Also 8 kanguru, -gooroo, 8–9 -guroo, (8 gamgarou). [Stated to have been the name in a native Australian lang.
Cook and Banks believed it to be the name given to the animal by the natives at Endeavour River, Queensland, and there is later affirmation of its use elsewhere. On the other hand, there are express statements to the contrary (see quots. below), showing that the word, if ever current in this sense, was merely local, or had become obsolete. The common assertion that it really means ‘I don’t understand’ (the supposed reply of the native to his questioner) seems to be of recent origin and lacks confirmation. (See Morris, Austral English, s.v.)
1770. Cook, Jrnl. (1893), 224 (Morris). (Aug. 4) The animals which I have before mentioned, called by the Natives Kangooroo or Kanguru.
1770. J. Banks, Jrnl. (1896), 301. (Aug. 26) The largest [quadruped] was called by the natives kangooroo.
1787. Anderson, in Cook’s Voy. (1790), IV. 1295. We found, that the animal called kangooroo, at Endeavour River, was known under the same name here [in Tasmania].
1792. J. Hunter, Port Jackson (1793), 54. The animal … called the kangaroo (but by the natives patagorong) we found in great numbers.
1793. W. Tench, Compl. Acc. Port Jackson, 171. The large, or grey kanguroo, to which the natives [of Port Jackson] give the name of Pat-ag-a-ran. Note, Kanguroo was a name unknown to them for any animal, until we introduced it.
1834. Threlkeld, Austral. Gram. (Hunter’s River) 87 (Morris). Kóng-go-róng, the Emu … likely the origin of the barbarism, kangaroo, used by the English, as the name of an animal called Mo-a-ne.
1835. T. B. Wilson, Narr. Voy. World, 211 (ibid.). They [natives of the Darling Range, W. A.] distinctly pronounced ‘kangaroo’ without having heard any of us utter the sound.
1850. J. Crawfurd, in Jrnl. Ind. Archipelago, IV. 188. (Kangaroo.) It is very remarkable that this word supposed to be Australian, is not to be found as the name of this singular marsupial animal in any language of Australia…. I have this on the authority of my friend Captain King.]
1. A marsupial mammal of the family Macropodidæ, remarkable for the great development of the hind-quarters and the leaping-power resulting from this. The species are natives of Australia, Tasmania, Papua, and some neighboring isles; the larger kinds being commonly known as kangaroos, and the smaller ones as wallabies.
The first species known in Europe was the great kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), discovered by Captain Cook in 1770; the male of this is about 6 feet in height when standing erect.
(Also used by sportsmen as a collective plural.)
1773. Hawkesworth, Voy., III. 578 (1st Voy. Cook). The next day our Kangaroo was dressed for dinner and proved most excellent meat.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist., VII. xvi. II. 434. The kanguroo of New Holland, where only it is to be found, is often known to weigh above 60 pounds.
1796. Gentl. Mag., LXVI. I. 467. The Gamgarou, or as Pennant calls it Kangaroo, is a native of New South Wales.
1845. Darwin, Voy. Nat., xix. (1852), 441. Now the emu is banished to a long distance, and the kangaroo is become scarce.
1884. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Melb. Mem., iii. 23. Though kangaroo were plentiful, they were not … overwhelming in number.
2. With qualifying words, as Antelope or Antilopine Kangaroo, one of the larger kangaroos (Halmaturus antilopinus); Banded K., the banded wallaby (genus Lagostrophus); Brush K. = WALLABY (cf. BRUSH sb.1 4); Forest K. (cf. FOREST sb. 5); Giant, Great († Sooty) K., Macropus giganteus (see 1); Hare-K., a small kangaroo, of the genus Lagorchestes (cf. HARE sb. 6); Musk K., a very small kangaroo (genus Hypsiprymnodon); Rat-K. = KANGAROO-RAT; Rock K., the rock-wallaby (genus Petrogale); Tree K., an arboreal kangaroo (genus Dendrolagus).
1802. Barrington, Hist. N. S. Wales, viii. 273. A place … thickly inhabited by the small brush kangaroo.
1825. Field, N. S. Wales, Gloss., Forest-kangaroo, Macropus major.
1836. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 7), XIV. 129/1. A still larger species, called the sooty kangaroo … inhabits the south coast of New Holland. Ibid. The banded kangaroo … inhabits the islands on the west coast of New Holland.
1839. Penny Cycl., XIV. 463/1. Skeleton of Macropus major (the Great Kangaroo).
1841. J. Gould, Monograph Macropod., I. Plate xii. That division of the family which includes the Rat and Jerboa Kangaroos. Ibid. The name of Hare Kangaroo has been given to this species [Lagorchestes leporoïdes]. Ibid., II. Plates xi & xii. Dendrolagus ursinus and D. inustus,… two very remarkable and highly interesting species of Tree Kangaroos.
1846. G. R. Waterhouse, Nat. Hist. Mamm., I. 96. The Antilopine Kangaroo is clothed with short stiff hairs, and these lie close to the skin, as in many of the Antelope tribe. Ibid., 168. The specimens of the Brush-tailed or Rock Kangaroo in the British Museum were … procured by Mr. Gould from the Liverpool Range.
1856. Knight, Cycl. Nat. Hist., III. 712. The Hare-Kangaroo is a pretty little Kangaroo, about the size of the common hare.
1863. Gould, Mammals Austr., II. 54. No other species of Rock Kangaroo has yet been discovered with such short and scanty hair as the Petrogale brachyotis. Ibid., 57. The Tree-Kangaroo has only in one instance been brought alive to Europe.
1881. Encycl. Brit., XIII. 840/2. The potoroos or rat-kangaroos are small animals, none of them exceeding a common rabbit in size.
3. fig. a. An animal that leaps like a kangaroo. b. One who advances by fitful jumps.
1827. P. Cunningham, N. S. Wales, I. xvi. 290. A stock-yard under six feet high, will be leaped by some of these kangaroos (as we term them) with the most perfect ease.
1865. Cornh. Mag., Feb., 213. I’m capable of a great jerk, an effort, and then a relaxation—but steady every-day goodness is beyond me. I must be a moral kangaroo!
c. humorous. A native of Australia.
1888. Pall Mall Gaz., 12 April, 5/2. The ‘kangaroos’—as our colonial friends are sometimes dubbed.
1897. Globe, 9 July, 1/4. Thomas Atkins … has nicknamed the Colonial troops the ‘Kangaroos.’
† d. A kind of chair (? named from its shape).
1834. Mar. Edgeworth, Helen, I. xv. It was neither a lounger, nor a dormeuse, nor a Cooper, nor a Nelson, nor a kangaroo.
e. A form of bicycle with sloping backbone, introduced in 1884: an early form of the ‘safety’ type.
1884. Cyclist, 9 July, 1 (Advt.). The ‘Kangaroo.’ ‘Premier Safety Bicycle.’ Since its introduction early in the present season [etc.].
1884. Wheel World, Nov., 241/1. The long-anticipated ‘Kangaroo Safety Bicycle’ run duly came off.
1897. Mecredy & Wilson, Art Cycling, 28. In 1884 came the great ‘Kangaroo’ rage … the ‘Kangaroo’s’ popularity waned rapidly.
f. pl. In Stock Exchange slang: West Australian mining shares; also, dealers in these shares.
1896. S. F. Van Oss, in 19th Cent., Nov., 711. Westralian mining shares…. ‘Kangaroos,’ as they were fondly called.
1897. Westm. Gaz., 10 June, 8/1. Even among the lively Kangaroos, practical joking in the House seems to have come to a full stop. Ibid., 1 Oct., 8/1. The Kangaroos are coming on … but other markets … are still awaiting the public’s pleasure.
4. attrib. and Comb. a. General combs., as kangaroo attitude, hunt, hunting, leather, market (sense 3), net, tail, tendon; also kangaroo-like adj., -wise adv.
1828. P. Cunningham, N. S. Wales (ed. 3), II. 82. Kangaroo-leather boots, 30s. to 35s.
1835. Court Mag., VI. 11/2. The finical air and kangaroo attitude with which his kid-gloved hands hold the white reins.
1859. Cornwallis, New World, I. 197. Kangaroo-tail soup, which was there [Melbourne] much esteemed.
1877. E. R. Conder, Bas. Faith, Note F 447. This kind of reasoning neither marches nor soars: it progresses kangaroo-wise—by wide leaps.
1884. Stand. Nat. Hist., V. 96. The … Pocket-mice, a number of which are jerboa-like or kangaroo-like.
1894. Mrs. C. Praed, Chr. Chard, I. i. 8. They knighted him because he got up a kangaroo hunt for a prince.
1897. Westm. Gaz., 10 June, 8/1. In the Kangaroo market … the outlook is equally favourable.
b. Special combs.: kangaroo-apple, the edible fruit of the Australian plants Solanum laciniatum (or aviculare) and Solanum vescum; also, the plants bearing this; kangaroo-bear, the Australian tree-bear or koala (Encycl. Dict., 1885); kangaroo-beetle, a beetle with enlarged hind-legs, esp. one belonging to the genus Sagra; kangaroo-dog, a large dog trained to hunt the kangaroo; kangaroo-fly, a small Australian fly (Cabarus); kangaroo(’s)-foot-plant, the Australian plant Anigozanthus Manglesii (Treas. Bot.); kangaroo-grass, a tall fodder-grass (Anthistiria australis), found in Australasia, Southern Asia, and Africa; kangaroo-hound = kangaroo-dog; kangaroo-mouse, (a) the Australian pouched mouse; (b) a small American rodent of the genus Perognathus; kangaroo-skin, the skin of the kangaroo used as leather or fur; kangaroo-thorn, an Australian spiny shrub (Acacia armata) used for hedges; kangaroo-vine, an evergreen climber, Cissus antarcticus (Craig, 1848). Also KANGAROO-RAT.
1834. Ross, Van Diemen’s Land Ann., 133 (Morris). The *kangaroo-apple, resembling the apple of a potato.
1846. G. H. Haydon, 5 Yrs. Austral. Felix, 85 (ibid.). The kangaroo-apple … is a fine shrub found in many parts of the country.
1839. Westwood, Insects, I. 214. A South American insect, figured long since by Francillon, under the name of the *Kangaroo Beetle … in which the size of the hind legs is still more extraordinary.
1883. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., V. 348. The large brilliantly-metallic Sagræ, or Kangaroo-beetles of tropical Asia and Africa.
1806. Hist. N. S. Wales (1818), 265 (Morris). Four valuable *kangaroo-dogs.
1850. J. B. Clutterbuck, Port Phillip, iii. 35. A cross of the Scotch greyhound and English bulldog, called the Kangaroo dog.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 314. A brace of rough greyhounds—the kangaroo-dog of the colonists.
1833. C. Sturt, S. Australia, I. ii. 71 (Morris). Our camp was infested by the *kangaroo-fly, which settled upon us in thousands.
1827. P. Cunningham, N. S. Wales, I. xii. 208–9. Of native grasses we possess the oat-grass, rye-grass, fiorin, *kangaroo-grass, and timothy.
1884. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Melb. Mem., 19. I … feel the thick Kangaroo grass under my feet.
1865. Lady Barker, Station Life N. Zeal., 28 (Morris). A large dog, a *kangaroo-hound (not unlike a lurcher in appearance).
1888. D. Macdonald, Gum Boughs, 256 (ibid.). The tiny interesting little creature known on the plains as the *‘kangaroo mouse.’
1777. Cook, in Bischoff, Van Diemen’s Land (1832), II. 41. These females wore a *kangaroo skin.
1828. P. Cunningham, N. S. Wales (ed. 3), II. 151. A desperate-looking ruffian habited in a huge hairy cap and shaggy kangaroo-skin jacket.
1872. C. H. Eden, In Queensland, 106 (Morris). Kangaroo-skin boots are very lasting and good.
