Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a term of address by one man to another, esp. when slightly older.

[1700		T. Brown Amusements Serious and Comical in Works (1744) III 138: How now, old Dad, whither are you carrying that king of the Gypsies].
[1750		Hist. of Jack Horner 10: What’s your request I’ll not deny, And so old dad, farewell] .
c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Old Dad a familiar address to an Old Man.
1881		Milan Exchange (TN) 28 May 1/5: But ‘dad’ was screaming, ‘whoa-hish! whoa-hish! trying to stop the oxen.
1908		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Penny Numbers’ Sporting Times 11 July 1/3: Don’t be a naughty boy, dad, / For your words are their own contradiction.
1913		Omaha Dly Bee (NE) 14 Sept. 13/5: Half a dozen men [...] called a cheery ‘goodby, Dad’’.
1922		Eve. Teleg. 21 Dec. 2/4: Don’t weep, dad, it’s the price we pay for progress.
1927		W. Edge Main Stem 23: ‘They ain’t no crums in here now. Hope youse guys ain’t got ‘em.’ ‘We’re all right, dad.’.
1933		M. Marshall Tramp-Royal on the Toby 187: If you are very old or very young the policeman soon shifts you. ‘Come, dad,’ he says to the aged derelict.
1935		(con. 1920s) J.T. Farrell Judgement Day in Studs Lonigan (1936) 832: ‘Dad, you better grab a cab and go home,’ the lad in working clothes said.
1936		R. Chandler ‘Goldfish’ in Red Wind (1946) 187: All right, Dad.
1938		J. Curtis They Drive by Night 252: Come on, Dad. Want all the street? Think you’ve bought the bleeding road or something?
1942		R. Chandler High Window 90: ‘Must take a good man to run them fast babies.’ ‘Don’t kid yourself, dad.’.
1946		Herbert Brush 5 Apr. diary in Garfield Our Hidden Lives (2004) 201: I must look very old when I go with my bucket and tools to the plot: several times I have been spoken to as ‘Dad’.
1950		C. Harris Three-Ha’Pence to the Angel 169: You fight back, dad!
1956		N. Algren Walk on the Wild Side 271: Shouldn’t have turned rabbit on us, dad.
1959		F. Norman in Encounter n.d. in Norman’s London (1969) 63: She’s a real gone, dad; and she’s never coming back. She thinks I’m a real sad square, ’cause I ain’t got the habit yet.
1963–74		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 24: Cool it dad! We’re McKenzie’s exclusive agents.
1964		Delano Stagg Glory Jumpers (1976) 27: About this chow scene, dad.
1967		F. Salas Tattoo the Wicked Cross (1981) 35: Buckshot’s my name, dad. Yours?
1971		B. Malamud Tenants (1972) 65: Oh, come on, dad, who you telling that to?
1976		P. Theroux Family Arsenal 28: I know what you mean. What you’re saying, dad, it’s a fucking nuisance, right?
1984		‘Derek Raymond’ He Died with His Eyes Open 61: You want to shoot up, dad?
2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 161: ‘Okay, Dad,’ he says, laughing, trying to jolly-up his pals, who are still rigid with fear.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 280: ‘Here’a clue, dad, I’d rather be him than you’.