widdy, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

widdy n.

[abbr.]

a widow.

c.1791		Kilmainham Minit in Walsh Ireland Sixty Years Ago (1885) 88: His disconsolate widdy came in / From tipping the scrag-boy a dustin’.
1830		W. Carleton ‘Larry M’Farland’s Wake’ Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry I 193: If Ned dies, Nancy, I don’t know a woman I’d prefer; I’m now a widdy* these five years (The peasantry of Ireland use the word as applicable to bothe sexes).
1840		Leeds Intelligencer 19 Dec. 7/1: The broken-hearted widdy and her seven fatherless children.
1847		R.F. Walond Paddiana I 269: Go ’long, ye blackguards! It isn’t for the like o’ you to take the bread out o’ the poor widdy’s mouth.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor III 396/1: ‘The widdy,’ (widow,) was the only answer.
1868		Reade & Boucicault Foul Play III 214: I’m a widdy.
1882		N.Z. Observer 27 May 169/4: Fred looks disconsolate. The widdy’s gone.
1883		Bristol Magpie 1 Mar. 12/1: Mr. John F. Sheridan’s Widow O'Brien is [...] one of the most comic and yet artistic impersonations seen upon the stage for some time. Laugh! I defy you to help it at this ‘Widdy’.
1891		Bird o’ Freedom (Sydney) 21 Mar. 5/1: She was artless and bland was this Widdy Vaughan.
1895		E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden Explains 91: In de house party dere was a widdy what ain’t got a cent.
1902		E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden and Mr Paul 42: De little duke, Leglong, was sore dat she forgot her place as Nap’s widdy.
1903		A. Binstead Pitcher in Paradise 129: A concert to be given in aid of the widdy and children of a one-time police-constable.
1905		Sun. Times (Perth) 1 Oct. 1/4: The Haughty Highgate pill ‘widdy’ is going the pace a bit.
1918		K.F. Purdon Dinny on the Doorstep 149: A poor widdy woman like me.
1937		Sun. Times (Perth) 30 May 13/2: He still may have an eye for beauty - blondie or brunette / A winsome wench, divorcee or a widdy.
1984		Benjamin & Pearl Limericks Down Under 99: On the shores of limpid Lake Biddy / There lived a respectable widdy.
1985		T. Murphy Thief of a Christmas in Plays: 2 (1993) Act II: Married the widdy against my wishes.