to) do, misinterpreted as a noun by Edmund Spenser.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Icelandic: þrekvirki — valiant deeds in desperate times
  • Polish: bohaterstwo — valiant deeds in desperate times
  • Dutch: heldendaden — brave and adventurous actions
  • Dutch: waaghalzerij — brave and adventurous actions
  • French: prouesse — brave and adventurous actions
  • French: hauts faits — brave and adventurous actions
  • French: exploits — brave and adventurous actions
  • French: faits d'armes — brave and adventurous actions
  • French: acte de bravoure — brave and adventurous actions
  • Italian: prodezza — brave and adventurous actions
  • Polish: brawura — brave and adventurous actions
  • Polish: junactwo — brave and adventurous actions
  • Portuguese: façanha — brave and adventurous actions
  • Portuguese: proeza — brave and adventurous actions
  • Russian: безрассудство (bezrassudstvo) — brave and adventurous actions
  • Spanish: proeza — brave and adventurous actions
  • Spanish: hazaña — brave and adventurous actions
  • Spanish: gesta — brave and adventurous actions
  • Spanish: hombrada — brave and adventurous actions