dear dub (A muddy or stagnant pool; a small pool of rain water in a road; a puddle. (Chiefly Sc.),

yeahbut. you seem to be the confused one, or you are pertinaciously denying the existence of two nouns -- the one in question having to do with various inferiorities and prolly nothing at all to do with the bouncing verb. (in the etymology, OED allows as how there may be yet another separation between the inferior horse and steer/heifer senses) 4a/b I think come from that same inate human kindness that has seen humans called cows or horse's patoots. The great stot of a farm lad.