Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable

990 Pages·2016·87.28 MB·English

by  Cobham Brewer Ebenezer.

Thisffolume is for
REFERENCE USE ONLY
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BREWER'S DICTIONARY
OF PHRASE & FABLE

BREWERf'S
DICTIONARY OF
PHRASE & FABLE
REVISED & ENLARGED
NEW YORK
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
KEY TO PRONUNCIATION
VOWELS
A
dotplaced overa, e, o, oru (a, e,6, u,) signifies thatthe vowel has an obscure, indeter-
minate, orslurred sound, as in:
advice(ad-vis'),current(kur'ent), notion(no'shon).
CONSONANTS
pri"nst"edis"uzs"ed(toozn)l.y for the sibilant "s" (as in "toast," tost,) the sonant "s" (Nas in "toes" is
whb"e,cn"du(sfee,xdcheap(stsecieonntsthoheencaconomtmsbb,iinhnaaatvtieioontnshsebi"erlcuohsw"u)a,alnkvd,a1l",uce/msz,".),n"(qs,e"eannbdel"oxw"),arpe,nro,tt,usve,d.z, and w and y
ch asinchurch(cherch). n asin cabochon (ka-bo-cho/O.
ch loch(loc/i).
sh shawl (shawl).
get (get) zh measure(mezh'ur).
join(join).
hw white(hwit). tthh tthhiinne(t(hMiinn))..
Theaccent(0followsthesyllabletobestressed. .
The multiplication table invented by Pytha-
gorasiscalled AbacusPythagoricus.
A. The form ofthis letter is modified from In architecture the abacus is the topmost
the Egyptian hieroglyph which represents the memberofacapital.
esNpianrygoml(bobeaua.oltbllelipyoTnhfehea.ear.rnboPTanhoheodxoee)una,siuGlcgwyiru,haernieytcko(hiHrnAeehtpbahrrsee(esawselba)npcethresainaf)yinmctebwoshoax.ols-uhgweShtaaeths,dee pAteobrmMailidseldhsteosodn.npi(utase(bsRaedtv'h.eoninx),a.m11eT),hfoefrratonhmgeeHbleotbot.fomatlbheaesds,bophtie-t
alsAo SmCAlRoLgEiTc LdEeTnToEtRe.s a universal affirmative. itself: ThyIbnoladllahtetremgpatt.esAbaddonrues
Aasserts,Edenies.Thus,syllogismsmbfij-bArA ParadiseRegained,iv,624.
(<7.v.) contain three universal affirmative pro- Abaris (ab'aris). A mythical Greek sage of
positions. the 6th century B.C. (surnamed "the Hyper-
Al means first-rate the very best. In borean"") mentioned by Herodotus, Pindar,
Lloycr's RegisterofBritish and Foreign Ship- etc. Apollo gave him a magic arrow which
ping, thecharacter ofthe ship's hullis desig- rendered him invisible, cured diseases, gave
ncaabtleeds,bayndlestttoerrse,s bayndfigtuhraets.ofAlthmeeaanncshohrusl,l torhaeclaeisr,. anAdbaonnswghaivcehithetocoPuyltdhargiodreast,hrwohuog,h
first-iate,andalsoanchors,cables,andstores; in return, taught him philosophy. Hence the
A2, hull first-rate, but fittings second-rate. dartofAbaris.
Vuensdseerlsthoeflaetnteirnsf^eEr,ioEr,cahnadraIc.ter are classified Ahebraatledmrye,nta(mOa.Frrk.obfatdreep,retcoiabteiaotn daonwnne)x.ed Itno
Aaron(ar on). Thenameofthepatriarchof coat armour, whereby the honour of it is
the Jewish p"ritesthood, possibly connected abated.
w(wiRiltoAdhsarehpolanaoa'nfrstosBnS,eh,aairrndoct.nlh)ue,dTianhrtgkhe.eG"proIepvauyt-llaSerta.nveaJdomheTno'oasfdmfWlaoanrxyt, AvAAabbsrbaiatiosnousansiccd(peeaslsbsa'ic(beaalsbet'ooaanfs)salAn(dbtGzai)rt.q.ouinat.,AynddoAiytfnf;iancsajut3lmcytueVooa>fgf,iatvIchecingerostt)syo..-
Meadowsweet, Saxifrage Sarmentosa, etc. seven caliphs who reigned over the Moham-
Aaron'sRod. The name given (with refer- mdeesdcaenndEemdpfirroemfArbobma7s5,0utnocl1e25o8f.MoThhaemymweedr.e
pealnnacdnetost,thoeirnNsc.ulumd.ingxvGiio,ld8e)ntRoodv,arGirouesatfMluolwleeriinn,g nH80ua8mr)b,oeuornf.tahle-RAarsacbhiiadn(Nbiogrhtns,76w5a,sroenigeneodft7h8e6i-r
Aaron's serpent. Something so powerful AbbotofMisrule. SeeKINGOF MISRULE.
astoALinekdleihAmeainrncoaent'eosnmesiemrnpaoesrntteprsowpwaaelsrlsosiwo.sniunptthheebrreesats.t, ASbcbootttstfoorCdl.artTyhHeolen,amoentghievesnoubtyhbSainrkWoaflttehre
POPE:EssayonMan,ii, 131. Tweed, after it became his residence in 1812.
TheallusionistoExod.vii, 10-12. aSibrboWtasltoefrMdeelvriosseed iAtbfbreoymutsheedfatnocypatshsatovteher
A.B. SeeABLE-BODIED. thefordoftheTweednearby.
Aback. This was originally a nautical term ABC. An abbreviationhavinganumberof
usedwhenagust ofwindforcedthesailsback meanings that can be decided only by the
as"hgIiapi'nwssatpsrotghtreaeksmse.anstFabraaocnkmd,*t*shiusdmdceeoanmnleiysngstthae"yIpehdrwatashsee cA"ohBnetCedxo"te.snm'eTtahnuunssd,etrh"asSttoa-hnaedn.dti-hsseoiAndtoBeenssCenl'oytfikegnnngooirwnaenehtri:-s
astounded, takenbysurprise." ing" means that heAhBasCnot mastered its
mwAiabrcaehcsiunsset,r(eatbcc'ohneasdiksautcsi)rn.ogssAoiwisftthiiitrpanfeertnioehmsdbnaimaevtlaiillbdnsvliagerwcethfkcchirwtarcaialeohmrcaneudcd,lseaaewdntaiiocbtonnhehrg rBctoShfhuhoitedaoleikkdnmea,'eslssnppieftsehtisaarai.srbnteep'tlcrseaSiTsotamhls,eniaeocndtrnehasi"iwbsn:ashoqmioufecfekshowtraiumonrs,nduednadciBosomowtnie;oostnkaebt,iveaniredouyedrsnelmtdAeesfbrasrsesooelnmyays
forwards. Itis usedto Andthencomesanswer.likeanAbseybook.
teach children addition KingJohn,j, 1.
tcoalcaulmatuiconhs,laatseradmaotdeifwaGibrancyesdaettkiehsosmeunapbnCltodhorfiayRnicetetodsiwmeoaa.nbsnysuTastfhnehoedder KLAfaaab.tvddi.e)fria(nsn(edsArevrAraavbnbatdni-otcfA^lotlfshalehtahvGee(rsaeMcoriirvogauhnsstetryOovnfaeOnG)tno,,ed))e,at,sc.AAbAbdbd-d-uielel-l-
wcyoprhderiisngdetrabilveed(afrsolmabtchoeveGrreedekw,ithajs8aon,d)a. mAbedda.llaHhe(Sdbieddals'hao)r.tlyTbheefofraethheirsoffamMoouhsasmon-.
1
AbouHassan
Abdals
wasborn,andissaidtohavebeensobeautiful gentlewoman" in The Scornful Lady. Swift,
bthraotkewhtheenir hheearmtasrfrireodm dAimsianpap,oin2t0e0d lvoivregins eFimeplldoinyg,itainndthoetirhenrovneolvse,liasntsd oitfwtahsefpuerrtihoedr
wAShitnbehhaderomeaosxmWluieeassgtdshieha(dnawinecbnenhs't.goidttamtoyl\onzV)tih.slhceieevnkriTwtnnoaohgoinre'wnelsndnLomiafiyofsmesntetlhaoeybefrlgmietiMoovdauteihosenGosocmbdpaoeyenn,trot.stiMaonhonnue-dser AptkbLiieobatntpildtgeumey,lerpalirrkiensoicnWbzhoaaefwi(badattlnhbiybeynairsgm.mt"'eMaharenensdliB.neeonpks)teMg.ioradrss"eioMhseAnteaayllmCteah,ofcenrfahQiae,Autnnbewdiit.oetghniaesioAhlfdnirnHveteiighl'nailsles,
piATslhbardsceaeeccr.reaet(lsy(aaiabdppdtoeori'hnatav)e.edbbeAyenGomfaodruinttodiefmdilelbtyhteAobwvdnaecraano,tf ntiAtanabnomlaceeclsusiransosftahtsAehsattshBauitbrolbfeoafma(pnaGaelpnE,r.giynxapcxntevdiioaifnannAgdtrohvevJaeudAdrgnmieoansrrtnioh\aef)
sister ofDiomede), so overrun with rats that Tyre.
it was abandoned, and the inhabitants Abingdon La\$. See CUPAR JUSTICE.
Atg"mo(beshtifhtcdegeoerGfrctarfiihltteiteaeyneaudgcngpgeshah,,trvlioaeanwsaugeegbMmrihsaopertchtneAeihprgbdlr,dtooo"eosnvtroeihispraateohbn.ameimdnrae,lbTloeafahffinuoergnrthoghtAsmAeetbbrDuddw,peweeiimrnshdmoietieotsceteatyrsm,,n,imityewnuooenesgrrt AiAars"sbreeglygaraceamer-reesesbdknnweoi,taldhiolmiatseeenedaddndrgi;ssmevS,eeieo"dadaaremonAmdasrdaniinzB,ine.,nt.(eoa3(Ax)Atpnsbhae,ibriroeeliooye-errsB,nc,oclodaaefisdnwesthedmhais)eeb:c;lnhfe,((i12r)s)switeisnoatkccrmihlldlaaouilsnudnes,te-.d
A"sncaoxfaferrc"h)o,sP(rtohteagpohrialsoso(pthheergarenadt fsroipehnidsto),f Aboard. Ashipissaidtofallaboardanother
Alexander), andHecatseus (thehistorian). whenitrunsagainstit.
Abdiel (aVdel) (Arab., the servant of God; Aboardmaintackisanoldsea-termmeaning
c8f9.6,ABeDtc)"..) tIhne Mfaiiltthofnu'lssPearraapdhiswehLooswtit(vh.st8o0o5,d tsaoildrdaowwnonteootfhethcehelsosw-etrreec.ornersofthemain-
Satanwhenheurgedtheangelstorevolt. Abolitionists. In U.S.A. the term applied to
Awbheocedtaeraichaens(oarbeissildeaarr'niinagn).hisUsAuBalCly;, obnuet atbhoolsietiwonhoofaNdevgorcoatseldavearny.d aIgnitAautsetdrafloira tthhee
alsothenameofa16th-centurysectofAnabap- name was given to those who between 1820
tists who regarded the teaching ofthe Holy and1867soughttoobtainbylawtheabolition
mbhtadSpseeyhuisnescrpcumiNhieftisftcieo(ochdftaioshretalneehlataeylesdxf.ltAoerraSaarBtercTeovnthrCeiekerdna,ygalssbspeooayucwftratpwesswohvepaeseanosreevmkyceeifferfnnoksriuslinonaofdomrfde,f,yeatdZethnwaoxeidsicneecBhnpki1ea"tba5nbtlu2clhse;0eeeo) maoaAofbbpeffoopnetllotchlltseaaeedwtdbr(oeaarbitnonbynsogplto'phbwrheytaoi)arl.ttnootisghooaAebnpynhooeGrftrrahcserneooecnbikvileesinoncwttoetasfrhnmetpidooleriavdAtcaReuaenrsor.istymt,rayaTnglwaishaora,es-.f
Zwickauprophets" humility.
aoPltsphAaheblarembceiedtsdiiavacirbasleiicaoennodsraHdryeiormaf.nn.sw.IhniSceHheHyeAmbaCnrrReseOSwaTtrhIterChaenlPigOneEe1dTs1R9Yt9i.hrn TTApDbrehaoonmemb.piasl(bnueclabhjytsbei.ycroitenexf,iietosxrhfisev,rDetaerotsnyhodesloaxobhitmseii)caeo,utnrah,seent,nTadsthtuiehone,erMsmabteeethtnsetttu.RipHxooxemnifbnaeVr,dnt1es5hiw.,en
AAbeClhirtiessti(aanb'seelclttzo)f,thAebe4ltihancse,ntourryAmbeelnotniioannesd. ianntdenGdreedekunsicdhenotliafrisehdi,pDlre.aviCnhgetyhneeaccotunacllutdhiinngg
by St. Augustine as living in North Africa, that "the 'abomination' which thrusts itself
They married but remained virgin, as they into the 'holy place' has for its nature
affirmedAbeldid ontheassumptionthatbe- 'desolation' i.e.findsitspleasure inundoing
cause no children of his are mentioned in thedivinework ofaholyCreator."
tSacirinpetdubreyhaedohptaidngnotnhee.chiTlhderenseoctfowtahsersm.ain- Abonde (abond'). Dame Abonde is the
French equivalent of Santa Claus, a good
Abhorrers. SeePETITIONERS. fairywho brings children presents while they
Abidhamma (abida'ma). The third pitaka areasleeponNewYear'sEve.
dothofigsetttshh.eerTtfhhorereem AtPhabeliidsahtcaerxmetdmsac(aTnrocionpinttoaafkiant)shewBh"uitdch-he fFAaabvtoohuue-rriBteekorfwifet(.haeboHoVebiregwkiarn,s) tih.(ee5.7f1i-rM6s3to4h)ca,almimpchea,dll'oesrd
analytical exercises in the psychological sys- successor of Mohammed, of the Sunni
temonwhichthedoctrineisbased,"in seven Moslems, andreignedforonlytwoyears.
AtArbbeiiafgt.aiiselsS.(eaebS'HeiIegRaTAlR)MI.PAIBTAIAFK.lAa.dy's maid. Abigail, cinhgaAnbstoleu(eipnHaTtsohestahAnera(bbaeibdaonaoNnihdgahspt'asl)aa,nc)t.eraonfAsftehrreirceChdamldieuprrh--
wife ofNabal and afterwards ofDavid, is a Haroun al-Raschid. Next morning he was
well-known Scriptureheroine(1 Sam.xxv,3). treatedasthecaliph,andeveryeffortwasmade
Marlowecalledthe daughter ofBarrabas, his to make him forget his identity (The Sleeper
JewofMalta,by this name,and itwas given Awakened). The same story, localized to
by Beaumont and Fletcher to the "waiting Shakespeare's own Warwickshire, forms the