Delope is a term used in duelling meaning to throw away one’s shot — specifically, to fire into the air rather than at an opponent. The word appears in The Art of Duelling from 1836 with the spelling dilope and the gloss “fire in the air.” The phrase also echoes Hamilton’s “I’m not throwing away my shot.” Incidentally, before taking office, elected officials in Kentucky, including notary publics, must swear they have never fought in a duel. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Delope Means to Throw Away One’s Shot in a Duel”
I have been reading up on dueling, you can imagine why.
Dueling, D-U-E-L-I-N-G, dueling?
Yes, yes, like the most famous duel in American history.
Do you need me to be your second? Is that why you’ve been researching this?
Now, I don’t need you to be my second, but I found a super cool word involving dueling, which, of course, I was inspired to read about because of Hamilton.
Gotcha.
The word delope.
D-E-L-O-P-E?
Delope?
Mm—
Delope.
It’s the act of throwing away your shot.
Oh, I’m not throwing away my shot.
Right.
Right.
That term is delope.
I didn’t know that.
Delope.
How about that?
That’s cool.
And what else did you find out about dueling?
Well, I was looking at The Art of Dueling from 1836, which says, sometimes a man is placed in a situation when he considers it his duty to dilope or fire in the air.
Gotcha.
Yeah. Dueling is dumb and immature is what it is.
But there’s a reason we don’t do it anymore, Martha.
Are you hanging out with different people than I am?
I am not.
Do you know in Kentucky, if you are elected to public office, you have to swear that you’ve never fought in a duel.
You still have to do that.
Really?
Yes.
Like before or after the swearing in?
I forget.
Before.
That’s interesting.
And what counts as a duel?
Like with guns?
Like fighting on the playground behind the jungle gym?
Does that count?
I guess you could licorice sticks.
I don’t know.
