[Apparently, an abbreviation of CADEE, CADDIE, CADET, the senses of which show the development of meaning, starting from sense 2 of CADET, and its popular form CADEE. The modern sense (5) appears to have arisen at the universities (or at least at Oxford), as an application of sense 4 to any one whose manners or conduct were like those of the class in question.]
† 1. An unbooked passenger whom the driver of a coach took up for his own profit on the way.
1790. Useful Hints, in Globe, 12 May (1885), 1/5. To prevent his taking up short passengers, or (as they are termed) cads, to the robbery of his employer.
2. An assistant or confederate of a lower grade, as a bricklayer’s laborer (dial.); a familiar, ‘chum.’
1835. T. Hook, G. Gurney (1850), I. vii. 131. I will … appear to know no more of you, than one of the cads of the thimble-rig knows of the pea-holder.
1839. Hood, Kilmansegg, 230. Not to forget that saucy lad (Ostentation’s favourite cad) The page, who looked so splendidly clad.
† 3. An omnibus conductor. Obs.
1833. Hood, Sk. fr. Road. Though I’m a cad now, I was once a coachman.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., xxxviii. Numerous cads and drivers of short stages.
1837. Penny Mag., 31 March, 117. He who hangs behind—who opens the door and receives the money … is conductor or in the vulgar tongue—cad.
1848. Thackeray, Bk. Snobs, xlix. A sceptical audience of omnibus-cads and nursemaids.
4. = Sc. CADDIE, sense 2: ‘Cads, low fellows, who hang about the college to provide the Etonians with anything necessary to assist their sports.’ Hone (note to quot.). So at Oxford, applied by collegians to town-lads of the same description, and contemptuously to townsmen generally.
1831. Hone, Year Bk., 670. Preceded by one or two bands of music in two boats, rowed by ‘cads.’
1838. Leg. late Illumination, in Oxf. Her., 22 Feb. A gown-and-town row had got up, to testify their loyalty, By milling of all rads and cads, and other foes to royalty.
1844. Pegge, Anecd. Eng. Lang. (ed. 3), 34, note. The Oxford Townsman … in 1835 had been promoted to the title of cad.
1850. Clough, Dipsychus, II. ii. 152. If I should chance to run over a cad, I can pay for the damage if ever so bad.
5. colloq. A fellow of low vulgar manners and behavior. (An offensive and insulting appellation.)
1838. Hints on Etiquette for Univ. Oxf., 19, note. He was mentally considered a great ‘cad’ by the rest.
1850. Kingsley, Alt. Locke, xii. ‘Box the cad’s ears, Lord Lynedale,’ said a dirty fellow with a long pole.
1862. A. Boyd, in Gd. Words, 694. People who talk of the great majority of their fellow-creatures as Cads.
1868. A. K. H. Boyd, Lessons Mid. Age, 142. You cannot make a vulgar offensive cad conduct himself as a gentleman.
6. Comb., as cad-catcher: see quot.
1882. Artist, 1 Feb., 63/1. ‘Cadcatchers’ is an expressive, but not elegant, term now in use amongst artists for pictures painted to attract the undiscriminating.
Hence Cadism, the behavior or action of a cad.
1876. World, V. 8. It is the superlative ‘cadism’ of English residents in India which galls the natives.
† Cad3 Obs. = CADE sb.2, a cade-lamb.
