DICTIONARY OF PHRASE AND FABLE

1·102.8 MB·English

by  BREWER, E.COBHAM REV.

DICTIONAR

PHRASE AND FABLE,

iw Origen of Common Phradks, Atbesions,

and Words that have u Tule to Pett

E. COBHAM

BREWER, LL.D,

Nation of “iste ta Siem

Lonvow
CASSELL, PETTER, AND GALPIN;
AND $98 BROADWAY, NEW YORK

DICTIONARY

PHRASE AND FABLE,

PREFACE.

‘“WWuat has this babblor to say?” ix eubstantially tho question of
every one to whom a now book is offered. For ourselves, it will be
difficult to furnish on answer ina aenlonce oqually torso and explicit
yet oar book has & dofnite wgope tnd distinct speclality, whisk we
will promed. to-unhid, We oat it a, “Diotisnery, of Phrase and
“Foble o title wide enoulh, no. dows city
‘yeh nf maifilantly wide to doseribo the mui
“iphma-bawket of-words." As the Garyantuna conn) x
everyting known to man oud something more, 60 this’ oi
book encloses anything that comes within its reach.
curious or wovel etymelogis! paendongms snd popalar titles, lool
tmditions and Jilerary blinders, biogenphioal and historical trifles too
inaignificant to find & place in looks of higher pretension, bat not tie
rotthloss to be worth knowing, Sometimes » oriticism is adventaned
somotinues an exposition. Vulgur orrors, of ooureo, forms am item;

‘the prescion.s of the antin lsying up a store for winter, the wisdom of,
tho bo in the peculiar shape of ite honey-comb, the disintarestedness
fof the jacksl, the poisonous nature of the upas tree, and the atriding a
the Rhodian Coloasoa, if not of the natare of fable, are certainly “ more
strange than tga”

In regard to otymelogy, it farms a staple of the book, which profosid
to give “the derivation, source, or origin of worda that have » tate. 4a:
tcl” ‘Thusy abendon is to "deaort your coloura;” church means’ té
circle," and nob“ God's house," aa is usually givens prevarioata ia 5
go sig-t0g,” or “plough a crooked farron;” ewnpulour is to get &
“atone in one’s shoo,” sir in cousin german to the Greck “aaa,” a,