1680 The True News: or, Mercurius Anglicus no. 33 10–13 Mar. [2]/2 Whereas divers Persons have lately exposed to sale a counterfeit Drink called Elixir Salutis, the true Drink of that Name, having been long since published by Mr. Anthony Daffy, (and generally known by the name of Daffy's Elixir Salutis), [etc.].

1681 London Gaz. No. 1679/4 Anthony Daffy, Author of the Famous Elixir Salutis.

c1711 C. Mordaunt Let. in Lady Hamilton Mordaunts (1965) iv. 79 Daphios Elixir for Chollick.

a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. ii. 223 A sip of Daffy's elixir..has proved a powerful means of Grace.

1776 Hibernian Jrnl. 8–10 Apr. 179/3 (advt.) Daffy's Elixir, just imported.

1821 The Fancy I. 304 While carrying on his new vocation as publican, Jack did not deny himself the use of drops of Daffy.

1828 Sporting Mag. 21 435 His predilection for daffey of late years grew upon him.

1837 C. Dickens Oliver Twist (1838) I. ii. 15 [A little gin] to put into the blessed infants' Daffy.

1846 ‘Lord Chief Baron’ Swell's Night Guide (new ed.) 58 I takes the swell into the tape shop, took our daffies..and planted Flabby Bet on him.

1857 A. Trollope Barchester Towers xxiii Not got a coral—how can you expect that he should cut his teeth? Have you got Daffy's Elixir?

1862 A. Halliday in H. Mayhew London Labour (new ed.) Extra vol. 430/2 When I goes in where they are a havin' their daffies—that's drops o' gin, sir.

1871 London Figaro 15 Apr. 10/2 [If the baby] should bawl persistently,..he would..bathe it in Mrs. Winslow's syrup, and thoroughly dose it with ‘Daffy’.

1882 Punch 29 Apr. 193/2 A good many of them..had been partaking freely of daffy.

1967 E. Burton Georgians at Home vi. 226 They [sc. Ward's pills] could hardly have done more harm or good than the snake-root and brandy.., Daffy's Elixir, usquebaugh, [etc.].

1777 M. Cutler Jrnl. 8 Sept. in W. P. Cutler & J. P. Cutler Life, Jrnls. & Corr. M. Cutler (1888) I. 63 Planted out in my borders in the great alley..early and late Daffies, and Peonies.

1878 W. Dickinson Gloss. Words & Phrases Cumberland (ed. 2) 25/1 Daffy-doon-dilly, Daffy, the daffodil.

1925 Sunday at Home June 536/2 Little winds just rose on purpose to stir the daffies.

1928 Daily Express 28 Mar. 3/3 This has been a bad season for ‘daffies’ owing to a recent spell of frost in Cornwall.

1871 Leisure Hour 25 Mar. 184/1 Another of our rustic treats..was going to gather daffodils... In Herefordshire this little festival was called Daffying.

1884 R. Lawson Upton-on-Severn Words & Phrases 14 Daffy, simple, soft.

1896 G. Ade Artie iii. 24 She'd make anybody daffy.

1902 Munsey's Mag. Jan. 491/2 I want to know what this new affair is. If I'm daffy, there's the reason.

1908 C. E. Mulford Orphan xiv. 180 Old man Gordon was daffy on education, which is a good thing to be daffy over.

1922 19th Cent. Feb. 270 Guess the poor old devil's gone daffy.

1923 R. D. Paine Comrades Rolling Ocean xv. 258 England was daffy over spy stories during the war.

1941 Penguin New Writing 2 87 Your eyes are all staring and aching..and they burn like hell. And it drives you nigh on daffy.

1959 I. Opie & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren x. 179 A person who is ‘wanting in the upper storey’ is..daffy.

1968 Guardian 28 Feb. 8/3 One of those charming fusions of the daffy benevolence of youth with the guilelessness of middle aged PROs.