UC-NRLF B ^ mi 2MD h' ^ Dictionary Idioinafic English Phrases James Main Dixon '^'SCs- M.A., F.R.S.E., Professor of English Literature in the Imperial University of Japan. ♦ ■•'♦ Q UNIVERSITY T. NELSON AND SONS London, Edinburgh, and Nciu York 1902 GENERAL ^r cfarc. The materials of this work wore originally collated in Jajian to assist my students in their English studies, and a Japanese edition of the Dictionary ippeared in the year 1888. The phrases that recur so often in English books and in conversa- tion, conveying a meaning to the native English ear which a rational dissection of their component parts quite fails to supply, had not previously been collected in a handy volume. An excellent work, it is true, by a Chinaman, Kwong^s Dic- tionary of English Phrases, came out about ten years ago. The author received in its compilation valuable help from eminent American scholars, and its definitions and examples are excellent. The objections to the work are, first, that British, as distinguished from American phrases, are con- spicuous by their absence ; secondly, that the arrangement is arljitrary and confusing ; thirdly, that the examples, though apt and good in themselves, do not bear the A-ery useful imprimatur of some well-known author's name. They are made for tlie occasion, instead of having been picked up in reading. A fourth objection to the work is, that it is largely made up of definitions of single words. Abide r s i L ° J Account ^oif ■^!^' "''''' ^^-'^ ''''^'' '" ^■^^"- *« ^lepart'^fi^JiiiT^T^y AVho is the happy warrior? It is the generous spirit Who, with a natural instinct to discern A\ hat knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn ■ Abides by this resolve, and stops not there ThP r„l»c „ ^"' '"*!'«^ ^'^ moral being his first care.-WoRDSwoETH The rules were fixed, and I must abide by them.-TvvDALL Counsellor Molyneux steadily abided by L word.-M.K.rEx,CE .okxh. ^chTat"^fctTt"''^°?f^=. without trickery. C. The man who cheatb at cards keeps his hands under the table or board. boLd r'^^Crie^' '""'" '^ "'' '''''^'- " ^^^^ --^'^ y-^ be fair and above- Now all is open and above-board with you.-A. Tkollope. ^^In^A^^^" '^'"'- t^'-f «"'-(^) to feign sickness or distress. S. An Abraliam-man ni England was a licensed beggar, who on account of niental weakness, had been placed in the Abrffan Ward rBetre hem Hospital, and was allowed on certain days to go a-begginc Nu- merous impostors took advantage of this privilege. I have heard people say That sham Abraham you may ?J Prr, T 1 ^f' ^°,'^ mustn't sham Abraham Newland.-Frowi an Old 9m,n 1 (b) to dissimulate ; to pretend ignorance. S. noL^Llre\gJrnesl'n°d Spfd^tio^" '' Com°' ^'""'^.°^" '^^^ ^'^- ^--^' -"^ sham Abraham."-S. Warren ' ' '' ' '^^^'' ^^^' ^° "'« '^^y to Abroad.-^?/ abroad-{a) in a state of mental perplexity F Wits, and went on with tLlnvLsation Ho.MBr' '''^' ' '^" ""'' '" '^^°^" ''- ^^He .s such a poor, cracked, crazy creature, with his mind aU abroad,-A. Trox.- — ^^having^the senses confused; without complete control of one's .;tiS';r^S]tS^---^;^^as.^^^^ The .schoolmaster is abroad-good education is spreading everywhere P otJ:^;Sr^r:;^:S;!,;:^;iJ;^ - ''« -hing in this age. There is an! CHnt. The schnoInLter Ifab oa".' andV tr« toM?' """; '"rP^' ""'^'""■ against the soldier in full military ar;ay -Lord BrovIh;^m "'' "'"' '" '*"'""• Account.-0« a-co../-in part payment. A business phrase, used Acknowledge [ 9 ] ^^ when two persons have dealings with each other, and the account between tliem is only partly settled by any payment. "Give the driver this half sovereign," whispered Captain Ablewhite. "Jell him it is on account, and that he has a good fare."— B. L. Farieon. To fjive a good account of— to be successful with. F. The terrier gave a good account of the rats (was successful in killing many of them). To lay one's account xcith — to expect ; to look forward to. P. Tlie jurors must have laid their account with appearing (expected to appear) before the Star Chamber. — Hallam. To take into account — to make allowance for. C. As to its adventurous beginning, and all those little circumstances which gave it a distinctive character and relish, he took them into account.— Dickens. Acknowledge. — To acknowledge the corn — to admit the truth of a statement. S. " What did the man say when you arrested him?" — " He said he was drunk." — " I want his precise words, just as he uttered them. He did not use the pronoun he, did he?" — "Oh yes, he did; he said he was drunk— he acknowledged the com." The Court (getting impatient at witness's stupidity), " You don't understand me ; I want the words as he uttered them. Did he say, '/ was drunk'?" Witness (zeal- ously), ' ' Oh no, your honour ; he didn't .'ay you was drunk. I would not allow any man to charge that upon you in my presence ! "—Law Magazine, 1SS7. A.ct.^—To act a part — to behave hypocritically; to conceal one's real feelings. P. Miss Wilmot's reception was mi.xed with seeming neglect, and yet I could perceive she acted a studied part (designedly concealed her real feelings). — Goldsmith. Was the young man acting a part, or was he really ignorant of the rumour?— War. Black. Act of God — an event which cannot be prevented by any human fore- sight, but is the result of imcontroUable natural forces : for example, when a ship is struck by lightning and destroyed. P. The act of God, fire, and all the dangers and accidents of the sea, are not accepted as ordinary risks. To have act or part — another form of to have art or jjart. See Akt. But I declare I had neither act nor part in applying the thumbscrew to the Span- ish captain. — G. A. S.\la. To act 7ip to a promise ov jwofession — to behave in a suitable way, con- sidering what promises or profession one has made ; to fulfil what one promises or professes to regard as a duty. P. It isn't among sailors and fishei-men that one finds genuine blackguardism. They have their code, such as it is, and upon the whole I tliink they act up to it. — W. E. NoKKis, in Good Words, 1887. Ad. — Ad ainzandum, or to avizandum — into further consultation and consideration. C. A Scottish legal phrase. Latm. Meanwhile I shall take your proposal nd avizandum (consider your proposal more carefully). Adam [ If^ ] Addresses Ad interim — for the meantime ; sen-ing for the present interval. P. Latin. The work is hard, but not hopeless ; and the road to success does not lie through an ad interim teaching of false creeds.— .s>cc(afor, 1SS7. The divorce (of Josephine) may indeed be said to have actually taken place ; yet the cruel obligation was laid on her of being, in fact, ad interim, the deputy of her successor. — Temple Bar, 1SS7. Ad libitum — as much as you please ; to any extent. P. Latin. Very well, gentlemen, torture your prisoners ad libitum; I shall interfere no more. — Reade. And, with true Macaulayan art, they are so arranged as to suggest their being but specimens from a store which might be drawn on ad libitum. — National Revievj, 1SS7. Ad nauseam — until people are tired and sick of the subject. P. And so on, and so on ad nauseam, proceeds that anonymous retailer of petty scandal. — Edinburgh Reviev), 1887. Ad valorem — according to the value. P. Latin. An ad valorem duty of five per cent, is imposed on all goods coming into Japan. Adam. — The old Adam — the evil nature within a man. C. Originally a religious j)hrase. But Dan was not to be restrained, and breaking into the homespun (colloquial)— a sure indication that the old Adam was having the upper hand— he forthwith plunged into some chaff, etc. — Haxl Caise. Adcmi's ale or Adam''s luine — pure water. C. "We'll drink Adam's ale. — Hood. Some take a glass of porter to their dinner, but I slake my thirst with Adam's wine. Son of Adam — a man. C. But as aU sons of Adam must have something or other to say to the rest, and especially to his daughters, this little village carried on some commerce with the outer world. — Bl.4ckmore. Exp. — But as aU men need to have friendly intercourse with other men, and especially with icomen, this little village, though very retired, carried on some deal- ings with the outer world. Adam's apple — the projection in the neck under the chin. P. Having the noose adjusted and secured by tightening above his Adam's apple. — Daily Telegraph, 1865. Not to know a man from Adam — to be quite unacquainted witli him ; to be unable to recognize him. F. "To my knowledge," again interposed Mr. Lethbridge, "I have never seen his face. I shouldn't know him from Adam if lie stood before me now." — B. L. Farjeon. Royston then asked him if the drunken man was his friend ; but this the other denied, saying that he had just picked him up from the foot-path, and did not know him from Adam.— Ferous AV. Hume. Addresses. — To pay one's addre.'ises to — to court ; to approach a lady as a suitor for her hand in nuvrriage. P. He was enul to be paying his addresses to Lady Jane Sheepshanks, Lord South- down's thii-ii daughter.— Tiiackerav. . Advantage [11 ] Airs Advantage. — To advanlaijt — favourably ; in a good light. P. To see the lower portion of this glacier to advantage. — Tynd/Vll. To take advantage of— io use for the furtherance of one's own pur- poses. P. Here was material enough for the craft of William to take advantage of. — Free- MAN. Affaire. — Affaire de co^zir — affair of tlie licart ; a love atlair. C. A French phrase. He had travelled abroad in the interval, and passed through a very serious affaire de ccenr. — Quart^rbj Review, 1SS7. After. — Afier all — nevertheless ; when all things are considered. P. Generally used to introduce some circumstance of a more favourable or pleasing nature. Yet after all he was a mere mortal. — Washington Ikvino. "After all, Balfour," said Mr. Jewsbury with philosophic resignation, "there are compensations in life." — Wm. Black. After a man's own soxd or heart — exactly what he likes or admires. " Give me a kiss, my dear boy," said Fagan, with tears in his eyes. " You're after my own soul." — Thackebay. It was, indeed, a representative gathering, after the Talberts' own hearts. — Hugh Conway. Afternoon. — An afternoon farmer — one who loses the best time for work ; a lazy, dilatory man. F. John was too much of an afternoon farmer to carry on the business successfully. Exp. — John's habits were too dilatory for him to succeed in the business. Age. — To come of age — to reach the age of twenty-one, when tlie law permits a man to manage his own affairs. P, She was now nearly tweuty-three. Having, when she came of age, succeeded to her late mother's third of old Talbert's possessions, she was independent both by age and by income.— Hugh Conway Agog. — All arjofj — in a state of activity or restless expectation. F. So three doors off the chaise was stayed. Where they did all get in : Six precious souls, and all agog To dash through thick and thin.— Cowper. jBxT).— Six precious souls, and very eager to dash through every obstacle. He found the village all agog with expectation. — Reade. Agreeable. — To make the agreeable to — to strive to entertain; to be a pleasant companion to. C. With which laudable and manly resolution our dashing major proceeded to make the agreeable to his guests.— G. J. Whyte-Melville. Airs. — To give oneself airs — to be conceited or arrogant in bcliaviour. C. " And these girls used to hold their heads above mine, and their mother used to - give herself such airs," said Mrs. Baynes. — Thackkdav. Aladdin [ 12 ] AH In the air — (a) prevalent ; found everywliei-e. C. These expressions and points of view were not peculiar to Philo. They were, so to speak, in the air. — F. AV. Fakrae, He is alive to the fact that " socialistic risings" are in the air all over Europe. — Spectator, Feb. IS, ISSS. (/;) (in military usage) without support or proper protection. The extreme left of the Allied front was, in military dialect, "in the air" — that is, protruded into the open country, without natural or artificial protection to its outer flank. — Gardner. (c) unsubstantial; visionary; having no real existence. P. Gener- ally after the word castles. And if our dwellings are castles in the air, we find them excessively splendid and commodious. — Thackeray. Aladdin. — Aladdin's lamp — a lamp which gave its owner, or rather the person who rubbed it, everything he wished. P. See Arabian Nights' Entertainments. Goodwill is almost as expeditious and effectual as Aladdin's lamp. — Maria Edge- worth. In all its (the career of Henry IV.) vicissitudes there is nothing more romantic than that sudden change, as by a rub of Aladdin's lamp, from the attorney's office in a county town of Illinois to the helm of a great nation in times like these. — J. E. Lowell on Abraham Lincoln. Alert. — On tJie alert — watchful; ready to observe whatever is passing. P. But those who were stationed at the look-out were equally on the alert. — Capt. Marrtat. The Paris student .... whose fierce republicanism keeps gendarmes for ever on the alert. — Thackeray. All. — All along. See Aloxg. To bt all things to another — to accommodate oneself in every way to his wants, moods, or caprices. C. She had sworn that more than ever she would be all tilings to her husband. — JIarion Crawford. On all fours. See Four. All in all — (a) supreme; all-powerful; of the first importance. P. The then Prime Minister was all in all at O.xford. — A. Tkollope. Fashion, you know, ladies, is all in all in these things, a:; in everything else. — Maria Edoeworth. {b) the dearest object of afiFection. P. Desdemona, a happy young wife, till a wicked enchanter's breath suddenly wraps her in a dark cloud, is all in all to (intensely loved and admired by) her husband. — Blackwood's Mtujddnc, lt!S7. Mamma and I are all in all together, and we shall remain together.— A. Tkollope. I was all in all to him then. — Tuackerav. (c) (adverbially) completely; entii'ely. P. Take liim for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again. — Siiakespe.\ke. Alma [ 13 ] Along Trust me not at all or all in all.— Tennyson. When he (Lord Carteret) dies, tlie best head in England dies too, take it for all in all (if we consider the matter in every aspect).— Ciiestekfield. To be all one — to make no ditrerence. F. Mr. Carker presently tried a canter, — Rob was still in attendance,— then a sliort gallop. It was all one to the boy. — Dickens. All of a heap. See Heap. All {in) mi/ eye and Betty Martin — nonsense; not to be believed. Fonnd also in tlie contracted form, All (in) mi/ eye. S. This phrase is at least three hundred years old. Says he, " It fairly draws tears from me," and his weak eye took to lettin' off its water. So as soon as the chap went, he winks to me with t'other one, quite knowin', as much as to say, You see it's all in my eye, Slick ; but don't let on to any one about it that I said so. — IIaliburton. Exp.—'He said, "It really draws tears from me," and his weak eye began to let off its water. So as soon as the man went, he winked to me with the other one, quite slyly, as if to say, You see it's all humbug. Slick ; but do not tell any one that I said so. Why, she told him you were rather nervous about horses, and that you were rather .ilarraed at what I said about the old mare. That was all my eye, you know. She (the mare) is as quiet as an old cow. — Rhoda Br.ouoHTox. All the same — nevertheless; notwithstanding. F. The captain made us trim the boat, and we got her to lie a little more evenly. All the same, we were afraid to breathe. — R. L. Sievenson. A talk on ethics does not carry young people at a hand-gallop into the depths of emotion. It has its tendency, all the same. — Mus. E. Lynn Linton. All serene — A^erygood; all right. S. At one time a popular street cry in London. " You will meet me to-night at the railway station, and bring me the money." " All serene " (Yes, I shall meet you and bring the money). Tom peeped under the bonnet, and found it, as he expressed himself, all serene.— G. J. Whyte-Melville. All there — clever; able; possessing quick faculties. C. Our friend the judge is all there, I can tell you, and knows what he is about. Exp. — Our friend the judge is a clever man, I assure you, and fully understands how best to act. All and sundry — every one without distinction. P. Finally, he invited all and sundry to partake freely of the oaten cake and ale that he had himself brought from Ballymena. — Hall Caine. Alma. — Alma mater — nourisliing mother. A name often a]i])lied to a university by its graduates. P. Latin. The good men, — they who have any character, they who have that within them which can reflect credit on their alma mater, — they come through (their course of study at the university) scathless. — A. Tkollope. Along. — A long o/— owing to ; because of. P. " I never had such luck, really," exclaimed coquettish Miss Price, after another hand or two. " It's all along of you, Mr. Nickleby, I think."— Dickens. Alpha [ 14 ] Angel All alonfj—Auvixig its whole existence ; the whole time. P. This impost was all along felt to be a great burden. -Freeman. Alph.^,.~Alpha and ome' and compensation for wrong done. P. French. The result of this determined conduct was an amende honorable and peace -Fort- niyhtly Review, 1SS7. ^ <:■ run Amiss.— To take {a thing) amiss— to be offended by it; to resent it. C. You will not take it amiss if I take a cousin's privilege.— A. Trollope. AmoVLT.— Amour ^^ropre— self-esteem. P. A French phrase. ^^'\f- ^"/^^"*^' yo» sliould save her amour proprc from the shock of inv rebuff —The Mistletoe Bough, 1SS7. " Angel —T'o entertain an angel unawares— to l)e hospitable to a cmest whose good qualities are unknown. P. See the Bible (Gen. x° iii ) for the origin of the phrase. He had always esteemed his sister; but as he now confes^sed to himself for these In the course of the evening some one informed her that ..=he was ontertaininc an fn S JS? mT "" °' ' '^""''"" °^ "" '''■''''' ^'^°"»-- ^V. E Su" Angels' r/wV.?— pleasant visits, occurring very rarely. P. How fading are the joys we doto upon, Like apparitions seen and gone ; Animal [ 15 ] Apple But those which soonest take their flight Are the most exquisite and strong : Like angels' visits, short and bright, Mortality's too weak to bear them long. — John Morris. In visits Like those of angels, short and far between.— Blair. The Anrjd of the Schools or the AngcUc Doctor — a name given to Thomas Aquinas, the great scholastic philosopher. P. To W7'ite like an angel — to write beautifully (originally of calligraphy, and not of composition). This fanciful plirase has a very human origin. Among those learned Greeks who emigrated to Italy, and came afterwards into France in the reign of Francis I. , was one Angelo Verjecto, whose beautiful calligraphy excited the admiration of the learned. The French monarch had a Greek fount cast, modelled by his writing. His name became synonymous for beautiful writing, and gave birth to that familiar phrase, "to write like an angel." — Isa.^c D'Israeli. Here lies poet Goldsmith, for shortness called Noll, Who wrote like an angel, but talked like poor Poll. — Garrick. Animal. — Animal sjni'its — the liveliness that comes from health and physical exhilaration. P. She had high animal spirits. — J.4KE Austen. Ape. — To lead apes — to be an old maid. F. This phrase comes from an old superstition tliat unmarried women suffered this punishment after death. Poor girl, she must certainly lead apes. — Mrs. Centlivre. There was also another young lady, strong and staying as to wind and limb, who offered to run races with her suitors on the same terms of death or victory. But Love's Nemesis came upon her too, for no one ever proposed to run with her on these terms, and she presently grew middle-aged and fat, and said that running races was unlady-like, and ought to have been discouraged long since, and it was wrong of her parents to encom'age her. But it was too late ; and now she leadeth apes by a chain.— Besant. Appeal. — To appeal to the country — to advise the sovereign to dissolve Parliament and ask the electors to send up new representatives. P. As soon as the necessary business could be got through, Parliament would be dis- solved, and an appeal made to the country (a new election of representatives made). — JUSTIK M'Carthy. Appearance. — To keep vp appearances — to behave in a seemly way before others.^ C. He was terribly afraid, likewise, of being left alone with either uncle or nephew ; appearing to consider that the only chance of safety as to keeping up appearances was in their being always all three together.— Dickens. Apple. — Apple of Sodom — a specious thing which disappoints. P. The so-called "apples of Sodom," as described by Josepluis, had a fair appearance externally, but when bitten dissolved in smoke and dust. It will prove, when attained, a very apple of Sodom, dying between the hand and the mouth. -^P^" [ 16 ] Apropos Like to the apples on the Dead Sea shore, All ashes to the taste.— Bykon. Apple of one's eye— a, much-prized treasure. P. The ' ' apple of tlie eye " is the eye-ball, so called from its round shape : something very delicate and tender. He kept him as the apple of his eye.— Dent, xxxii. 10. H^rd'^"'^^*^ ^^^^ protected Grace's good repute as the apple of his eye.-TnoMAS Poor Richard was to me as an eldest son, the apple of my eye.— Scott. To make apple-pie beds— to fold one of the sheets of a bed (removing the other) so as to make it impossible for the intendmg occupant to stretcli his legs ; a common practical joke. P. No boy in any school could have more liberty, even where all the noblemen's sons are allowed to make apple-pie beds for their masters (disarrange the beds of their teachers).— Blackmore. Aj^ple of discord— Bomethmg which causes strife. P. Eris, the goddess of hate, threw a golden apple among the goddesses, with this Inscrip- tion attached, "To the most beautiful." Three goddesses claimed the prize, and quarrelled over its possession — Hera, Pallas, and Aphrodite (Venus). Paris, son of Priam, was appointed arljiter, and decided iii favour of the last. Not Cytherea (Venus) from a fairer swain Received her apple on the Trojan plain.— Falcoxer. It (the letter) was her long contemplated apple of discord, and much her hand trembled as she handed the document up to him.— Thomas Hardv This great and wealthy churcli constantly formed an apple of discord (a subject of quarrel).— Freeman. Apple-pie o?-cZer-— extreme neatness. C. The children's garden is in apple-pie order.— Lockh art. Susan replied that her aunt wanted to put the house in apple-pie order.-READE. A-px\\.—Afjril fool— one sent on a bootless errand or otherwise deceived on the first of April— a day reserved for such practical joking. P. We retired to the parlour, where she repeated to me the strongest assurances of her love. I thought I was a made man. Alas ! I was only an April fool '- Apron-String.— r/erZ or pinned to a iroman'.': aproii-.slrini/s—coiithmal\y in a woman's company, umvilling to quit her side. F." If I was a fine, young, strapping chap like you, I should be ashamed of being milk- sop enough to pin myself to a woman's apron-strings.- Drkkx.s And as for her, with her little husband .langling at lior ai-ron- strings, as a call- whistle to be blown into wlien she pleases-that she should teacli me my duty '-A Trollope. ' / • •'^• AliTOpos.— Apropos— to tlie purjiose ; appropriately. C. A French phrase. Arab [ 17 ] Arm Ajtropos de bottes — having no connection with tlie previous conversation. The secretary, however, was not the man to own himself vanquished, even in anec- dote, but at once began to descant — very much apropos de holies (without any con- nection or apparent cause) as it seemed — upon a curious Anglo-French marriage case that liad that day appeared in the newspapers.— J. Pavn. " Tliis is a strange remark," said he, " and apropos de boltcs." — R. L. Stevenson. Apropofi de ritni — apropos of nothing ; irrelevantly. The story was introduced apropos de rien. Arab, — A street Arab or Arab of the (/utter — one of the uncared-for children of our large cities. P, This enterprise led him (Lord .Shaftesbury) into the heart of the vilest rookeries, to find places where such schools might be opened, and to hunt up the young Arabs of the gutter to fill them. — Quarterly Review, 18S7. The hero and heroine began life as street Arabs of Glasgow.— PaZJ Mall Gazette, 1SS3. Arcades. — Arcades amho — both of them simpletons. C. Latin, He distrusted the people as much as the aristocracy, and ridiculed the fossillzation of Toryism equally with tlie fluidity of Radicalism. "Arcades amho," he used to say, with his serene smile. — Mes. E. Lynn Linton. Arm. — Arm in arm — walking in friendly fashion with the arms linked. P. It was an agreeable surprise to her, therefore, to perceive them walking up to the house together arm in arm. — Mrs. Oltphant. In arms — carried about, P, Generally used with the word child or infant. That well-informed young gentleman was not insensible to the glory of acting as pioneer and exponent of the Parisian mysteries to a person who, however distin- guislied in his own line, was confessedly in such matters a mere infant in arms as compared with himself. — Murray's Magazine, 1SS7. One of these passengers being a child, still young enough to be passed off as a child in arms.— Hugh Conway. At arm's length — at a certain distance; avoiding too great nearness or familiarity, P, If she would confide in me, if she would even speak to me of it, I might do some- thing to convince her of her folly But no, she never alludes to it ; she keeps me at arm's length, — M^irray's Magazine, 1887. To lie upon one's arms. See Lie, With open arms — warmly ; affectionately, P. The Starihopes were all known by name in Barchester, and Barchester was pre- pared to receive them with open arms. — A. Trollope. In open arms — fighting openly, P, Here I sat for some time pondering upon the strange infatuation of wretches who, finding all mankind in open arms against them, were labouring to make themselves a future and tremendous enemy.— Goldsmith, A right arm. See Right, Arri^re [ 18 ] -^^^ Under arms — bearing arms ; in martial array. P. In a moment the troops were under arms (in battle array).— Robertson. Up in arms — roused to anger ; ready to fight. P. "No," said Kate, now fairly up in arms (really angry and rebellious); "it is not just, papa."— Mrs. Oliphant. If a tramping beggar were set to work in England, and compelled to do it by mili- tary discipline, all the philanthropists in the country would be up in arms.— Specta- tor, 1887. " I'll knock, I swear, till I have your neighbours up in arms," said Ralph.— Dickens. Arri^re. — Arri^re jitusie — (a) hidden motive; miderlying design. P. A French phrase. Our reason for so doing (placing Mr. Lear above Lewis Carroll as a writer of non- sense) is that no nonsense is so absolutely devoid of arrihre pensie as that of Mr. Lear.— .Spectator, 1S87. " I thought it was a childish besottishness you had for that man— a sort of calf- love, that it would be a real kindness to help you out of."—" Without an arrUre ■pensie for your own advantage, of course." — Rhoda Bkouohton. (b) afterthought; something which occurs to one's mind after a thing has been done. P. For their sakes and mine, you will not mind very much that you are spared all these arriires pensies. — Sarah Tytler. Arrow. — The broad arrow — the arrow-shaped brand with which the British Government marks its stores. P. This jacket, moreover, was stamped in various places with the Government.broad arrow. — Hugh Conway. Art. — To be or have art. and part in — to be concerned either in the con- — trivance or execution of. P. " My dear," said she, "it's the foolery of being governor. If you choose to sacri- fice all your comfort to being the first rung in the ladder, don't blame me for it. I didn't nominate you ; I had no art or part in it " (was wholly unconcerned in con- triving or carrying out your nomination). — Haliburton. Sundry proceedings took place which would not very well have squared with the public ideas of what is due to the fair sex just treated of, but I declare that I had neither art nor part in them. — G. A. Sala. You are art and part with us In purging heresy. — Tennyson. Ass. — To make an ass of oneself— to behave foolishly. F. The ass is taken as the type of folly. Do not make such an ass of yourself as to suppose that.— A. Trollope. The father makes an ass of himself, or fate cuts him off prematurely.— W. Besant. The asses' bridge — a name given to the fifth proposition of the First Book of Euclid l)ecause of the difficulties it presented to begimiers. See Pons Asinokt'm. lie never crossed the asses' bridge.— ^?( tl,c Year Uoumf, ISGO. He could disjiort himself with trigonometry, feeling confident that Dr. Tempest liad forgotten Iiis way over the asses' bridge. — A. Tiiolloi'K. Assurance [ 19 ] Aug-ean Assurance. — To make assurance doubly sure — to take every possible precaution. P. I'll take a bond of fate and make Assurance double sure. — SnAKEsrEARE. \ow that I had a moment to myself, I lost no time in changing the priming of my pistol; and then, having one ready for service, and to make assurance doubly sure, I proceeded to draw the load of the other and recharge it afresh from the beginning. — R. L. Stevenson. This horn haft, though so massive, was as flexible as cane, and practically un- breakable ; but to make assurance doubly sure, it was whipped round at intervals of a few inches with copper wire. — H. R. Haggard. At. — At all. See All. At that — moreover; in addition. C. A favourite American phrase. It comes nearest (the Irish car) to riding on horseback, and on a side-saddle at that, of any vehicle travelling I ever saw. — J. Burroughs. Attic. — Attic salt — wit or refined pleasantry. P. Triumph swam in my father's eyes at the repartee— the Attic salt brought water into them. — Sterne. £zp.— My father showed triumph in his eyes at the repartee; it was so charmingly witty that it brought tears of pleasure to them. To what might it not have given rise — what delightful intimacies, what public phrase, to what Athenian banquets and flavour of Attic salt ?— A. Trollope. Attic bee — a name given to Sophocles, the Greek dramatist ; a sweet poet. A true Attic bee, he (Milton) made boot on every lip where there was a trace of truly classic honey.— J. R. Lowell. Au. — Au contraire — on the contrary. C. French. So we have not won the Goodwood cup; on contraire, we were a "bad fifth," if not worse than that.— O. "SV. Holmes. A u fait — familiar with ; accustomed to. P. French. She appears to be as aufait to (with) the ways of the world as you or I. — Florence Marryat. Au fjrand sirieux — in sober earnest. P. French. I mean young women of no experience, who take everything aw grand siricux. — Wm. Black. Au pied de la lettre — exactly; without deviating from the exact words. P. French. A.II revoir — good-bye for the present ; literally, "imtil we meet again." C. French. Arthur took off his hat. " Then we will consider that settled. Good-morning— or perhaps I should say aw revoir," and bowing again, he left the office. — H. R. Hag- gard. Augean. — To cleanse the Axujean stables — to perfomi a great work of purification. P. Augeas was a fabulous king of Elis, wlio imposed on Hercules tlie task of cleansing his stables, vvliere three thousand Augustan [ 20 ] Azrael oxen had lived for thirty years without any puritication. Hercules performed his task in one day by letting two rivers flow through them. If the Augean stable (sink of dramatic impurity) was not sufficiently cleansed, the stream of public opinion was fairly directed against its conglomerated impurities. — Scott. In short, Malta was an Augean stable, and Ball had all the inclination to be a Hercules. ^S. T. Coleridge. Augustan. — The Aucjustan arje — the period of highest purity and refinement in any national literature. P. vSo called from the Em- peror Augustus, under whose rule Virgil and Horace wrote their immortal works. The reign of Queen Anne is often called the Augustan age of England. Auld. — Auld Eeekie — a name given to Edinburgh because of the smoke from its chimneys ; literally, " Old Smoky." F. His (Shelley's) eye was not fascinated by the fantastic outlines of aerial piles seen amid the wreathing smoke of Auld Reekie. — Matthew Arnold. Aut. — Aut Ccesar aut nullns — either Ctesar or nobody. P. Latin. I mean to be aut Ccesar aut nullus (either first or nothing at all) in the concern. Axe. — An axe to grind — a personal pecuniary interest in a matter. C. The story is told by Franklin that when he was a boy in liis father's yard, a pleasant-spoken man came up to hun and made himself very agreeable. Among other tilings, the visitor praised the grindstone, and asked young Franklin to let him see how it worked. He then got the l)oy to turn the stone, while he sharpened an a.\e he had with him. The boy was flattered with his compliments and honeyed words, and worked till his hands were lilistered. When the man was satisfied he sent the boy off with an oatli. That man had an axe to grind — he had a concealed reason for his conduct. All his politeness was prompted by selfish motives. In the first place, let me assure you, gentlemen, that I have not an axe to grind .... I can in no way be pecuniarily benefited by your adopting the system of bridges lierein iiroposed. If the American politician is always ready to grind an axe for his fellow, the Neapolitan is no less convinced of the value of mutual accommodation. — E. S. Morgan, in Fortnightly Review, 1SS7. Azrael. — The irUuja of A::rael — the approach of death. P. Azrael, in the Moluunmedan Koran, is the messenger of death. Always, in an hospital, there is life returning and life departing— always may bo heard tlie long an*chek, in Xincteenth Century, lt>S7. To the had — in debt ; having a deficit or loss. C. He was between £70 and £80 to the bad.— Pa» Mall Gazette, 18SU. Bag [ 23 ] Ball Bad blood — angry and vindictive feelings. P. At the battle of Poonah lie regained his authority, and whatever bad blood Iiad flowed between them was checked by the prospect of approaching danger. — IJk Mauley, in NUictccnth Century, 1S8(J. Bad debts — debts of which there is no hope that they will ever lie paid. 1'. Among his assets he had included a number of bad debts (debts that were hopeless). To (JO bad — (of meat or food) to spoil. C. It goes bad more readily than cooked butcher's mker. — A baker's dozen — thirteen. P. See Dozen. Formerly called a devil's dozen, and associated with ill-luck. It is all very well for you, who have got some baker's dozen of little ones, and lost only one by the measles.— Blackmore. Ball. — To open the ball — to begin. P. Waltz and the battle of Austerlitz are said to have opened the ball together (commenced the operations of the year together).- Byron. "This will do," thought the Scot, misled, like Continental nations, by that little trait of ours. He opened the baU (spoke first). — Reade. To lead up the ball— to open a dance. P. Said of the most distinguished couple who occupy the leading place. She did not object to her own Jenny's leading up the ball at Mr. O'Neill's.— Maria Edgeworth. Mr. Thornhill and my eldest daughter led up the ball.— Goldsmith. Balls or the three (jolden balls — a name given to a pawnbroker's place of business, of which three balls are the sign. F. A pawnbroker from Alcester had opened a branch establishment.. ..It was man- aged by a Mr. Figg. Mr. Figg's three balls stood out in the middle of the cut. — Mrs. Henry Wood. Take my ticker (watch), and such of your things as you can spare, and send them to Balls.— Thackeray. Banbury [ 24 ] Bar It is not generally known that the three balls at the pawnbrokers' shops are the ancient arms of Lombardy. The Lombards were the first money-brokers in Europe. — C. Lamb. 7'o have the hall at one's foot or he/ore one — to be in a position to com- mand success ; to have things in one's power. C. A pretty picture is so much prettier in a gilt frame, and she will probably begin life with the ball at her foot. — G. J. "Whyte-Melville. The crisis in George Dallas's life had arrived — the ball was at his feet. — E. Yates. To keep the hall tip or rolling — to keep a conversation going ; to prevent an undertaking from fiagguig. C. He smiled when my lady smiled ; returned well-rounded replies to her queries ; kept up the ball of conversation with the dignity of an ambassador. — 3Irs. E. Lynn LiNroN. Exp. — He spoke occasionally, in order to maintain the conversation. If the Spaniards had not lost two armies lately, we should keep up the ball for an- other year (continue the enterprise for another year). — Wellinotox. 7'o take up the hall — to take one's turn in speaking or in any social matter. C. Rosencrantz took up the ball.— George Eliot. Ex}}. — Rosencrantz took his turn in the conversation. Banbury. — To take a child to Banhury Cross — to swmg it up and down on one's foot. F. Grown-up people often amuse children in this way, sitting on a chair or a sofa, and repeating the nursery rhyme : — Ride a cock-horse To Banbury Cross, To see an old woman Ride on a white horse, "With rings on her fingers And bells on her toes. She shall have music Wherever she goes. She caught up little Miss Toodle, who was running past, and took her to Banbury Cross immediately.— BicKENs. Bang. — To hang the bush — to surpass anythmg that has gone before. "My," said he, "if that don't bang the bush; you are another-guess chap from what I took you to be anyhow."— Haliburton. Exp.~" Really," said he, " if that does not exceed anything I have yet heard ; you are quite a difi'erent fellow from what I suj^posed you to be, at any rate." Banyan.— -Sa)?7ya« -(/a;/ — a day on which no meat is served out for rations. A sea term. Bar. — The har sinister — the sign of illegitimate birth. V. In the days of cliivalry, knights of illegitimate birth carried the arms of tlieir family marked with a black diagonal bar across from the right upper corner. Why, Philip, my ancestors were princes of royal blood when yours still honied the swine In these woods. I can show more th.nn thirty (juarterings upon my shield Bargain [ 25 ] Basket each the mark of a noble house, and I will not be the first to put a bar sinister across them.— H. R. IlAuiiAiiD. That was Paston Carew, a Clinton with the bar sinister across the shield. — Mrs. E. Lynn Lintok. To bar out — to refuse to acbnit the masters of a school. P. Scholars iii Euglaud frequently revolted in this way. Revolts, republics, revolutions, most No graver than a schoolboys' barring-out. — Tenny-son. To f:at for the bar. See Eat. Bargain.— -4 wet bargain — au agreement concluded by the parties dimking liquor together. F. The recruit took the condition of a soldier, with a guinea to make it a wet bargain. — AVlXDUAM. Exp. — The recruit enlisted, and received a guinea that he might drink, on the conclusion of the agreement. Into t/te bargain — beyond what has been stipulated ; extra ; besides. C. If he studies the writings, say, of Mr. Herbert Spencer into the bargain, he will be perfect. — M. Arnold. To make the bed of a bad bargain — to bear adverse circumstances in the best possible way. P. Men had made up their minds to submit to what they could not help, and to make the best of a bad bargain.— Freeman. Exp. — Men had resolved to submit to the inevitable, and to bear their bad luck with the best possible grace. Bark. — ffis barh is luorse than his bite — he uses strong language, but acts with mildness. C. However, I dare say you have learned by this time that my father's bark is worse than his bite. — Sarah Tytler. Barmecide. — A Barmecide feast — a banquet where there is nothing to eat. P. The name comes from the Arabian Niglits, where the story is told of a rich man, Barmecide, who invited a friend to dme with him. Dishes were brought to the taljle in due order, but there were no victuals in them. The host, however, pretended to eat, and his guest had the politeness to imitate him. Afterwards a real feast was served to reward the man for his good humour. Tommy, outraged by the last glass of claret, thought the permission , being of a hollow and Barmecide character, was a natural ending to a banquet from which he rose more hungry than when he sat down.— Besant. A Barmecide room, that had always a great diningtable in it, and never had a dinner. — Dickens. Basket. — To he left in the basket — to be neglected or thrown over. F. AVTiatever he wants, he has only to ask it, And all other suitors are left in the basket.— Barham. . Bat [ 26 ] Beard Bat. — On his own bat — on his own account. S. Taken from the game of cricket. Titmouse has left Spanker and Co. and is now on his own bit (in business for him- self). Bath. — Go to Bath — be a beggar. F. " Go to Bath ! " said the baron. — Bariiam. Beans. — To know beans; to know how many beans make Jive— to be saga- cious ; to be worldly-wise. F. I was a fool, I was, and didn't know how many beans made five. I was born yesterday, I was. — B. L. Farjeon. Bear. — To bear one hard — to be unfriendly to. P. Csesar doth bear me hard. — Shakespeare. To bear out a man — to lend him support; to back him. P. Every one will bear me out in saying that the mark by which you know them is their genial and hearty freshness and youthfulness of character. — Hughes. To bear a bob or a hand — to assist ; to join others in work. C. We were so short of men that every one on board had to bear a hand. — K. L. Stevenson. I'o bear down tipon — to approach deliberately. C. As soon as they got on the quarter-deck Arthur perceived a tall, well-preserved man with an eye-glass, whom he seemed to know, bearing down upon them.— H. R. Haggard. To bear in mind — to remember ; recollect. P. It will be borne in mind that Mr. Aubrey had given bail to a very large amount.— S. Warren. A bear leader — one who acts as companion to a person of disthiction. P. Once more on foot, but freed from the irksome duties of a bear leader, and with some of his pay as tutor in pocket. Goldsmith continued his half-vagrant pere- grinations through part of France and Piedmont and some of the Italian states.— Washington Irving. It was somewhat beneath the dignity of a gentleman cavalier to act as bear leader to the joskins and simpering city madams that came to see the curiosities — G. A. Sala. To play the bear ivith — to injure ; to damage. F. The last storm has played the bear with my crops. > A bear garden — a disorderly gathering. C. Mr. Trolloiie visited the Chamber whilst at Paris, and heard Soult and Dupin. He thought it a bear garden.— TempJe Bar, 1SS7. Beard. — To beard the lion in his den — to attack a dangerous or much- feared person boldly in his own quarters. C. Miss Masterman returned to the inn for lunch, and then prepared for her moment- ous visit to the rectory ; for she had resolved to board the lion in his den (attack her enemy In his own house), and to denounce him in the presence of his family as a hypocrite. — Chamhcra'a Journal, 1SS6, Beat [ 27 ] Beauty Fierce he broke forth — " And dar'st thou then To beard the lion in his den, The Donglas in his hall ? " — Scott. Beat. — To heat about the hush. See Busn. To heat the hush — to search as sportsmen do when iu pursuit of game. P. Mr. Maurice, again, that pure and devout spirit — of whom, however, the truth must at last be told, that in theolOs'v he passed his life beating the bush with deep emotion and never starting the hare— .'Mr. Maurice declared that by reading between the lines he saw in the Thirty-nine Articles and the Athanasian Creed the altogether perfect expression of the Christian faith.— Matthew Arxolp. To heat down — to cause a seller to reduce the price. C. Perhaps his patient would try to beat him down (lower his professional charge or fee), and Dr. Benjamin made up his mind to have the whole or nothing. — O. "W. HOLJIES. To beat a retreat — to retire. C. Originally a military phrase, having reference to the beating of the cb-ums as a sign for making a retreat. She introduced Percy to him. The colonel was curt but grumpy, and Percy soon beat a retreat. — Reade. To beat the air — to struggle in vain. P. .So fight I, not as one that beateth the air. — St. Paul (1 Cor. ix. 56). These men labour harder than other men— result, nil. This is literally beating the air.— Reade. To beat tip the quarters of— to visit without ceremony ; to " look up. " F. Sunday coming round, he set off therefore after breakfast, once more to beat up Captain Cuttle's quarters.— Dickens. To beat goose — to thump the arms against the chest in order to get warm. F. The common labourers at outdoor work were beating goose to drive the blood into their fingers." — Times, 1883. That beats the Dutch — that is astonishing. S. It beats the Dutch (it is wonderful) how the thief can have got through so small a hole. To beat hollow — to vanquish completely. C. The Galatea was beaten hollow (completely defeated) by the Mayflower in the last international yacht race. To beat the devil's tattoo. See Tattoo. Beau. — Beau ideal — highest conceivable type ; finest specimen. P. French. My ambition is to give them a beau ideal of a welcome.— Charlotte Bronte. Beauty. — The beauty sleep — the sleep taken before midnight. C. A medical man, who may be called up at any moment, must make sure of his beauty sleep.— H. Ktngsley. Bed [ 28 ] Beg Beauty and the heast — a lovely woman with an ugly male companion. C. The expression is borroM'ed from an old nursery tale. Beauty and the beast was what they called us when we went out walking together, ag we used to do every day. — H. E. Haugakd. Beauty is hut skin-deep — beauty is a thing which can be easily destroyed, and should not therefore be valued too highly. P. Marry a woman for her good qualities ; beauty is but skin-deep. Bed. — As you make your bed, you must lie on it — you must bear the con- sequences of your deliberate actions. C, I write not for those whose matrimonial lot is the average one — neither very happy nor very miserable, who, having made their bed, must lie on it — but for those whose lot has turned out "all worse and no better." — Mrs. Craik (Miss Mulock). " Henry has gone to AUington to propose to Miss Crawley," said Mrs. Grantly.— "Gone, without speaking to me !" — "He said that it was useless his remaining, as he knew he should only offend you." — " He has made his bed, and he must lie on it," said the archdeacon. — A. Trollope. d bed of roses — an altogether agreeable position or situation. C. A parochial life is not a bed of roses, Mrs. Mann. — Dickens. Bedfordshire. — To he for Bedfordshire — to be anxious to retire to bed. F. 'Faith, I'm for Bedfordshire.— Swin. Bee. — J^n a bee line — following a straight course, as a bee is supposed to do. P. I'm going to get home as soon as I can— strike a bee line. — W. D. Howells. To have a bee in one's bonnet — to be crazy in a certain direction. C. What new bee wUl you put under your bonnet next, sir? — G. A. Sala.. That Crawley has got a bee in his bonnet. — A. Trollope. Been. — You've been {and gone) and done it — you have committed an action that may have very serious consequences. S. A remark gener- ally made half in wonder, half as a warning. I say, young fellow, you've been and done it, you have.— Dickens. Beer. — To think no small beer of anything — to esteem it very highly. F. Mis.s Arrowpoint coloured, and Mr. Bult observed, with his usual phlegmatic solidity, " Your pianist does not think small beer of himself."— Georok Eliot. Beg. — To (JO begging or a-begging — (of things) to find no one to claim ; to be so plentiful as to be thought not worth accepting. P. Gener- ally said of things that have been highly prized at other times. Places like Annerley Hall don't go begging.— Florence Maervat. Thirty pounds and twenty-flve guineas a year made fifty six pounds five shillings English money, all which was in manner going a-begging.- Goldsmith. Beggars [ 29 ] Bell To beg the question — to assume that which requires to be proved ; to take for granted the very point at issue. P. "Facsimiles!" exclaimed the old man angrily; " why not frankly say that they are by the same hand at once ? " " But that is begging the wliole question " (assuming all that requires to be proved), argued honest Dennis, his good and implastic nature leading him into the selfsame error into which he had fallen at Charlecote Park.— James Payn. Beggars. — Beggars should not he choosers — those who ask for favours should submit to the terms imposed upon tliem. F. Bell. — Eight bells— sounded on board ship at noon, four, and eight o'clock. The unwelcome cry of "All starbowlines ahoy ! eight bells, there below ! do you hear tlie news ? " (the usual formula of calling tlie watch) roused us. — R. H. Dana, .iun. To bear (he bell or carry away the hell — to be victor in a race or other contest. F. The Italians have carried away the bell from (have surpassed) all other nations, as may appear both by their books and works. — Hakewill. There are certain cases, it is true, where the vulgar Saxon word is refined, and tlie refined Latin vulgar, in poetry— as in sweat and perspiration ; but there are vastly more in which the Latin bears the bell. — J. R. Lowell. To hell the cat — at gi'eat personal risk, to render a common foe harmless for evil. C. A phrase borrowed from a well-known fable told upon one historical occasion with great success. ■\yhen James III. was king of Scotland, he irritated the old nobility by the favour he showed to painters and architects. One of the latter, named Cochran, who had suc- ceeded to the estates of the Earl of Mar, was especially hated by the nobles. At a meet- ing in the chufch of Lauder they discussed how best to get rid of him. Lord Gray, afraid that the discussion would lead to no practical result, told the story of the mice and the cat. "A colony of mice had suffered greatly from the attacks of a cat, who pounced upon them before they had time to escape. They were much concerned over the matter, and resolved to do Eomething to defend themselves. A young mouse rose up and proposed that they should fix a bell round pussy's neck, which would warn them of her approach. This proposal was warmly received, until an old mouse put the pertinent question, ' But which of us will bell the cat?' The orator had not thought of this, and was speechless." When Lord Gray had finished, Archi- bald, Earl of Angus, a man noted for his bodily prowess and daring, rose up and swore that he would bell the cat. He kept his word, captured Cochran, and had him hanged over the bridge of Lauder. Afterwards he was always known as Bell- the-Cat. And from a loop-hole while I peep Old Bell-the-Cat came from the keep —Scott. " I'll tell you how we'll do it," exclaimrd Mrs. Armytage, clapping her hands ; " we'll ask him (the suspected clergyman) to say grace at dinner to-night. Then we'll see how he takes that." " That's a capital idea ! " cried Mrs. Percival Lott. " What fun it will be — at least I mean, what an interesting moment when you put the question to him." " Oh, but I shan't put it," said Mrs. Armytage hastily. . . . " Mrs. and Miss .lennynge must bell the cat." " "What have I to do with cats?" inquired Mrs. Jennynge wildly. " I hate cats." Belt [ 30 ] Best " My dear madam, it is a well-known proverb," explained Mrs. Armytage. " What I mean is, that it is you who should ask Mr. Josceline to say grace this evening." — James Payn. Belt. — To hit beloiv the belt — to strike another unfairly. P. A pugilist is not allowed by the rules of boxing to hit his opponent under the waist-belt. This belt is a significant part of a boxer's attire. The champion pugilist of England wears a prize-belt, which he must deliver to any one who vanquishes him. To refer to his private distresses in a public discussion was hitting below the belt. Exp.— It was unfair, in a public discussion, to refer to his private distresses. Ben. — Sen trovato — well found ; an ingenious invention. P. Italian, If the tale is not true, at least it is hen trovato (ingeniously constructed). "BQUQ^t.— Without benefit of clergy. — During the Middle Ages criminals wlio could prove that they belonged to the Church, even to the extent of being able to recite a verse of Scripture, were allowed to escape punishment. This privilege was kno'WTi as benefit of clergy. Notori- ous offenders often escaped on this plea, like Will of Harribee, who knew his neck-verse (see The Lay of the Last Minstrel). The phrase is now used loosely, as in the following : — She would order Goody Hicks to take a James's powder, without appeal, resistance, or benefit of clergy. — Thackeray. Benjamin. — Benjamin^s mess — a specially large portion. P. For the origin see Gen. xliii. 34: "But Benjamin's mess was five tirnes so much as any of theirs. " Berth. — To give a wide berth — to give a ship room to swing at anchor ; to avoid a person. C. I have had letters warning me that I had better give Ballinascroon a wide berth if I happen to be in that part of Ireland. — Wjr. Black. Bess. — Bess o' Bedlam — a female lunatic vagrant. C. Bess is a con- traction of Elizabeth. Will you have the goodness to tell me, miss, why you are dressed up after that mad Bess of Bedlam fashion ? — A. Trollope. Best. — Best man — groomsman ; the attendant on a bridegroom. P. It was like asking a young gentleman to be best man when he wants to be the bridegroom himself.— James Payn. At the best — taking the most favourable view possible. P. I advise you not to accept the situation. At the best (even in the most favourable state of affairs) you will be a mere favourite, removable on the slightest whim of a capricious woman. To have the best of an argument — ^to gain the advantage in an argu- ment. P. " In your argument yesterday, Cliarles, the strange gentleman had the best of it" (was victor), said his wife. Bet [31 ] Between To make the best of one's way — to go as -well as can be ilone in the cir- cumstances. P. With these awful remarks, Mr. Kenwigs sat down in a chair, and defied the nurse, who made the best of her way into the adjoining room. — Dickens. To make the best of both icorld.'i — to manage so as to get the good things of earth and l>e sure of a good place in heaven. P. There have been great captains, great statesmen, ay, and great so-called Christians, seeking to make the best of both worlds (being at once worldly and heavenly in their aspirations). — Sar.\h Tytler. Bet. — you bet — I assure you. S. American. My father's rich, you bet. — Henry James, jun. B§te. — Bete noire — pet aversion ; object of particular dislike. P. French. The ladies of the party simply detest him — if we except Miss Thorneydyke, who cannot afford to detest anything in trousers. Lady Pat, who is a bit of a wit, calls him her hHe jiOirc— Flokexce Markyat. Better. — For better or for worse — indissolubly, in marriage. C. Each believed, and indeed pretty plainly asserted, that they could live more hand- somely asunder ; but, alas ! they were united for better or for worse. — Maria Edge- worth. To get the better of — to overcome ; to vanquish ; to be stronger than. P. I got the better of (overcame) my disease, however, but I was so weak that I spat blood whenever I attempted to write. — H. Mackenzie. Better half— a. man's wife ; a complimentary term for a married woman. C. " Polly heard it," said Toodle, jerking his hat over his shoulder in the direction of the door, with an air of perfect confidence in his better half.— Dickens. Between. — Between you and me and the post or the door-post. A phrase used when anything is spoken confidentially. F. " Well, between you and me and the door-post, squire," answered his learned visitor, " I am not so sure that Sir Anthony is quite the rose and crown of his pro- fession." — Blackmore. But understand that the name of Dangerous is to remain a secret between you and me and the post.— G. A. Sala. The phrase is also found in the more familiar form, — Between you and me and the bed-post — don't reveal a word of what I say. F. Between ourselves — speaking confidentially. C. Steyne has a touch of the gout, and so, between ourselves, has your brother. — Thackeray. Exx). — Steyne is somewhat troubled with the gout, and so is your brother ; but I do not wi.sh my words re])eated. Between Scylla and Charybdis — between two menacing dangers. Avoid- ing one, you fall into the otlie-. P. .Scylla was a rock and Chai'yl»dis a wliirlpool on the coast of Sicily, and the narrow passage between Bid [ 32 ] Bird was very much feared by mariners because of its double danger. Now they are looked on as harmless. \ You have your Scylla and your Charybdis, as pastor of the congregation. If jou preach the old theology you will lose the young men, and if you preach the new jou will aUenate the old men. Between tivo fires — subject to a double attack ; a position of peculiar danger in warfare. P. Poor Dawson is between two fires : if he whips the child, its mother scolds him ; and if he lets it off, its grandmother comes down on him. To fall between two stools. See Stool. Betiveen loind and water. See Wind. Bid. — To bid fair — to seem likely ; to promise well. P. In the eastern counties the old race of small farmers and yeomen have well-nigh disappeared, or rather they bid fair to disappear. — Chambers's Journal, 18S7. Big. — -A. big-wig — a person in authority ; a high or powerful person. C. "Then I will leave you, uncle," said Clare, "to the task of telling the big-wigs that there is nothing more to be done or known down here." — Edmund Yates. Sooner or later one of the big-wigs will take it up, and the point will be settled one way or other. — Murray's Magazine, 1SS7. Bird. — A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush — a sure advantage is better than a problematical advantage, even though the latter promises to be twice as good. C. A bird's-eye or bird-eye vieio — a general view, such as would be enjoyed by a bird flying over a country. P. Viewing from the Pisgah of his pulpit the free, moral, happy, flourishing, and glorious state of France, as in a bird-eye landscape of a promised land. — Burke. Note. — Pisgah was tlie mountain east of the Jordan from the summit of which Moses was permitted to see the promised land of Canaan. To hit two birds with one stone — to effect two results with one expendi- ture of trouble. C. Sir Barnet killed two birds with one stone. — Dickens. Birds of a feather — persons of like tastes. C. Birds of a feather flock together. Exp. — Persons of like tastes seek one another's society. Jail-bird — a rogue who is oftener in prison than out of it ; a hardened offender. C. The jail-birds who piped this tune were, without a single exception, the desperate cases of this moral hospital. — Reade. Bird of passage — one M'ho shifts from place to place. C. No one (here in Shanghai) seems to be living his own life, but sometliing else — something temporary ; as if we were all expecting to go home again in the course of the afternoon or the next day, and therefore it does not much matter what we do just for the few hours that remain ; or as if we were convicts (ioing our time ; or as if we were political exiles, wlio might be recalled at any moment ; or as if we were in some way birds of passage. — Brsant, Bishop [ 33 ] Black A little bird irhi.yKred it to me. A phrase playfully used of something which has been reported and is repeated. C. The reference is from the Bible, Eccles. x. 20 : — " Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber : for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and tliat which hath wings shall tell the matter." "What a wicked man you are!" smiled Jlrs. Jennynge, admiringly. "A little bird told me you could be very severe when you pleased, though I refused to believe it." It was evident from the colour that came into Anastasia's face that she was the bird in question (she had carried this report). — Jamks P.a^yn. Bishop. — The bishop has set his foot in it — the contents of the dish are burned. F. A jocular reference to the zeal of bishops for burning heretics. " Wliy sure, Betty, thou art bewitched ; this cream is burnt too." " Why, madam, the bishop has set his foot in it." — Swift. Bit. — -4 bit ofone^s mind — a good scolding ; a serious reproof. F. " I shall have to teU her a bit of my mind " (remonstrate sharply with her), he said, as he stepped across the close. — A. Teollope. Not a bit of it — by no means ; not at all. F. " That's rather a sudden pull-up, ain't it, Sammy ?" inquired Mr. Weller. "Not a bit of it," said Sam. — Dickens. Bite. — To bite the thumb at. This was formerlj^ a sign of contempt, often made use of by those who wished to pick a quarrel. C. I will bite my thumb at them ; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it. — Sh.vkespeake : Romeo and Juliet. Wear I a sword To see men bite their thumbs ?— Randolph. 'Tis no less disrespectful to bite the nail of your thumb, by way of scorn and dis- dain. — Rules of Civility, 1G7S. To bite one^s lips — to show signs of disgust and mortification. P. The advocates on both sides are alternately biting their lips (showing chagrin) to hear their conflicting mis-statements and sophisms exposed. — Macaulat. To bite the dust— to fall in battle. P. That day three thousand Saracens bit the dust (were slain in battle). Bla^ck. — A black sheep — an ill-conducted person ; a member of society who is not considered respectable. C. Fm forbidden the house. I'm looked upon as a black sheep— a pest, a contamina- tion. — Edmcnd Yates. Black Monday — the Monday on which school re-opens. C. She now hated my sight and made home so disagreeable to me that what is called by school-boys Black Jlonday was to me the whitest in the whole year. — Fielding. Black mail— money extorted by threats. P. Black mail, I suppose, is an honest man paying through his nose for the sins of his youth. Blanket [ 34 ] Blindman Black draiKjld — a close formerly given by physicians to relieve stomach ailments. P, Go, enjoy your black draughts of metaphysics. — Thackeray. To heat or j)mch another black and blue — to beat or pinch him until his flesh is discoloured. C. " We'll go down arm in arm." "But you pinch me black and blue," urged Gride. — Dickens. Black and ichite — written definitely on paper in ink. C. " I have found it all out ! Here is liis name in black and white ;" and she touched the volume she had just placed on the table with impressive reverence.— James Patn. Blanket. — A wet blanket — one who discourages, who causes others to becomt disheartened ; also, discouragement. C. I don't want (said Sir Brian) to be a wet blanket. — W. E. Noreis. At home, in the family circle, ambition is too often treated with the wet blanket (discouraged). — Besaht. Blarney. — To have kissed the blarney stone — to be full of flattery and persuasive language. F. There is a stone in the village of Blarney, near Cork, in Ireland, which was supposed to confer this gift of per- suasive .speech on those who touched it. You are so full of compliments to-day that you must have kissed the blarney stone. Bless. — To bless oneself— to be astonislied. C. Could Sir Tliomas look in upon us just now, he would bless himself, for we are rehearsing all over the house. — Jane Austen. To bless oneself with — in one's possession. F. Generally used of coin, especially of silver coin, which people crossed their palms with for good luck. What ! you trumpery, to come and take up an honest house without cross or coin to bless yourself with. — Goldsmith. The lady hasn't got a sixpence wherewithal to bless herself. — Dickens. Bless you — an exclamation of varying significance. F. Commonly used after sneezing, to avert evil consequences -a superstition common in Ireland. " Bless you ! " murmurs Miss Seymour under her breath— the benediction being called forth by the sneeze, not the demand for mustard. — Ruod.a. Brouuhton. Blind. — To (JO It blind — to act witliout due deliberation. S. Blindman. — BUndman's buff— an ancient game, still very popular with children. One of the company is blindfolded, and the fun of the game consists in his efforts to capture the others. Mr. Burchell, who was of the party, was always fond of seeing some innocent amusement going forward, and set the boys and girls to blindman's l)ufT.— Goldsmith. Blithe [ 3", ] Blow Blithe. — Blith<> bread — food distributetl among giiests on the biith of a cliikl in tlie family. An old custom. Throughout three long jovial weeks the visitors came and went, and every day the blithe bread was piled in the peck for the poor of the earth.— Hall Caine. Blood. — Blood and iron — military compulsion; the force of armies. A plirase nsiially associated with Prince l^ismarck — Bluf mid Eiscn. Mr. Carlyle has been heard to say that Rliadaiiiantlnis would certainly give Macaulay four do2on lashes when lie went to the shades for his treatment of Marl- borough. This is quite in character for the Scotch apostle of blood and iron.— J. COTTEK MOBIIISON. Bad blood. See Bad. His blood icas vp — he was excited or in a passion. C. Tliat is the way of doing business— a cut and thrust style, without any flourish : Scott's style when his blood was up. — C'HRisToriiER North. A pnnce of the blood — a nobleman who is a near relative of the royal family. P. He had a calm, exhausted smile which— as though lie had been a prince of the blood (noble of the very highest rank) who had passed his life in acknowledging the plaudits of the populace — suggested the ravages of affability. — James Payn. Blood is thicker than water — kinship will cause a man to befriend his relatives; it is better to trust for kind treatment to one's kinsmen than to strangers. P. " I am aware there is a family tie, or I should not have ventured to trouble you." "Blood is thicker than water, isn't it?"— A. Trollope. In cold blood — without passion ; deliberately. P. The suggestion of such a contingency— which, of course, meant total failure— in cold blood (without any passion), filled up the cup of the antiquary's indignation. — James Pavn. Blue blood — aristocratic descent. P. And the girl— what of her? to which side of the house did she belong? To the blue blood of the Clintons, or the muddy stream of the Carews? — Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. The blood of the Bunkers has, in yourself, assumed the most azure hue (become most aristocratic).— Besant. To make your blood creep — to fill you with awe or terror. P. Jinny Gates, the cobbler's daughter, being more imaginative, stated not only that she had seen the earrings too, but that they had made her blood creep (inspired her with terror).— George Eliot. Blow. — To bloio over — to pass off; to be heard of no more. P. "Gracious me ! an execution !" said Lady Clonbrony ; "but I heard you talk of an execution months ago, my lord, before my son went to Ireland, and it blew over; I heard no more of it."— Maria Edjieworth. To blow up — to scold ; to reprimand. F. If I hadn't been proud of the house, I shouldn't be blowing you up.— HuaiiE.s. The captain was too "wide-awake" for him, and beginning upon him at once, gave him a grand blow up.— R. H. Dana. ■""""" L --"J J ■" — " Blown. — Blovii upon — having a bad reputation ; unsound ; damaged. C. Aly credit was so blown upon that I could not hope to raise a shilling. — Thackeray. Blue. — The blue ribbon — (a) the Order of the Garter. P. I therefore make no vain boast of a blue ribbon being seen there, thus denoting the presence of a knight of the most noble Order of the Garter. — G. A. .Sala. Though he distributed peerages with a lavish and culpable profusion, he (Pitt) never desired one for himself, and he declined the blue ribbon when it was offered him. — Spectator, 1SS7. {b) the phrase is also used to signify "a distinction of the highest kind." P. In 1840 he was elected to a fellowship at Oriel, then the blue ribbon of the uni- versity. — Athencc^im, 1S87. («") a badge worn in England and America by those who do not drmk intoxicating liquors. C. Of course, Mr. Smith didn't smoke, and sported a blue ribbon as proudly as if it had been the Order of the Garter. — Besant. A blue funk — a state of terrified expectation ; a condition of frightened suspense. S. Altogether, I was in the pitiable state known by school-boys as a blue funk. — II. R. Haggard. A blue moon — a phenomenon which happens very rarely. S. Once in a blue moon = very seldom indeed. The real origin of this phrase is un- known. Bliie moonshine — fantastic nonsense. F. The subject of a short poem of three stanzas m Haweis's Comic Poets of the Nineteenth Century. ~ Blue books — official publications of the British Government. P. So called because their covers are blue in colour. At home he gave himself up to the perusal of Blue Books. — Thackeray. The latter portion of Lord Beaconsfield's speech (is) upon page 208 of the En- glish Blue Book. — Fortniijhtlij Reriev, 18S7. In the blues — melancholy ; low-spirited. F. If we had been allowed to sit idle, we should all have fallen in the blues (had an attack of melancholy).— R. L. Stevenson. The Blue and Yelloiv — the Edinhuryh Beview, so called from the colour of its cover. C. Shortly afterwards, and very little before the appearance of the Elite and Yellorc, Jeffrey made another innovation.— George Saintsbvry, in Macmillan's Magazine, ISS?. The man in blue — tlie policeman. C. Those kinds of sin which bring upon us the man in blue are such as we think wo shall never commit. —Bes ant. Blush [ 37 ] Bob To look blue — to seem disconcerted. F. Squire Brown looks rather blue at having to pay two pounds ten shillings for tlie posting expenses from Oxford. — HLuaiKs. Blue-none — a name given to the inhabitants of Nova Scotia in North America. F. How is it that an .American can sell his wares, at whatever pi ice he pleases, where a Blue-nose (Nova Scotian) would fail to make a sale at all?— Haliburton. Blue-dtrils — dreadful apparitions which appear to a patient suffering fi'om delirium (rt))i €)(■■<:. F. The drunken old landlord had a fit of the blue-devils last night, and was making a dreadful noise. Blue-stochmj — a woman who prides herself on her learning. P. Lucy (Hutchinson) was evidently a very superior young lady, and looked upon as the bluest of blue-stockings. — Gentleman's Magazine, 1S86. Sometimes found in the simple form blue. Bulwer came up to me and said, " There is one blue who insists upon an intro- duction." — Edinburgh Eevieii:, ISSG. To fiy the blue-peter — to be ready to sail (of a vessel). P. The blue- peter is a small flag run up on the fore-mast of a ship, to announce its departure within twenty -four hours. P. The ensign was at her peak, and at the fore floated the blue-peter. — W. Clark Russell. Blue lieu — a nickname for the state of Delaware in the United States. F. A Blue-hen is a native of the State. "Your mother was a Blue-hen, no doubt," is a reproof to a person who brags, especially of his ancestry. Blush. — To put to the hlu-'ih — to cause one to redden with shame. P. Ridicule, instead of putting guilt and error to the blush (making guilt and error ashamed), turned her formidable shafts against innocence and truth. — Macaulay. At the first blush or at first blush — when one looks hastily for the first time ; at the first sudden appearance. P. At the first blush the landlord would appear to suffer most, but on nearer exami- nation the tenants are found in the lowest state of poverty. — Xational Reriew, 1SS7. All purely identical propositions, obviously and at first blush (when first viewed), appear to contain no certain instruction in them. Bo. — To say " bo" to a goose. See Boo. Boards. — On the boards — following the profession of an actor. C. Lily was on the boards, but Katie could get nothing to do.— Besant. Bob. — To bear a hob — to join in chorus. F. To (jive the bob — to cheat ; to overreach. C. Obsolete. C. I guess the business. S. It can be no other than to give me the bob (nothing else than a plot to outwit me). — MA..SSEXOER. Bodkin [ 38 ] Bone A bob — a shilling. S. The trip cost me a bob and a bender (a shilling and sixpence). Bodkin. — To sit bodkin. See Sit. Body. — To keep body and mid toyethcr — to sustain life. P. My earnings are so miserable that they scarcely suffice to keep body and soul to- gether (to keep me from starving). Bohemia. — A flavour of Bohemia — a tone of unconventionality ; of neglect of social rules. P. Bohemia is tlie name applied in London to the quarter where artists and literary men live as best suits them, wholly neglecting fashion and the elegant world. In France and some other countries Bohemian is tlie name applied to the gipsy race, who, wherev^er they go, live a rough kind of life, apart from other people. Meantime there is a flavour of Bohemia about the place which pleases new-comers. To be sure, Bohemia never had any clubs. — Besant. Bold. — To make bold — to venture. P. " I make bold, young woman," he said as they went away, " to give you a warning about my nephew." — Besant. To make bold ivith — to tackle ; to deal with. P. By the time I was twelve years old I had risen into the upper school, and could make bold with Eutropius and Cajsar. As bold as b7'ass — impudent ; without modesty or shame. C. Fred Bullock told old Osborne of his son's appearance and conduct. " He came in as bold as brass," said Frederick. — Thackekay. Bon. — Bon gr6, mcd fjri — whether one likes it or not. C. French. Bon gr6, nial gri, we had to wait our turn. — E. H. Dana. A bon mot — a clever saying. P. French. The hon mots of the mother were everywhere repeated. — Maria Edgeworth. A bon vivant — an epicure ; one fond of good living. C. French. Sir Charles Lyndon was celebrated as a wit and bon vicant. — Thackeray. Bona. — i?onfi ^fZe^n good faith ; trustworthy. P. Latin. The offer we make is a boni't fide one (made in good faith). But this was a bond fide transaction. — \Y. 1). Howells. Bone. — A bone of contention — something which causes a quarrel (as a bone does when thrown among dogs). P. The possession of Milan was a bone of contention (cause of quarrel) between the two monarchs. To have a bone to pick irith any one — to have some cause of quarrel or complaint against him. C. I consider that I have got a bone to pick with Providence about that nose.— H. R. Hagqard. Bonne [ ;jy ] Borne To viake no bones— not to liesitate ; to publish openly. C. He makes no bones of swearing and lying. Exp.— llc does not hesitate to swear or lie. He makes no bones of (publishes openly) his dislike of the natives. Bonne. — A bonne boitche—a, sweet morsel ; something wliich pleases. C. French. If I could ever believe that Mandeville meant anything more by his fable of tho Bees tlian a bonne houchc of solemn raillery.— S. T. C'oleridok. Tlie solemn and heavy tragedy came first, and sent most of the audience to sleep, at least in a figurative sense ; but they were revived by the witty dialogue of the comedy, which was reserved till the end of the performance as a bonne bouclie. Boo.— yo say boo or bo to a goose — a test of courage. C. A man wlio cannot say boo to a goose has no spirit, and is to be despised for Iiis timidity. He looks as fierce as a tiger, as much as to say, " Say boo to a goose, if you dare " (it will take a bold man to address me).— H.vlip.uktox. Now you are always writing, and can't say "bo" to a goose. — C. Reade. Book. — In (he books of; iu (he r. Then I'U tell you what, Mr. Noggs : if you want to keep in the good books in that quarter, you had better not call her "the old lady" any more.— Dicken.s. In (he bad or black books of — in disfavour with. P. He neglected to call on his aunt, and got into her bad books. For some reason or other I am in his black books. — \V. E. Norris. To brinij to book — to call to account ; to accuse of a fault or crime. P. " By the Lord, sir," cried the major, bursting into speech at sight of the waiter, who was come to announce breakfast, " it's an extraordinary thing to me that no one can have the honour and happiness of shooting such beggars without being brought to book for it."— Dickens. Bom. — All ones born days — during one's whole experience of life. F. At last Nicholas pledged himself to betray no further curiosity, and they walked on, both ladies giggling very much, and declaring that they had never seen such a wicked creature in all their born days. — Dickens. Xot born yesterday — worldly-wise ; not easily gulled. F. She was considerable of a long-headed woman ((juite a prudent woman), was mother; she could see as far ahead as most folks. She warn't born yesterday, I guess (was not easily outwitted, I venture to say). — Halibi'RTON. Born icith a silver spoon in one's mouth. See Spoon. Borne. — Borne in upon. See Bear. Borne in upon one — impressed upon one's mind. C. Generally used of some foreboding or warning. It was borne in upon her (impressed upon her mind), as she afterwards expressed it, to beseech the divine compassion in favour of the houseless wretches constrained, perhaps, as much by want as evil habit, to break through and steal. — James Pavn. Bosom [ 40 ] Bowels Bosom. — ^ bosom friend — a very intimate friend. P. "What a strange history that was of his marriage." "So I have heard ; but he is not quite bosom friend enough with me to have told me all the particulars." — A. Trolloi'e. Bota«e's bottom dollar — one's last coin. S. An Americanism. I would have parted with my bottom dollar to relieve her. — Besant. To he at the bottom of anythinrj — to be the chief instigator in anj' affair. C. I am sure Russell is at the bottom of (the chief instigator in) this movement to get rid of our present musical conductor. A t bottom — really ; essentially. C. He was a kind-hearted man at bottom (under the surface, however roughly he might speak). — James Payn. Bow. — To draw the long bow — to exaggerate. C. Then he went into a lot of particulars, and I begun (began) to think he was drawing the long bow. — W. D. Howells. King of Corpus (College), who was an incorrigible wag, was on the point of pulling some dreadful long bow (telling some dreadfully exaggerated story).— Thackeray. To have a second strincj to one's bow — to be provided with something in reserve in case of an accident liappening. P. Moreover, in his impatient ambition and indefatigable energy, he had sought a second string to his bow: the public and the publishers sliowed their sense of his abilities as a pamphleteer and a novelist. — EdlnhurgJi Revicn: Exp. — Moreover, in his impatient ambition and indefatigable energy, he (Disraeli) had sought to have another career open, on which he might fall back if he failed in politics : he was gaining popularity as a pamphleteer and a novelist. To draw a bow at a venture — to make an attack blindly ; to say or do something without knowing exactly what the result will be. C. See 1 Kings xxii. "And your mother was an Indian," said Lady Jane, drawing her bow at a venture. — Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. Bowels. — His bowels yearned — he felt full of sympatliy or affection. P. That evening Alexis did come home to dinner. He arrived about ten o'clock, with his eyes red and swollen, would take nothing but a glass of tea, and so to bed. At the siglit of his inoffensive sorrow, the mother's bowels began to yearn over (the mother felt her heart drawn to) her son.— C. Eeaue. Boivels of mercy or compassion — compassionate feelings ; pity. P. And at least it would be a faee worth seeing— the face of a man who was without bowels of merey.-R. L. Steven.son. We men of business, you see, Carew, must have bowels of compassion like any other. — Mu.s. E. Lynn Linton. Bowl [ 41 ] Bread Bowl. — To hold out — to stop in a successful career. F. A cricketiiig phrase. "Bowled out, eh?" said Kouth. "Stumped, sir," replied Dallas.— E. Yates. To howl over — to knock down ; to overturn. C. It was ^^^thin a day of Thursday's visit that Bennet's last defence was thus placidly bowled over. — Sarau Tytler. Box.— /'t the same hox — equally embarrassed. C. " How is it that you are not dancing?" He murmured something inaudible about "partner." "Well, we are in the same box." — H. 11. Haguard. To hox the compass — to shift round to all quarters. C. A nautical phrase. After a week or so the wind would regularly box the compass, as the sailors call it.— Blackmore. So my lady reasoned in her rapid way, and boxed the compass all round (tried every method of argument).— Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. To hox Harry — to avoid the regular hotel table, and take something siibstantial at tea-time to avoid expense. S. A phrase used by com- mercial travellers. Boy. — A hoy in huttons — a lad who acts as door-servant and waiter in an establishment. C. The very boy in buttons thought more of his promotion than of the kind mis- tress who had housed, clothed, and fed him when a parish orphan.— G. J. Whyte- Melville. Boycott. — To boycott a person — to refuse to deal with a person, in the way of buying or selling, or of social intercourse : from Captain Boy- cott, a landowner in Ireland, who was so treated during the agrarian war about 1885. BrS/SS. — -4 brass farthing — a symbol of what is worthless. C. He could perceive his wife did not care one brass farthing about him. — H. E. Haggard. Brazen. — To hrazen out an act — to refuse to confess to a guilty action, or to Ijoast of it ; to be without shame regarding it. C. As to Bullying Bob, he brazened the matter out, declaring he had been affronted by the Franklands, and that he was glad he had taken his revenge of them. — Maria Edgeworth. Bread. — To take bread and salt— to bind oneself by oath. An old- fashioned phrase. To break bread — to eat ; to be a guest. C. Old-fashioned in ordinary prose. As often as Mr. Staunton was invited, or invited himself, to break bread at the Villa des Chataigniers, so often did Violet express her intention of eating her own luncheon or dinner in company with Hopkins, a faithful old servant. — W. E. Norris. Break [ 42 j Break Bread and hiUter — material welfare; what sustains life, C. Former pride was too strong for jiresent prudence, and the question of bread and butter was thrown to the winds iu revolt at tlie shape of the platter in which it was offered. — Mks. E. Lynn Linton. Bread-basket — a vulgar name for tlie stomach. Bread and cheese — tlie bare necessaries of life. A " bread-and-cheese " marriaye — a marriage to a man who cannot afford to give his wife luxuries. C. You describe in well-chosen language the miseries of a bread-and-cheese marriage to your eldest daughter.— G. J. Whyte-Melville. Break.— V'o break down— [a) to lose control over one's feelings. P. "They had better not try," replies Lady Swansdown, and then she suddenly breaks down and cries. — Florence Markyat. (b) to fail in health. P. I have worked hard since I came here ; but since Abner left me at the pinch it hasn't been man's work, Jacky : it has been a wrestling match from dawn to dark. No man could go on so and not break down.— C. Reade. To break in — to uiterrupt another with a remark. P. " Oh, don't talk to me about Rogers ! " his wife broke in.— W. D. Howells. To break ground. See Ground. To break off ivith — to cease to Iiave communications with ; to rcnoimce the acquaintance of. P. Well, then, I consent to break off with Sir Charles, and only sec him once more— as a friend. — Reade. To break up — to be near death ; to show signs of approaching dissolu- tion. C. "Poor Venables is breaking up," observed Sir Brian as they strolled away.— Good Words, 1887. To break with — [a) to break the matter to ; to announce news to. Obsolete. Let us not break with him.— Shakespeare : Julius Ccrsar. (6) to quarrel with ; to cease to be friendly with. P. "But what cause have I given him to break with me?" says the countess, trem- bling.— Florence Marryat. To break (he ice — to commence a conversation where tliere has been an awkward silence ; to speak first on a delicate matter. C. " I will not," said Lochiel, " break the ice. That is a point of honour with me."— Macaulay. fcj).— Lochiel said that he would not be the first to speak (of submission), for that was a point of honour with him. To break the news — to impart startling information in a gentle manner ; preparing the recipient gradually for tlie shock. P. It suggested to mo that I liad better break the news to them (of their father's death by tlie explosion of a boiler), and mechanically I accepted the suggestion and rode away sadly to the Italian villa. — I'he Miitletoe Bough, 18S5. Breakers [ 43 ] Brief Breakers. — Breakers ahead — a cry of danger. C. The phrase is taken from sea-life, where the cry, "Breakers ahead!" announces innncdiatc peril to a vessel. Breakers are waves Mhich go into foam over rocks, or in shallow water. It nLidc lier forget the carking anxieties, the vision of social breakers ahead, that had begun to take the gilding off her position. — Blackmore. Breast. — To make a clean brea-st of— to make a full and free confession of something that has been kept a secret. C. She resolved to make a clean breast of it (confess the whole affair) before she died. — Scott. Breath. — The breath of one's 7ios(rils — something as valuable as life itself. P. The novels were discussed in the society whose flatteries were as the breath of Iiis nostrils. — Edinburgh Reviev:, 1SS6. Exp. — The novels were discussed in aristocratic circles, whose flatteries were as dear to Disraeli as his own Ufe. To take aicay one's breath — to cause surprise or consternation. C. He was so polite, he flattered with a skill so surprising, he was so fluent, so com- pletely took away her breath (astonished her), that when he finally begged per- mission to deliver a valedictory oration to all the young ladies, Miss IJilliugsworth, without thinking what she was doing, granted that permission. — Besant. Under one's breath — very quietly ; in fear. P. " A good thing they did not bethink themselves of cutting ofT my hair," she said under her breath (in a whisper, so that no one could hear). Breathe. — To breathe one's last — to die. P. It had breathed its last in doing its master service. — Thackeray. Brick. — A reyidar brick — a good fellow ; a pleasant man. F. In brief I don't stick to declare Father Dick, So they called him for short, was a regular brick.— Barham. Like bi'icks, or like a thousand of bricks — with a great impetus or force; violently. S. Out flies the fare like bricks. — Dickens. If the master discovers what we are doing, he will come down on us like a thousand of bricks (give us a great scolding). With a brick in one's hcU — drunk. American slang. I think our friend over there has a brick in his hat (is intoxicated). Brief. — To accept a brief on behalf of— to espouse the cause of. C. A phrase of legal origin. Not a little to Gilbert's surprise, Mr. Buswell flatly declined to make this con- cession, alleging that he had not sufficient knowledge of the circumstances to justify him in accepting a brief on behalf of (in defending) the accused. — W. E. Xouuis. To hold a brief for another — to devote oneself to his defence ; to urge all that can be said in his justification. C. Professor Dowden liolds a brief for Shelley. —Matthew Aksold. Bring [ 44 ] Brown Bring. — To bring into play— io cause to act ; to set in motion ; to give scope to. P. The very incongruity of their relative positions brought into play all his genius. — Macmillan's Magazine, 1SS7. To bring about — to cause to happen ; to assist in accomplishing. P. There are many who declare that they would be willing to bring about an Anglo- Russian alliance upon the terms of giving Russia her head in the direction of Con- stantinople. — FortnUjhtlij Review, 1SS7. To bring round — to restore ; to cause to recover. P. " How is poor old No. 50 to-day ? " " Much the same." "Do you think you will bring him round, sir?" — C. Reade. To bring up — (of a sailing vessel) to stop ; to cease movmg. P. He was still plunged in meditation when the cutter brought up in the bay. — Good Words, 1887. To bring to bear — to cause to happen ; to bring to a successful issue. C. There was therefore no other method to bring things to bear but by persuading you that she was dead.— Goldsmith. To bring down the house — to call forth enthusiastic applause. C. Toole on his last appearance in Edinburgh brought down the house (had an en- thusiastic reception). Every sentence brought down the house as I never saw one brought down before. — J. R. Lowell. To bring to the hammer. See Hammer. To bring to book. See Book. To bring to — to resuscitate ; to cause to recover. C. I once brought a fellow to (made a fellow revive) that was drowned. — H.\libueton. Broom. — ^ew brooms sioeep dean— those newly appomted to office are apt to make great changes. C. If new brooms do not sweep clean, at any rate they sweep away. — Blackicood's Magazine, 1SS7. To jump the broomstick— to he irregularly married. F. Three or four score of undergraduates, reckless of parental will, had offered her matrimony, and three or four newly-elected fellows were asking whether they would vacate if they happened to jump the broomstick. — Blackmdre. Tliis woman in Gerrard Street here had been married very young— over the broom- stick, as we say— to a tramping man.— Dickens. Brown. — Broivn, Jones, and Robinson — representatives of Englishmen of the middle class. P. Their adventures were published in Punch. After tlie splendid revelry of the mess-table, Captains Brown, Jones, and Robinson would turn out in all tlie glory of red cloth and gold braid. — Mistletoe Bough, 1S86. r: \ tJ « A ,'f y-'^ „ , UNIVj?;sMiTir. To call over the coals — to find fault witli. F. He affronted me once at the last election by calling a freeholder of mine over the coals. — Maria Edgewoutk. To call in question — to throw doubt upon ; to challenge the truth of. P. If the moral quality of his hero could not in safety be called in question (doubted), any suggestion of weakness in him as a writer was still more unendurable.— James Payn. To call up — to revive the memory of ; to bring to remembrance. P. Ca^mel. — To break the cameVs hack — to lie the last thing which catises a catastrophe. P. The proverb runs : " It is the last straw that breaks the camel's back." I do not know exactly what it was that Biver did at last ; it was something which not only broke the camel's back (was sufficient to cause a catastrophe — his dismissal), but made the cup run over. — Besant. " You find poor Jenny full of cares," he says, alluding to his wife. " She had about as much as she could manage before, poor girl, but this last featlier has almost broken the camel's back."— Flokence Marryat. Camp. — To camjj out — to live in a tent in the open country. P. Candle. — To hold or show a candle to any one — to be in any way compar- able with him. C. As for other fellows— fellows of my own standing — there isn't one to show a candle to me. — Besant. "And to think," he went on, without heeding my remark, "that she has spent the whole of her life in a country parsonage ! So much for rural simplicity. Why, there isn't one of these Belgravian women who could hold a candle to her for coolness." — W. E. NORRIS. I say she's the best, the kindest, the gentlest, the sweetest girl in England, and that, bankrupt or no, my sisters are not fit to hold candles to her.— Thackeray. In such literature servants could mix with grand ladies, to whom Miss Prior, with her crony the governess, could not hold the candle (were quite inferior).— Sarah Tytler. To hold the candle — to act as assistant ; to aid and abet. C. I'll be candle-holder, and look on. — Shakespeare. To hum the candle at both ends. See Burn. To hold a candle to the devil — to diverge from what is strictly right or moral ; to do knowingly what is wrong. C. Here I have been holding a candle to the devil, to show him the way to mischief.— Scott. Lady Bassett's wrist went around his neck in a moment. "Oh, Charles dear, for my sake hold a little, little candle to the devil." — Eeade. Cannot. — / cannot aimy tcith this — I detest it ; I abominate it. C. Couriers and ladies' maids, imperials and travelling carriages, are an abomination to me; I cannot away with them. — Hughes. Oanvag [ 52 ] Capital Canvas. — To r/et or receive the canvas. An obsolete phrase signifying the same as the modern to get the sack. I lose my honour if the Don receives the canvas.— Shirley. Cap. — The cap and bells. Tliese were carried by fools in the middle ages, as tokens of their office. Tlie "fools" were licensed jesters. (See King Lear.) And, look you, one is bound to speak the truth as far as one knows it, whether one mounts a cap and bells or a shovel-hat (is a fool or a bishop). — Thackeray. To cap the globe — to surpass everything. F. "Well," I exclaimed, using an expression of the district, "that caps the globe, however." — C. Bronte. If the cap fits, ivear it — if the remark applies to you, consider it well. C. The truth is, when a searching sermon is preached, each sinner takes it to himself. I am glad Mr. Hawes fitted the cap on. — Reade. Cap in hand — in the submissive attitude of one who has a favour to ask. C. And Tulliver, with his rough tongue filled by a sense of obligation, would make a better servant than any chance fellow who was cap in hand for a situation.— George Eliot. To set one's caj) at — (of a woman) to try to captivate ; to try to obtain as a husband. P. " You won't like everything from India now, Miss Sharp," said the old gentleman ; but when the ladies had retired after dinner, the wily old fellow said to his son, " Have a care, Joe ; that girl is setting her cap at you."— Thackeray. The girls set their caps at him, but he did not marry. — Reade. To cap verses — to compose or recite a verse beginning with the final letter of a verse given by the previous speaker. P. A favourite pastime. They had amused themselves during their daily constitutionals by capping Greek and Latin verses. — Macmillan's Magazine, ISSO. To cap the climax — to go beyond already large limits ; to say or do some- thing extraordinary. C. Lively George, as his neighbours call him (and very appropriately too, in spite of his threescore and ten years), who comes once in a while to do odd jobs about the garden, is fond of talking in a grandiloquent manner. He speaks of clearing away the "debray," and of people who haven't mucli "sentimentology" about them, etc. But he capped the climax the other morning when he greeted the gentleman of the house, who had just made his appearance on the porch after several days' confine- ment to his room by illness, with, "Ah, sir, good-mornin', sir. Glad to see you are non compos mentis once more, sir." — St. Andreios Citizen, ISSS. Capital. — To make capital out of anything — to use anytliing for one's own profit. C I suppose Russia was not bound to wait till they were in a position to make capital out of her again (use her for their own advancement again). — M. .\rnold. Captain [ 03 ] Carpet Captain. — To come Captain Stiff over a person — to be arrogant iii be- haviour towards him. 8. I sbouldn't quite come Captain Stiff over him, but I should treat liim with a kind of air, too, as if— hem ! how delightful.— S. Wakkek. Caput. — Caput mortmnn — a worthless residue. P. Latin. Card. — On the can?.')- —probable ; expected to happen ; spoken about, or ainiounced. C. ■\Vhat if Mr. Slope should become dean of Uarchester? To be sure, there was no adequate ground— indeed, no ground at all — for presuming that such a desecration could even be contemplated; but nevertheless it was on the cards (probable).— A. TKOLLOI'E. Of course the success of the mine is always on the cards. — Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. A great card — a popular or prominent man ; a man much talked about and admu'ed. F. Captain D'Orville, the great card of the regiment, came clanking into the porter's lodge to get a glass of water for the dame. — G. J. Wuvte-Melville. To speah hy the card — to be careful with one's words. C. Probably a sea plirase, card here being the mariner's compass, which gives the ship's direction exactly. How absolute the knave is ! We must speak by the card, or equivocation will undo us. — Shakespeare. Exp. — How peremptory the fellow is ! We must be careful with our words, lest they be used to ruin us. Speaking only by the card, and of that which I saw witli my own eyes, I don't think that Maum Buckey was any crueller than other slave-owners of her class. — G. A. Sala. To throw up one's cards — to cease to struggle ; to despair of success in any enterprise ; to confess oneself vanquished. F. He perceived at once that his former employer was right, and that it only remained for him to throw up his cards. — W. E. Norri.s. Care. — Cart killed a cat. This proverb refers to the depressing effects of care upon the bodily health ; it even killed a cat, which has nine lives. See Cat. "Come, come," said Silver, "stop this talk Care killed a cat. Fetch ahead for the doubloons." — R. L. Stevenson. Carpet. — On the carpet — under discussion. P. On the tapis is an equivalent phrase. The talk was all of him : of his magnificence, his meanness, his manners, his prin- ciples, his daughter and her future marriage— already on the carpet of discussion and surmise. — Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. To come or he hroiujht on the carpet — to be introduced. C. Carpet was formerly tised for table-cloth. There were few better sikcs (speculations) among us than inns and churches, until the railroads came on the carpet (were introduced). — Haltburton. He shifted the discourse in his turn and (with a more placid air) contrived to bring another subject upon the carpet. — Graves. Carriage [ 54 ] Carry A carpet-barjfjer — a Yankee speculator who, after the great United States Civil War, went to the South to make money out of the impoverished country. C. At election times he was the terror of Kepublican stump-orators and carpel- baggers.— BkicA; wood's Magazine, 18S7. A carpet-knight — a gentleman who receives the honour of knighthood from his sovereign, not for services on the battle-field, but for services at court or as a peaceful citizen. P. By heaven, I change My thought, and hold thy valour light, As that of some vain carpet-knight. Who ill deserved my courteous care. And whose best boast is but to wear A braid of his fair lady's hair. — Scott. Ceirriage. — A carriage-aud-four — a carriage drawn by four horses. P. "A carriage-and-four, papa ; pray come and look." " Fuur horses ! " exclaimed Mrs. Armytage, in the excitement of the moment for- getting her own canons of etiquette, and rising from her chair to obtain a better view of the approaching vehicle. — Jame.s Payn. Carriage company — people who are wealthy enough to keep private car- riages. C. There is no phrase more elegant and to my taste than that in which people are described as " seeing a great deal of carriage company." — Thackebay. Carry. — To carry all before one — to be completely successful or popu- lar. C. Adelina Patti carries all before her (is popular with every one) wherever she goes. To carry the day — to win a victory ; to prove superior. P. When such discussions arise, money generally carries the day— and should do so. — A. Trollope. To carry anything too far — to exceed the jjroper bounds in anything. C. Of course you may carry the thing too far, as (in the well-known story) when Mr. A. was twitted by Mr. B. with having sent a man to sleep in his (Mr. B.'s) church. — Cornhill Magazine, ISSS. To carry off— (a) to help to pass ; to aid ; to supplement or supply what is lacking. P. She was one who required none of the circumstances of studied dress to carry off aught (supply anything deficient) in her own appearance. — A. Tiiollope. , (b) to cause tlie death of. P. The change of air carried him off. — Temple. To carry it off— to refuse to succumb ; to pretend indifference. C. The phrase is used when a person is placed in an awkward or humiliating position, and tries to hide his feelings of shame or confusion. Frightened too— I could see that— but carrying it off, sir, really like Satan.— K. L. Stevknson. He is here, good sir, waiting your pleasure — here in London— walking the streets at noonday, carrying it off jauntily. — Dickens. Cart [ 55 ] Cast To cai-ry on — (a) to conduct ; to manage. P. The internal government of England coulil be carried on only by tlie advice and agency of English ministers.— Mac aula v. (6) to behave in a particular fashion, so as to call attention to one's conduct ; to misbeliavc. F. It was Mrs. Emptage; and how she carried on, with tears and congratulations. — Besant. He is further said to have carried on with Satanic wildness in Limehousc and the West India Dock Road of an evening.— Bk.sant. When he's got no money he is tempted to do wicked things, and carries on shame- ful (conducts himself in a shameful manner). — Besant. To cany out — to bring to completion ; to give practical effect to. P. To carry out the aims he had in view, he tolerated and made use of persons whose characters he despised. — Westminster Bcvkw, ISSS. Here he lived too, in skipper-like state, all alone with his nephew Walter, a boy of foiurtecn, who looked quite enough like a midshipman to carry out the prevailing idea. — Dickens. J'o carri/ one''s point — to succeed in one's aim. P. They were bent upon placing their fiiend Littleton iu the Speaker's chair ; and they had carried their point triumphantly.- Macaulay. 7'o carry fhrouyh — to bring to completion. P, The whole country is filled with such failures — swaggering beginnings that could not be carried through. — Tuackeuay. Carried aicay by one's feelings — under the guidance of emotion and not of reason ; overcome by emotion. P. Having an honest and sincere mind, he was not carried away by a popular preju- dice. — TiLLOTSON. CErt. — To put the cart before the horse — to put the wrong thing first. F. To begin physics at this stage is to put the cart before the horse (begin with a subject that should come afterwards). Study geometry first. Carte. — Carte blanche— iuW freedom ; perfect liberty to act in anything as one pleases. P. French. There is carte blanche to the school-house fags to go where they like.— Hughes. So he sent off Amelia once more in a carriage to her mamma with strict orders and carte blanche to purchase everything requisite for a lady of Mrs. George Osborne's fashion who was going on a foreign tour. — Thackeray. Cast. — To cast about — («) to devise or plan. C. lie cast about all that day, and kept his brain working on the one anxious subject through all the round of schemes and business that came with it.— Dickens. (b) to look around one ; to search mentally or actually. P. Here he cast about for a comfortable seat. — R. L. Stevkn.son. And now in his banishment he began casting about for similar means of ingratiat- ing himself with the upper ten. — Edinbunjh Review, ISS?. Cast down — dejected ; in low spirits. P. For my part 1 was horribly cast down.— R. L. Stevenson. Caste [ 56 ] Cat To cast out — to quarrel. F. The goddesses cast out Oiuarrelled) over the possession of the golden apple To cast up — (a) to reproach or upbraid. F. Scotch. For what between you twa has ever been, Nane to the other will cast up, I ween. — Ross. Exp. — For no one, I think, will reproacli tlie other for past transactions. (6) to add arithmetically ; to compute. P. William gave him a slate and a slate-pencil, and taught him how to make figures and to cast up sums.— Maria Edgeworth. (c) to turn up ; to appear unexpectedly. P. Nor, though last not least, must we omit to mention the iVdc of Bubbleton, who have one and all cast up from " the Spout," as that salubrious town is sometimes denominated. — G. J. Whyte-Melville. A casting vote — a vote which decides when the voting is otherwise equal. P. The chairman of a meeting often exercises this power. Caste. — To lose caste — to cease to enjoy the consideration of one's asso- ciates ; to be thrown out of the society of one's equals. C. You may do anything you please without losing caste. — Dickens. Castles. — Castles in the air — visionary schemes. P. These were but like castles in the air, and in men's fancies vainly imagined.— Sir W. Ralegh. The two families lived in neighbouring squares in London, and spent several weeks of every year together at Thoresly, the Neales' old, rambling manor-house in York- shire, about which Elsie had heard and built castles in the air (woven fancies) in her childhood.— Annie IIeary. He returned to his lodgings with his head full of castles in the air.— W. E. Norris. Castles in Spain — possessions that have no real existence ; also generally of what is visionary and unsubstantial. P. From the French chateaux en Espaijne. Dick is going to Cork to-day to join his regiment (happy, happy Cork !) ; but he is going to write to me, and I am to write to him. Is not this brick and mortar enough to build quite a big Sijanish castle with ? — Rhoda Broughton. Casus. — Casus Je^^i— ground of quarrel. P. Latin. Cat. — A cat has nine lives — a proverb expressing the pre^'ailing belief that it is very difficult to kill a cat. See Cark. He struggled hard, and had, as they say, as many lives as a cat.— Bunyan. To let the cat out of the hag — to disclose a secret. F. Letting the cat of selfishness out of the bag of secrecy.— Tiiackerav. Sunning, to be sure, very nearly let the cat out of the bag one afternoon.— W. E. Norris. Cat [ 57 ] Cat The cat is cnU of the hag — the secret is known ; the mystery is ex- plained. F. The cat's out of the bag now ; it's no wonder they don't go ahead, for they know uothin'. — Ualiburton. A'.i-;).— The secret is now discovered ; it is no wonder they do not go ahead, for they know nothing. I perceived that the cat was out of the bag. — W. E. Nonius. A cat-and-doij life — a life of petty quarrels and liickerings. C. They smiled and were gracious, called each other Butterwcll and Crosbie, and abstained from all cat-and-dog absurdities (absurd petty nuarrels). — A. Trollope. I am sure we (England and Ireland) have lived a cat-and-dog life of it.— S. T. COLEKIDQE. To rain cais and dorjs — to rain heavily. C. " But it'll perhaps rain cats and dogs (it will perhaps rain very heavily) to-morrow, as it did yesterday, and you can go," said Godfrey. — Geor(;e Eliot. To malie a cat's paw of— to use as a mere tool. P. The phrase is taken from the fable of the cat and the monkey. The latter wished to reach some chestnuts that were roasting on the fire, and used the paw of his friend the cat to get at them. She's made a cat's paw of you ; that's plain enough.— Florence SIarryat. To see how the cat jumps — to see exactly how and why a thmg happens. F. I see how the cat jumps (the real state of affairs) : minister knows so many languages he hain't (has not) been particular enough to keep 'em (them) in separate parcels.— IIaliburion. To grin like a Cheshire cat — to be always smiling, displaying the gums and teeth. F. He lay back in his chair, tapped his boot with his cane, and with a grin on his face such as a Cheshire cat might wear who feels a mouse well under her claw. — James Payn. I made a pun the other day, and palmed it upon Holcroft, who grinned like a Cheshire cat. (Why do cats grin in Cheshire ? Because it was once a county pala- tine : the cats cannot help laughing whenever they think of it — though I see no great joke in it.) — Lamb. To fght like Kilkenny cats— to fight with deadly desperation. C. The Kilkenny cats are said to have fought until only their tails remained. They fight among each other like the famous Kilkenny cats, with the happy result that the population never outgrows the power of the country to support it. — H. R. Haggard. To shoot the cat — to vomit. S. To turn a cat-in-pan — to execute a somersault; to veer round sud- denly. F. AVhen George in pudding-time came o'er. And moderate men looked big, sir, I turned a cat-in-pan once more, And so became a Whig, sir. — 27te Vicar of Bray. Oatch [ 58 ] Cause A cat-o' -nine-tails — an instrument of punishment, so called from the nine pieces of leather or cord which compose it. P. Gangs tramping along, with bayonets behind them, and corporals with canes and catso'-nine-tails to flog them to barracks. — Thackee.\y. Catch. — To catch at auythintj — to try eagerly to seize ; to welcome. P. Drowning men will catch at straws.— W. E. Nokris. To catch it — to be punished ; to suffer unpleasant conse(iuences ; to be treated roughly. F. " Ecod, my lady ! " said Jonas, looking after her, and biting a piece of straw almost to powder; "you'll catcli it for this, when you are married." — Dickevs. "Poor Sir Bate ! catching it again," he says, smiling. — Florence Marryat. To catch another's eye — to attract his attention. P. The intending speaker who first catches the chairman's eye at a meeting receives per- mission to speak. A florid-faced gentleman, with a nice head of hair, from the south of Ireland, had succeeded in catching the Speaker's eye by the time that Mr. Warding had got into the gallery. — A. Trollope. Note. — The Speaker is the chairman of the House of Commons. To catch napping — to gain an advantage through the temporary careless- ness of another. C. Oldfleld looked confused ; but Somerset, full of mother-wit, was not to be caught napping (taken at a disadvantage). — C. Rbade. To catch up — (a) to overtake. C. On he went, hour after hour, over the great deserted plain ; but he did not succeed in catching up the bi.shop. — H. R. Haggard. It is not that the Mohammedan boy is duller than the Hindu boy ; but he does not begin (his studies) so soon, and he has not caught up (overtaken) his rival by the time earlier educational honours are distributed. — Calcutta Englishman, ISSG. (b) to interrupt a speaker with a critical remark ; to disagree with one who is speaking. C. As for thoughtfulness, and good temper, and singing like a bird, and never being cross and catching a person up, or getting into rages, as Meleuda did, there was no- body in the world like Polly.— Besant. To catch a crab. See Crab. To catch a Tartar. See Tartar. Cause. — Cause celebre — a famous law case. P. A French phrase. We greatly fear matters will remain in their present disgraceful condition, and that the Campbell cause oTfhre will have no result except to vitiate still more the already vitiated atmosphere of society. — Spectator, ISSG. To mahe common cause with — to side with and support. P. Thus the most respectable Protestants, with Elizabeth at their Iicad, were forced to make common cause (associate themselves) with the Papists.— Mac.vuj.av. Caution [ 59 ] Chapter Caution. — -^1 caution — something to be avoided or dreaded. S. Sometimes it doesn't rain lierc for eight months at a stretch, and the dust out of town is a caution (.is dreadful). Cave. — To cave in — to succumb ; to give way. S. A puppy joins the chase with heart and soul (very eagerly), but caves in (desists) at about fifty yards. — II. Kijjoslev. Caveat. — Caveat emptor — let the purchaser beware of what ho is buying. P. Latin. Caviare. — Caviare to the i/eiitral — not pleasing to ordinary people. P. Caviare is a substance prized by epicures, and made fi-om the roes of sturgeons and other fish caught in the rivers of Russia. For the play, I remember, pleased not the million ; 'twas caviare to the general.— Shakespeare. Cliaff. — To catch with chaff— io deceive easily. C. With which chaff our noble bird was by no means to be caught. — Thackeray. Joseph was insensible to our bribes ; Frederick the Great was too old a bird to be caught with chaff. — Atlieymum, 1SS7. Chair. — To take the chair — to assume the position of president at a meeting. P. The committee of the Commons appointed Mr. Pym to take the chair (to be presi- dent of the meeting). — Clarendon. Clialk. — By a loiKj chalk; or hy lomj chalhs — clearly ; indisputably ; by a great interval. F. Here, Polly! Polly! Polly! take this man down to the kitchen, and teach him manners if you can ; he is not fit for ray drawing-room, by a long chalk. — Reade. They whipped and they spurred and they after her pressed, But Sir Alured's steed was by long chalks the best. — Barham. Challenge. — To challenge the array — to protest against the wliole body of jurymen selected. P. A legal phrase. Chancery. — To get into chancery — to be completely at the mercy of another in a boxing match. When a combatant's head is tucked under tlie arm of liis opponent, and receives a succession of blows, the poor fellow is said to be in chancery. S. The Chicken himself attributed this punishment to his having had the misfortune to get into chancery early in the proceedings. — Dickens. Change. — To ring the changes. See Ring. To put the change ujwn a jyerson — to deceive him. C. You cannot put the change on me so easy as you think, for I have lived among the quick- stirring spirits of the age too long to swallow chaff for grain. — Scott. Chapter. — To the end of the chap/ter — to the very end; uninterrup- tedly. P. Money does all things ; for it gives and it takes away. It makes honest men and knaves, fools and philosophers, and so on, mutatis mutandis (the necessary changes being allowed for) to the end of the chapter (to the very end). — L'Estra.nue. Character [ 60 ] Cheese The chapter of accidents — chance ; what happens -without the jjossibility of being foreseen and prepared for. P. Away runs Jack, shouting and trusting to the chapter of accidents.— Hughes. Nevertheless she knew that the one necessary lesson of evil which wishes to suc- ceed is, Go on boldly to the end, and trust to the chapter of accidents not to be dis- covered midway. — Mrs. E. Lynx Linton. To give chapter and verse for anythinrj — to give exact particulars of its source. F. To clench the matter by chapter and verse, I should like to recall what I have said of these theories and principles in their most perfect and most important literary version.— John Morley, in Nineteenth Century, ISSS. Character. — In character — appropriate ; suitable. P. Read it ; is it not quite in character (appropriate)? — Disraeli. Out of character — unsuitable; inappropriate. P. Charge. — To give in charge — to hand over to the police. P. The burglar was caught and given in charge (handed over to a policeman). Chateaux. — Chateaux en Espagne — something having no real existence. P. French. See Castles in Spain. Mere ch&teaux en Espag7ie, the creation of architectural fancy run mad. — Cliurch Quarterly Eevieiv, 1S88. Chaw. — A chaw-bacon — a countryman ; a boor. F. The general, seizing the bucket from the astonished chaw-bacon, who stood aghast as if he thought his master was mad, managed to spill the greater part of the contents over liis own person and gaiters. — G. J. Whyte-Melville. Cheap. — To he cheap of anything — to have received no more tliaix. one's deserts in the way of affronts or punishment. F. Tlie thief got ten days' imprisonment, and the rogue was cheap of it (deserved all he got). To feel cheap — to be affronted or ashamed. F. AVhen I found that I really was not invited, you may be sure I felt cheap (was ashamed of my position). Cheek. — Cheek by jowl — in close proximity. F. Here they lay, cheek by jowl with life. — Dickens. Here was a doctor who never had a patient, cheek by jowl with an attorney who never had a client.— Thackeray. Cheese. — To get the cheese — to receive a check or a disappointment. F. The phrase is said to have its origin in the histoiy of Beau IJrummcl, the friend of George IV. Presuming on liis acquaintance with the Prince Regent, Brummel used to take the libei'ty of arriving late at formal dinners, and always expected that the party would await his aiTival. On one occasion he arrived in this fashion at the Marquis of Lansdowne's, but found that the company were ah'eady far advanced Ohef [ 61 ] Chiltern with dinner. The host, turning to Brummel, asked him if he would have some cheese (a late course). The crestfallen look of the Beau is said to have given rise to the expression, " He got the cheese." The cheese — what is excellent or first-rate. S. Ain't I the cheese, oh ! ain't I the cheese, As I walk in the park witli my pretty Louise ? — London Song. Erp. — Am I not a fine fellow, etc. ? Chef. — Chef-d'ceuife — a masterpiece ; the best work of the kind. P. French. The dishes were uncovered. There were vegetables cooked most deliciously ; the meat was a chef-d'aitvrc—a, sort of rich ragout done to a turn, and so fragrant that the very odour made the mouth water. — C. Rkade. Clieny. — To mal-e two bites of a cherry — to divide what is so small as scarcely to be worth dividing. C. Let us toss up for the seat ; there is no use making two bites of a cherry (the seat is too small to accommodate both comfortably). Chew, — To cheic the racj — to be sullen and abusive. S. A phrase com- mon in the army. See Notes and Qtieries, 7th series, v. 469, vi. 38. He was chewing the rag at me the whole afternoon. To chew the cud — to ruminate on some memory. C. I went dinnerless, unless the cud of sour and bitter thoughts which I chewed might pass for the festive meal that forms the nucleus of day's dearest interests in most people's lives. — Rhoda Brouoiiton. It is possible she was only pretending to sleep, in order to chew the cud (enjoy the memory) of some sweet thought at greater leisure. — James Payn. Chicken. — No chicken — not youthful. C. But John Niel was no chicken, nor very likely to fall in love with the first pretty face he met. — H. E. Haggard. Count not your chickens till they are hatched — be sure that a thing is actually in your possession before you speak of it as yours, or act as if it were yours. C. But aren't we counting our chickens, Tag, before they're hatched ? If Titmouse is all of a sudden become such a catch, he'll be snapped up in a minute. — S. AVarren. Child. — From a child — from infancy. P. From a child (since his infancy) he has been delicate. ChikVx play — something very easy ; work demanding no effort. P. It's child's play to find the stuff now.— R. L. Stevenson. Chiltern. — To apply for the Chiltern Hundreds — to resign a seat in Parliament. The hundreds (or districts) of Bodenham, Desborough, and Stoke, in Buckinghamsliire, known as the Chiltern Hundreds, have attaclied to them a stewardship, with the duty of kecj^ing down the robbers who infested the woods of the Cliiltern Hills. This office is now a merelj' nominal one, but it is put to a strange use. When a Chime [ 62 ] Chronicle Member of Parliament wishes to resign his seat — an impossible thing by law, unless he can disqualify himself — he applies for this steM'ard- ship, an office i;nder the Crown, the assumption of which i-equires re- signation of a seat in the House of Commons. This practice dates from the year 1750. This letter was despatched on the 19th of January ; on the 21st he applied for the Chiltern Hundreds. — Tkkvklyan, in Life of Lord Macaulay. Two days before he (Lord Shaftesbury) applied for the Chiltern Hundreds, he re- introduced the Ten Hours Bill into Parliament. — Quarterly Bcricw, 1SS7. Chime. — 'T'o chime in with— to harmonize with. C. As this chimed in with Mr. Dombey's own hope and belief, it gave that gentleman a still higher opinion of Mrs. Pipchin's understanding. — Dicken's. Perhaps the severest strain upon Mr. Lincoln was in resisting a tendency of his own supporters which chimed in with his own private desires. — J. R. Lowell. Chip. — A chip of the old block — a child possessing the characteristics of its father. C. " He will prove a chip of the old block (a model of his fatlier), I'll warrant," he added, with a sidelong look at Margaret. — James Payn. Chisel. — Full chisel — in haste. American slang. They think they know everything, and all they have got to do, to up Hudson like a shot, into the lakes full split (in a hurry), off to Mississippi, and down to New Orleans full chisel (in haste). — Haliburtojj. To chisel — to cheat or defraiid. S. Why is a carpenter like a swindler ? Because he chisels a deal (cheats much). Note. — A pun is here made on the word chisel and on the word deal (wood). Choke. — To choke off— to get rid of in a summary way. C. Indeed, the business of a war-nurse especially is so repulsive that most volunteers were choked off at once. — Cornhill Magazine, 1SS8. Chop. — First chop — in the first rank ; first-class. F. You must be first chop (in the front rank) in heaven. — George Eliot. He looks like a first-chop article. — Haliburion. To chop lo(/ic — to argue in a pedantic fashion. P. A man must not presume to use his reason, unless he has studied the categories, and can chop logic (argue like a schoolman) by mode and figure.— .Smollett. He was angry at finding himself chopping logic about this young lady. — H. James. To choj) upon—to meet suddenly. C. I know not what my condition would have been if I had chopped upon (chanced to meet) them. — Defoe. To chop yarns — to tell stories. S. Described as a carpenter, but a poor workman, Clara Martha, and fond of chop- ping yarns, in which he was equalled by none. — Besant. Chronicle. — To chronicle small hrer— to register or notify insignificant events. C. She was a wight, if ever such wight were, To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.— Shakespeare. Chuck [ 63 ] Clean All the news of sport, assize, and quarter-sessions was detailed by this worthy chronicler of small beer.— Thackerav. Chuck. — To chuck tip — (a) to abandon ; to discontinue ; to surrender. S. Ain't you keeping company with poor old Mrs. Lammas's daughter? unless per- haps you mean to chuck the girl up now because you have been asked for once to meet women of rank. — JasTiN M'CARTiiy. (b) to give in or surrender. Sometimes corrupted in to jack up. S. Probably the word sponge is understood. See SroNGE. At the third round Joe the Nailor chucked up (declared himself beaten). CllUIIl. — To chum up loith — to make friendly advances to. S. Kenny tried to chum up (get on friendly terms) with the new comer, but was only partially successful. Circumstance. — Circumstances alter cases — it is necessary to modify one's conduct by the particular circumstances or conditions of each case. P. London between August and April is looked upon as a nightmare. But circum- stances alter cases ; and I see that it will be the best and most convenient place for you. — Mrs. Henby Wood. " Suppose you had been sentenced to five hundred blows of a stick, sirrah " — 'twas thus he put the case to me logically enough — "would you have expected me to pay for thee in carcass, as now I am paying for thee in purse ?" " Circumstances alter cases," interposes Mr. Hodge in my behalf. " Here is luckily no question of stripes at all."^G. A. Sala. Claret. — One's claret jiig — a slang term for the nose. To tap one's claret (jug) = to cause a man's nose to bleed. He told Verdant that his claret had been repeatedly tapped. — Verdant Green, ch. xL Clay. — The feet of clay — the baser portion ; the lower and degrading part. P. See Dan. ii. 33 : "This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay." Chapter xxxii. of James Payn's novel The Talks of the Tovn is headed "The Feet of Clay," a heading explained by the second sentence : — Her Willie had become as dead to her ; all that was left of him was the shameful record that lay on the table before her. A'oi effect— resXly ; actually. P. To say of a celebrated piece that there are faults in it is, in effect (really), to say that the author of it is a man. — Addison. To take effect — to operate ; to act as intended. P. The medicine took effect, and the patient fell into a sound sleep. Egg. — To egg on — to urge ; to incite. P. She would then be in a better position to judge how far it was the girl's own doing, and how far she had been egged on to it by others. — Murray's Magazine, 1S87. As sure as eggs is e^j/.s— certainly ; assuredly. S. Perhaps a corruption of "as sure as x is x " — a dictum in logic. And the bishop said, "Sure as eggs is eggs, this here is the bold Turpin."^ Dickens. To have all one\'i eggs in one basket — to risk all one's goods in the same venttire ; to have everytliing dependent on the security of one par- ticular thing or one particular undertaking. C. I know your happiness depends on her. All your eggs are in that one basket.— C. Reade. A had egg — a worthless fellow. S. The parson's eldest son is a bad egg (worthless fellow). El Dorado. — An El Dorado — a golden land ; a country full of gold and gems. P. The expression is a Spanish one, and is generally associated with the discoveries Spanish adventurers made in the fifteenth and sixteenth centtifies. The whole comedy is a sort of El Dorado of wit. — T. MooRE. Elbow [ 102 ] En These public readings have proved an El Dorado (a mine of wealth) to the novelist, and form a new feature in the modern literary life. — Chambers's Cyclajxcdia of Etigllsli Literature. " Why, the dollars come in by handfuls, and silk's as cheap as calico." How could woman resist such an El Dorado?— G. J. Whvte-Melville. Elbow. — Elhoio-rjrease — hard scrubbing ; hard work. F. " Not at aU, Mrs. Broughton ; success depends on elbow-grease." "On what, Conway?" " On elbow-grease — hard work, that is ; and I must work hard now if I mean to take advantage of to-day's sitting." — A. Teollope. Elbow-room — room in which to move easily ; sufficient sijace. F. "You will have elbow-room out here, eh?" said he. "You will not crowd your neighbours off the pavement." — Wsi. Black. Whatever the result of the convulsion whose first shocks were beginning to be felt, there would still be enough square miles of earth for elbow-room. — J. E. Lowell. Out at elbows — shabbily dressed ; wearing ragged clothes. C. When a man's getting out at elbows (dress becomes shabby) nobody will believe in him.— George Eliot. Elephant. — To have seen the elephant — to be acquainted Avith all the latest movements ; to be knowing. S. He is quite well able to take care of himself ; he has seen the elephant (is a crafty fellow). Elevation. — The elevation of the Host — the part of the Mass in which the celebrant raises the consecrated wafer above his head to be adored by the peojDle (Roman Catholic Churcli). Eleventh. — At the eleventh hour — just in time and no more. P. See the parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard, Matt. xx. 1. Sir, have you no shame to come here at the eleventh hour among those who have borne the heat and burden of the day ? — E. L. Stevenson. Emharras. — Embarras de richesse — excess of material ; the perplexity which arises from the difficulty of choice among very many things. P. French. "I wonder if anybody ever had half so much to say before in a letter as I have to write to Jack," speculated Miss Gray, leaning forward on her crossed arms, and not knowing where to begin from sheer embarras de ricliesse. — Sarah Tytler. En. — Ell rapport — m sympathetic connection. C. French. Your primary object is, by organizing your brotherhood and putting it ai rapport with the leaders of education in this country, to secure for it increased respect — Journal of Education, ISSS. En gar^on — as a bachelor ; in bachelor's style. C. French. George came to dinner— a repast en garjon — with Captain Crawley.— Tuackekay. En masse — in a body. P. Frencli. They therefore turned to the bourgeoisie en masse (in a body).— ..Vad'yiiaJ Reviiw. End [ ^03 ] Ever Ell route — in the course of the journey. C. Frencli. The Deepdak, en route from Japan for Australia and New Zealand ports, was char- tered to load part cargo of coals for Hongkong at 1 dollar 50 cents per ton. — Japan Mail, 1SS7. Moreover, he had no intention of paying en route (until the close). — Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. End. — On end — in succession ; without a break. C. Peasants who have begun to save constantly continue the way of living we have described for years on end. — Spectator, 1SS7. To make both end.^ meet — to make one's income cover one's expenditure ; to keep out of debt. P. Even Mr. Whichelo, the head clerk, whose children were often ailing, and who had a good deal of trouble to make both ends meet (keep out of debt with his small income) smiled benign upon Kate. — Mrs. Oliphant. Xo end of afeJlow — a very fine fellow. S. Keats was no end of a fellow (a grand man). — Besjant. Enough. — Enough and enough — more than enough. P. The play has wit enough and enough. — Madame D'Arblay. Enough is as good as a feast — what is sufficient serves the purpose as well as if there were an excess. C. The Koh-i-noor had got enough, which iu most cases is more than as good as a feast.— 0. W. Holmes. Entre. — Entre nous — " between ourselves. " Used when a confidential statement is made. P. French. Entre nous, I protest I like my Lady Blarney vastly ; so very obliging. However, Miss Carolina Wilhelmina Amelia Skeggs has my warm heart. — Goldsmith. Ec[Ual. —Equal to the occasion — not perplexed ; able to act. P. The " Raven," however, is more than equal to the occa,sion.— Ed inburrjh Review, 1887. Esprit. — Esprit de corps — the desire to defend the institution or company to which one belongs. P. French. But when her attention was arrested, as in the present case, her esprit de corps and her friendship were alike up in arms. — Sarah Tytler. Et. — Et hoc gcmis omne — and everything of the sort; and all similar Ijeings or things. C. Latm. And with these forlorn creatures must be taken into account others— older, but in this respect equally forlorn— the whole race of shop-girls, errand-boys, young maidens, i-t hoc genius omne. — Edinburgh Reviev), 1SS7. Event. — At all events — whatever happens; in any case. P. At all events (in any case), Constance, you will go on to prove it by your original papers when you publish your researches. — Besant. Ever. — Ever and anon — frequently ; from time to time. P. Ever and anon a pamphlet issued from the pen of Burke.— Henrv Morlev. Every [ 104 ] Exception Every. — Every hit — quite ; altogether. C. The copy is every bit (quite) as good as the original. Every now and then — frequently ; after the lapse of short intervals. C. Every now and then a countryman would burst into tears. — Thackeray. Evidence. — In evidence — actually present ; before the proper authori- ties. P. He persuaded himself that to get a lucrative appointment from his friends he (Moore) must keep himself in evidence. — Encijchpccdia Britaiuiica, Nintli Edition. The sister whose presence she had relied on was not in evidence. — Blackwood's Magazine. Evil. — The evil eye — malign influence (supposed to exist in the glance of certain persons). P. Evelyn liimself informs us how Sir Stephen contrived to escape the evil eye (bad influence) which ordinarily pursues a self-made man.^TBEVELYAN. Ewe. — A ewe lamh — a single possession very much prized by its pos- sessor. See the parable of the Ewe Lamb told by Nathan to King David (2 Sam. xii. 1-14). To be sure, there had been black sheep here and there — a Covenanter to shame his royal kinsmen; a ruffian in the dislocated times of the Second James, who had flouted the law, defied God and the devil alike, devoured of his flock such ewe Iambs as pleased his fancy. — Mbs. E. Lynn Linton. Ex. — Ex "pede Herculem — we recognize Hercules from the size of his foot ; that is, we jiidge of the whole by a typical part. P. Latin. Ex pede Herculem may often prove safe enough, but ex verruca TuUium (to recog- nize Cicero from the wart on his nose) is liable to mislead a hasty judge of his fellow- men. — O. W. Holmes. Ex officio — by virtue of one's office. P. Latin. All over the Continent the ministers of the crown or of the republic sit ex officio in either house from the day they are appointed. — Spectator, 1SS7. Ex parte — biassed ; one-sided ; partial. P. Latin. Or perhaps I ought to have suppressed the note altogether on the ground that it was a mere ex paHe statement. — Professor Huxley. Ex calhedrd — made with authority ; dogmatic. P. Latin. So it has happened, not rarely, that criticism has flagrantly blundered and made itself ridiculous in its ex cathedrd decisions on the merits of poetry and poets. — Kay Palmer. Ex post facto — after the deed is done. P. Latin. An ex post facto law is a law made to i^uni.sh deeds already committed. There were libels, no doubt, and prophecies, and rumours, and suspicions, strango grounds for a law inflicting capital penalties ex post facto (of a retrospective nature), on a large body of men. — Macaulay. Exception. — To take exception — to be ofifended. P. Her manner was so perfectly respectful that I could not tak:; e.xception to (find fault with) this retort.— Farjeon. Execution [ 105 ] Eye Execution. — To do execution — to be efifective; to secure victims; to win conquests. C. Generally used of a lady's eyes, wliioh are supposed to capture a man's heart. Sophia's features were not so striking at first, but often did more certain execution. —Goldsmith. Slie is a stout, sturdy girl of two-andtwenty, with a face beaming ^^^th good nature and marked dreadfully by small-pox, and a pair of black eyes which miglit have done some execution had they been placed in a smoother face. — Tii.\ckekay. Exeter. — Exeter Hall — the place iii London where religious gatherings take place ; the religious community. Thither (to Africa) Manchester turns her longing eye, thither the heart of Exeter Hall is yearning.— Gr.*nt Allen, in Contemporary licvieiv, ISSS. Exeunt. — Exeunt omnes — all go out (at the end of a scene). P. Latin. Expense.— -4< another's expense — with a view to depreciate the per- son. P. These satirical observations were made simply at Prince Albert's expense (solely with the view of depreciating Prince Albert), and were not intended to reflect upon the Queen or the Royal 'Fs^mily.— Fortnightly Review, 1SS7. Experimentum. — Experimenttim crucis — the critical test. P. Latin. " Boiled just three hours longer than the other," he said ; " six hours in all. This is the experiTnentum crucis." — O. W. Holmes. Experto. — Experto crecZe— believe one who has gone through the ex- perience. C. Latin. " Well, if he wags his tail, you know it is all right; but say he puts his tail between his legs, what will he do if you pat him ? " " Bite me, experts crede." — C. Keade. Eye. — To make eyes at — to gaze upon amorou.sly ; to look at in a lovmg -way. C. On the other hand, he had a word or two of serious warning to say about Miss Sparks. "It is all very well," he vrrote, "to laugh at the young lady who makes eyes at you, but jokes of that kind sometimes turn out to be no laughing matter." — Good Words, 1SS7. The eye of the Baltic — Gothland, or Gottland, an island m the Baltic. P. The eye of Greece — Athens. P. A name applied to it l)y Milton — Paradise Regained, hk. ic, I. 2JfO : — Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts. To have a good eye to anything — to look M'ell after it ; to be quick in recognizmg. C. I remember her, however, as a sensible woman, and, having a good eye to the main chance (being careful of money), she had been a capital wife to William. — Hugh Conway. To see n-ith Tialf an eye — to see with great ease. F. Face [ 106 ] Pace To cast sheeji's eyes at — to gaze at in a modest and diffident but longing way, like a basliful lover. C. There came a wealthy stock-broker who cast sheep's eyes at Helena. — Tlic Mistletoe Bough, 1SS5. The knight acknowledged that he had long been casting a sheep's eye at a little snug place. — Mawa Edge worth. UjJ to the eyes — completely ; fully. C. A neighbour's estate, mortgaged up to the eyes, was sold under the hammer (mort- gaged to its full value, was sold by auction). — C. Eeade. Ill the loincVs eye — directly opposed to the wind. C. Proper scared they were to see a vessel, without sails or oars, going right straight ahead, nine knots an hour, in the very wind's eye (right against the wind).— Hali- BUBTON. My eye ! — an exclamation of astonisliment. S. Down comes Mr. Yates, and there was the elephant standing across Maiden Lane —all traffic interrupted except what could pass under her belly. And such a crowd — my eye !— C. Eeade. To see eye to eye — to have the same opinions on any subject. C. A phrase mostly used in religious circles. Until we can see eye to eye (have the same views) on this question of Church government, it is better that we should worship apart. Face. — A long face — a sad or mournful countenance. C Everybody was punctual, everybody in their best looks ; not a tear, and hardly a long face (melancholy countenance) to be seen. To set one's face against — to oppose with determination. P. The old man set his face against (sternly opposed) the marriage from the very be- ginning. To make faces — to contort the countenance. P. One of the pupils, a mischievous little fellow, was making faces (contorting his countenance) at the master from a back seat. 7'o put a good face — to bear up courageously ; to show no signs of llincli- ing. C. In a word, Mrs. Bute put a good face against fortune, and kept up appearances in the most virtuous manner. — Thackeray. Face to face — in immediate presence of each other. She sent for Bla' che to accuse her face to face (in her presence). — Tesnvson. Facile [ 107 ] Fair To fare a thing out — to refuse to retire througli shame or for fear of oblocjuy. P. She thinks with oaths to face the matter out.— Shakespeare. £x;).— She thinks that she will be able to maintain her innocence in the matter by taking grave oaths. To put a hold fcwe upon — to act boldly, as if there was nothing to be aslianied of. P. Dundas had little, or rather nothing to say in defence of his own consistency ; but he put a bold face on the matter, and opposed the motion. — Macaulay. Facile. — FacUa princeps — an easy victor ; admittedly first. P. Latin. Tlie special line that Sir W. Harcourt has undertaken is political tergiversation, and in that he is facile princei/s, and has left all competitors behind. — Lord Salisbury, 1SS7. Facings. — To put one through one's facings — to examine ; to insiiect. C. The Greek books were again had out, and Grace, not at all unwillingly, was put through her facings. — A. Trollope. Fag. — The fag end — tlie closing piece of any work, where the interest flags. P. The subject (of sympathy shown to convicted criminals) is fuU of interest as a problem in national psychology ; but involving, as it does, the whole sphere of criminal procedure in Italy, is too large to be dealt with at the fag end of an article. —Times, 1SS7. Fair. — Fair game — open to attack ; deserving of banter or criticism. C. Bourrienne is fair game, but the whole of his statements are not worthless.— Spectator, Feb. IS, 1S88. Fair and square — honest ; just. C. His conduct all through the transaction has been fair and square (honourable). To be on the fair icay or fair road to anything — to have every cliance of attaining anything. C. The merchant gained largely over the late demand for silk, and is now on the fair way (almost certain) to make a fortune. To hid fair — to promise well. P. The lad bids fair to rival (gives promise of rivalling) his elder brother in scholarship. Fair play — courteous and just treatment of competitors or enemies. P. I did that to get clear of the crowd, so that I might have fair play at him (struggle with him on equal terms). — Haliburton. A wide career of unequalled security, with emoluments undoubtedly liberal for the average of good service, and with the moral certainty of fair play in promotion, has been opened up to character and talent throughout the land without distinction of class. — W. E. Gladstone. Fair and softly goes far in a day — courtesy and moderation enable a man to effect ar great deal. C. An Irisli proverb. "slow and sure," said his friends, "fair and softly goes far in a day. What he has, he'll hohl fast ; that's more than Marvel ever did."— Maria Edoeworth. Faith [ 108 ] Fall Faith. — In good faith — without treachery ; honourably. There was no doubt in any one's mind that Allen's father had acted in good faith (honestly).— Besant. Fall. — To fall away — to degenerate. P. The temptations of the lower-fourth soon proved too strong for him, and he rapidly fell away. — Hughes. To fall away from — to abandon ; to desert. P. " We shall beat him yet," said Hawes, assuming a firmness he did not feel, lest this man should fall away from him, and perhaps bear witness against him.— C. Reade. To fall fled — ^to cause no amusement or interest. C. It (the paper read by Warren Hastings) fell flat, as the best written defence must have fallen flat on an assembly accustomed to the animated and strenuous conflicts of Pitt and Fox. — Macaulay. Her remark fell flat — every one knows the effect of the reproduction of a worn-out jest — and had a sobering effect upon the little company. — James Payn. To fall foul of— to collide with ; to dash against ; to unwittingly attack ; to quarrel with. P. In their sallies their men might fall foul of (attack) each other. — Clarendox. He had not been seated at table five minutes before he had managed to fall foul of everybody within reach. — Good Words, 1SS7. ''^£ofaU in— {a) to take one's place in the ranks. P. A military phrase. Ere CharUe had finished his ration, dark though it was, the men had fallen in.— G. J. Whyte-Melville. (6) to become the property of a i^erson after the lapse of a certain time. P. And then the inheritance fell in. — Besant. At his lordship's death in the Spanish campaign, in the year ISll, his estate fell in to the family of the TiptofTs. — Thackeray. To fall in with — to meet with ; to come across. P. "Did you ever fall in with any Yankees?" "One or two, sir." — C. Eeade. To fall off— (a) to diminish ; to lose ground ; to deteriorate. P. One regrets to note that after her engagement to Tom there came a sad falling off in her thirst for knowledge. — Besant. " You have improved so upon the old days," said the archdeacon. " I hope we have not fallen off," said the bishop with a smile. — A. TnoLLOPE. {b) to become less attractiv^e ; to be less pretty. C. She did not know how mucli her beauty had grown since Valentine found out and provided for her an infallible remedy against the dreadful disease known to girls as " falling off." — Besant. To fall out — (a) to quarrel. P. I did upbraid her and fall out with her.— Shakespeare. She understood that he was a man of rank who had fallen out with his relatives, wlio held no communication with him ; but how the estrangement had taken i)laco she d;d not understand.— James Payn. Family [ 109 ] Fancy (6) to happen. P. If all things fall out (happen) right, I shall as famous bo by this exploit As Scythian Thouiyris by Cyrus' death.— SnAKEsrEAUE. And it fell out with me, as it falls out with so vast a majority of my fellows, that I chose the better part. — R. L. Stevenson. To fall through — to be abandoned (of a scheme). P. These arrangements would fall through, and it was easy to know what would follow.— Fkoude. To /all fo — to commence with energy (generally said of eating). C. "The Bells do, father," laughed Meg, as she set the basin and a knife and fork before him. " Well ? " "Seem to, my pet," said Trotty, falling to with great vigour. — Dickens. To fall to the ground — (a) to fail from lack of support ; to be abandoned (of some proposition). P. You had better let them know that Sir Abraham is of opinion that there is no case at any rate against Mr. Harding, and that as the action is worded at present it must fall to the ground. — A. Trollope. (h) to liave no practical effect. Tliese were your words, sir ; they did not fall to the ground. — C. Eeade. If we were trying to hold Egypt against France, the whole of these calculations fall to the ground. — Fortnightly Rf.view, 1SS7. To fall short — to be deficient. P. Her place had been supplied by an excellent woman, who had fallen little short of (nearly equalled) a mother in affection. — Jane Austen. To fall in love with — to become enamoured of. P. On our first acquaintance I clearly saw that he was not di.sposed to pay court to my fortune, and I had also then coolness of judgment sufficient to perceive that it was not probable he should fall in love with my person. — Maria Edgeworth. To try a fall — to engage in a wrestling match. P. You shall try but one fall (engage only once In a wrestle with each other). — Shakespeare. To fall ttpon one's feet — to escape injury ; to be fortunate. C. The meta- phor is borrowed from the natural fact that a cat, when thrown from a height, alights on its feet, and thus escapes any serious hurt. As usual, I observe that you have fallen upon your feet. — Macmillan's Magazine, 1887. Family, — A person of family — a w'ell-born person. P. And Mr. Irwine's sisters, as any person of family (lady or gentleman) within ten mUes of Broxon could have testified, were such stupid, uninteresting women. — George Eliot. Fancy. — Fancy free — with the affections not engaged. P. In maiden meditation, fancy free. — Shakespeare. Had she dared to say so, she might have hinted very prettily that with him the sunshine would return to Norfolk Street ; but she was no longer fancy free (she was now devoted to a lover). — James Payn. Far [ 110 ] Fast The fancy — sporting characters ; prize-fighters ; dog-fanciers. S. The patrons of the fancy (prize-fighting) are proud of their champion's condition. — George Eliot. Far. — Fm- gone — deeply afiiected by some strong influence, such as disease, drmk, or love. C. He felt a void in his heart that quite startled him. He had no idea he was so far gone (in love). — G. J. Whyte-Melvillk. It was a fortunate circumstance for Miss Fanny Squeers that when her worthy papa returned home on the night of the small tea-party, he was what the initiated term too far gone (too drunk) to observe the numerous tokens of extreme vexation of spirit which were clearly visible in her countenance. — Dickens. A far cry — a long distance. P. A phrase borrowed from the ■well- known saying, "It is a far cry to Lochawe." It is a far cry from Paris to Kairwan. — Fortnightly Review, 18S7. It is a far cry from Portugal to Boliemia. — Contemporary Review, 1SS7. Far and away — completely ; beyond comparison. P. Public opinion is not altogether wrong in crediting the Jews with an amount of wealth larger by a good deal than is their due, and, what is perhaps more to the point, a proportion of rich families far and away beyond anything that is found among Gentiles. — Spectator, 18S7. Far niente — do nothing ; idleness. An Italian phrase. See Dolce far NIENTE. The/ar niente of her Italian life had entered into her very soul.— A. Trollope. Far from it — not at all ; by no means. P. " Mr. Dickson, you say, is not, strictly speaking, handsome?" "Handsome! Oh no; far from it (anything but that)— certainly plain."— Jane AUSTE>f. Farthest. — At farthest; at the farthest — making the largest possible allowance of time. P. Parliament will certainly rise the first week in April at farthest (not later than the first week in April). — Chesterfield. Fashion. — After a fashion — to a certain degree ; in a certain nominal way (generally said disparagingly). P. He knows French after a fashion (has a certain knowledge of French ; not a thorough knowledge). Fast. — To j^Iay fast and loose or at fast and loose — to act in a way in- consistent with one's promises or engagements ; to beliave with incon- stancy ; to show no consideration for. P. And shall these hands, so lately purged of blood, Play fast and loose with (disregard) faith?— Shakespeare. I hoped you had more pride than to let him play fast and loose with you in this manner. — Flore n'ce Marrvat. "It's a shame, by heavens!" said George, "to play at fast and loose with a young girl's affections."— Thackeray. Fat [ 111 ] Feast Fat. — To live on the fat of the land — to have every luxury. P. It is well known that the family of the Slopes never starve : they always fall on their feet like cats ; and let them fall where they will, they live on the fat of the land.— A. Trollope. The fat is in the fire — there is a great splutter and confusion. F. He's a credit to your nation, that man. He's actually the first pot-hook on the crane ; the whole weight is on him : if it weren't for him the fat would be in the fire in no time (things would very quickly be in confusion). — Haxiburton. To kill the fatted calf— to prepare the best food in the house for an ex- pected guest. P. The phrase is used in the parable of the Prodigal Sou (Luke XV.). To be sure, he does not live on husks (penuriously), nor has he yet returned to ask for the fatted calf (a warm reception), and from all they can hear he lives in a good house. — Besant. Father. — The Father of Waters — the river Xile. P. Easselas was the fourth son of the mighty emperor in whose dominions the Father of AVaters begins his course. — S.\muel Johnson. To father anythiuf/ on a jierson— to ascribe its origin to him. P. Of the poor pagan poets, it must be confessed That time, and transcribing, and critical note. Have fathered much on them which they never wrote. — Byron. Fault. — To a fault — even more tlian is rec^uired ; to excess. P. The golden youth is generous to a fault. — Wji. Black. He was kind to a fault.— Thoma.s Hardy. At fault — puzzled; in a difficulty how to proceed. P. Said of a dog when it has missed the scent. And then the two set about foraging for tea, in which operation the master was much at fault (puzzled how to proceed). — Hcghes. In fault — to blame ; erring. P. Is Antony or we in fault (to blame) for this ?— Sh.\kespeare. To find faidt with — to blame ; to be displeased with. P. We'd find no fault with (not blame) the tithe-woman, if I were the parson. — Shakespeare. Faux. — A faux pas — a false step ; a breach of moral conduct. C. French. Then it was he committed a, faux pas. — C. Reade. Feast. — Feast of reason and flow of soid — mtellectual intercourse where tlie conversation reaches a high point of excellence. P. There St. John (pronounce Sinjun) mingles with my friendly bowl. The feast of reason and the flow of soul. — Pope. The guest now escaped the pomp of grand entertainments, was allowed to enjoy ease and conversation, and to taste some of that feast of reason and that flow of soul so often talked of and so seldom enjoyed. — Mari.\ Edgewijrtii. Feather [ 112 ] Fiddle Feather. — To feathtr one's nest — to provide for one's own personal com- fort and interests ; to lay by money for oneself. C. You have forgot this, have you, now you have feathered your nest ': (since you have made a sufficient provision for yourself).^C'ox(iREVE. Mr. Felspar, too, seems, by all accounts, to have feathered his own nest, which, from what I have heard of him from Mrs. Jennynge — he behaved most graspingly about a picture— I am not the least surprised at. — James Patn. A feather in one's cap — an honour. P. The fellow's very carelessness about these charges (accusations) was, in Margaret's eyes, a featlier in his cap (something to be proud of), and proved, for one thing, their absolute want of foundation. — James Payn. In full feather — in elaborate costume. C. Annabella was at the ball in full feather (elaborately dressed). In high feat her — in high spirits ; exultant. C. Martin leads the way in high feather ; it is quite a new sensation to him getting companions. — Hug b es. To shoio or fly the white feather — to betray signs of fear ; to be a coward. C. My blood ran a little cold at that, but I finished my liquor. It was no use flying a white feather (showing signs of fear); so say I (I said), "Here's to the Corsair's bride."— C. Eeade. Fee. — Fee-faw-fum. See Fie-foh-fum. This is very good and original. The "boiling "is in the first fee-faw-fum style, and the old allusion to the "old champion in the black cap" has the real Ogresque humour. — Thackerav. Fell. — Dr. Fell — a character mentioned in a verse of Tom Bro^-n's (1663-1704), and often referred to in literature. When a person is disliked, but no specific reason can be assigned for this dislike, it is usual to quote the lines — I do not love thee, Dr. Fell, Tlie reason why I cannot tell ; But this alone I know full well, I do not love thee. Dr. Fell. Can it be the story of old Dr. Fell (an instinctive dislike, impossible to explain) ; or is it the more radiance of a foul soul that thus transpires througli and transfigures its clay continent?— E. L. Steven.son. Fiddle. — To jday first fiddle— to take the lead in anything. F. Tom had no idea of playing first fiddle (taking tlie lead) in any social orchestra (friendly gathering). — Dickens. To play second fiddle — to take a subordinate position. F. She had inherited from her mother an extreme objection to playing, in-any orchestra whatsoever, the second fiddle (occupying, under any circumstances, a secondary place). — Jame* Payn. Scotch fiddle — the itch (so called from tlic motion nf the hand in .^ioratcli- ing). S. Fiddler [ 113 ] Fight Fiddle-de-dee — an exclamation of impatience and contempt. C. I told him I was discouraged and unliajipy ; his daughter's heart seemed above my reach. "Fiddle-de-dee!" (away with such talk), said he. "It all comes of this new system— courting young ladies before marriage spoils them." — Reade. Fiddler. — Fiddler's Green — a fabled place of happiness and jollity ; the Happy Land of sailors. F. Says the parson one day as I cursed a Jew : '■ Now, do you not know that is a sin ? Of you sailors I fear there are but a few That St. Peter to heaven would ever let in." Says I, " Mr. Parson, to tell you my mind, Few sailors to knock were ever yet seen ; Those who travel by land may stper against wind. But we shape a course for Fiddler's Green." Song quoted in H. li. Haggard's " Datvn." Fiddler's neips — news that comes very late. F. "Have you heard that the Pope is ill?" — "Oh, that's fiddler's news " (known to every one). Fiddlestick. — Fiddlestick or fiddlesticks — an exclamation of impatience ; nonsense. F. "A question of fiddlestick!" (mere nonsense), cried the doctor angrily, walking about the room.— Mrs. Oliphant. Fie. — Fie-foh-fum — words such as would be uttered by a bloodthirstj' monster ; blustering talk. F. Fie, foh, and fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman. — Shakespeake. Field — To he in the field — to be a competitor for any prize. C. From the very first, Mitchell perceived that there could be little hope for him so long as Gilbert Segrave remained in the field (continued to be a competitor). — Good Words, 1887. To keep or hold the field — to maintain one's ground against all oppo- nents. P. There all day long Sir Pelleas kept the field (proved himself victorious against all competitors).— Tennyson. To fake the field — to commence warlike operations. P. Napoleon took the field (began the campaign) with 100,000 picked troops. Fig. — A fig for any one — an expression of contempt = " What do I care for him ! " F. Let it come, i' faith, and I'll jjledge you all ; and a fig for Peter !— Shakespeare. Yet, whoop, .T.ack ! kiss Gillian the quicker, Till she bloom like the rose, and a fig for the vicar !— Scott. Fight.— To >y//< xhy of— to avoid. C. If you fight shy of him, miss, you may remember this, that you will fight shy of me at the same time. — A. Tkollope. Figure [ 114 ] Fire To fight for one's own hand — to struggle for one's personal interests. P. In opposition you will recover vigour and freedom ; you will fight for your own hand.— r/ie Mistletoe Dough, 1SS5- Each should fight for his own hand.— Wm. Black. Figure. — To mal-e ajigure — to distingiiisli oneself. P. Besides, ho would have been greatly hurt not to be thought well of in the world ; he always meant to make a figure (distinguish himself), and be thought worthy of the best seats and the best morsels.— George Eliot. To fiifure out — to ascertain an amount by careful computation. F. I have figured out the expenses of the trip, and find it will cost us at least twenty pounds. To figure 7ip — to add items into a total. F. To cut a figure — to make a grand appearance. C. He ruined his mother that he might cut a figure (appear splendid) at the univer- sity. — Thackeray. Fin.— 7^0 tip another your fin — to shake hands with him. S. Come, old fellow, tip us your fin (shake hands with me). Find. — To find oneself— to provide for oneself ; to buy provisions foi oneself. F. Said of a servant or employe. Otherwise he "found" himself in childish fashion out of the six or seven weekly shillings. — F. Marzials, in Life of Dickens. To find it in one's heart — to persuade oneself. P. I could not find it in my heart (persuade myself) to dismiss the old man, who had been about the house so long. Fine. — In fine — in conclusion ; to sum up. P. In fine, Eob was despatched for a coach, the visitors keeping shop meanwhile.— Dickens. Finger. — To have a finger in the pie — to be mixed up in any affair. C. But then they dearly loved having a finger in the pie parochial. — Hugh Cox way. Instead of every man airing his self-consequence, thinking it bliss to talk at ran- dom about things, and to put his finger in every pie (interfere in every affair), you should seriously understand that there is a right way of doing things.— IM. Arnold. To have at one's fingers' ends — to be able to repeat or use without any trouble (generally of something committed to memory). C. He was the boy to talk (very clever at talking) to the public : soft sawder— dignified reproach— friendly intercourse,— he had them all at his fingers' ends. — C. Reape. He had Greek at his fingers' ends. — A, Trolloi"e. To arrive at one's fingers' ends— to be reduced to povertj^; to l)e in great straits. C. Before he was three months out of his Government post. Brown had. arrived at his fingers' ends (come to great poverty). Fire. — To fire up — to liecome angry ; to sliow indignation. C. Now a high-minded, honest man would have fired up at this.— B. B. Fakieon. First [ 115 ] Pish First. — First chop — tirst-rate ; of the highest excellence. F. An Anglo- Chinese expression. "As for poetiy, I hate poetry." — "Pen's is not first chop," says "Warrington. — Thackeray. Fish. — Xci/her fi.th, fle-th, nor f/ood red herriiuf — difficult to classify ; having no pronounced character. C. A phrase used by Tom Brown and Dryden. Was he a Tory or a Liberal? or was he neither fish, flesh, nor the other thing? Neither J!sh nor fowl — odd ; difficult to classify. C. She would be a betwixt-and-between kind of thing, as the cook said, with her nose in the air— neither fish nor fowl — and very likely a spy and a plague.— jVIr-. E. Lynn Linton. A ./f.s7t out of water. Said of a person who is placed in a position which is strange and distasteful to him. F. Mr. Dance stood there, as he said, "like a fish out of water." — R. L. Stevenson. A loonefxh — a man of dissipated habits. F. Mr. Henry Fielding, a writer of plays and novels then much in vogue, but a sad, loose fish. — G. A, Sala. A queer Jish — an eccentric person. F. "And what sort of fellow did you find Crawley, Uncle Tom?" "Such a queer fish — so unlike anybody else in the world ! " — A. Trollope. AlFs fsh that comes to his net — he is not very particular or scrupu- lous. C. Everything is fish that comes to Mr. Frey's -aei.— Spectator, Feb. 18, 1888. To make fish of one and flesh of another — to treat two persons in differ- ent fashions ; to show partiality. F. I mean to show no favouritism ; all the class will receive the same treatment. I do not mean to make fish of one and flesh of another. To fi'thfor compliments — to converse in a way that induces people to pay compliments to yotx; to lead people to praise you, because they see you wish to be praised. C. " But you did, perhaps," she added innocently, fishing for a compliment.— Thomas Harby. ', Other fish to fry — other business to attend to. F. " I never asked you about your spill the otlier night," says she in her loud voice ; " I had other fish to fry."— Rhoda Broughton. " My dear girl," he said, " I have no wish to tempt your feet from the paths of domestic virtue— no wish to harm you. I have finer fish to fry." — H. Conway. Give your oirn flsh-guts to your own sea-mau:s — give what you have to spare to those who belong to you, and not to strangers. S. The contracts should be given to English companies ; let us keep our own fi.<;li-guts for onr own sea-maws (our good things for our own citizens). Fit [ 116 ] Flash Fit. — To fit in with — to agree exactly with. P. Under such temptations careless or ill-educated people, even if they would not invent circumstances or dates, are extremely apt to twist them so as to fit in with what they have undertaken to prove. — Sj)ectator, Ajn-il lU, 1S8S. To he fit — to be in good health. S. " How are you ? "— " Very fit, thank you ; never felt better." Fits. — By fits and f^farfs — spasmodically ; without steady application. P. He works by fits and starts (with intervals of idleness), and will not apply himself. Flag. — The flag at half-maM. This is a sign of mourning, observed especially l)y vessels in harbour, when any personage dies. P. " I noticed that the flag on the castle was half-mast high." " Indeed ! " sighed Ella ; " then I fear I have some fellow-sufferer " (some one else has lost a near relative). — Jabies Payn. To hang out the vhiteflag — to show willingness to come to terms, gener- ally in token of surrender. P. Bazaine at length resolved to hang out the white flag (intimate to the enemy that he was willing to surrender). To hang out the red flag — {a) to intimate danger. P. The red flag warns of danger. Whit J is all right, Eed is all wrong. Green goes gently bowling along. Mnemonic Rhyme for Railway Signalmen. (/') to give signal for battle. P. The Chesapeake then hung out her red flag (gave the signal for fighting), and was answered by a broadside from the Shannon. Flame. — A flame — a sweetheart. F. A few miles off in the valley, where she never by any chance went, the excursion trains used to vomit forth, at Easter and in Whitsun week, throngs of the mill hands of the period, cads and their flames. — Ouida. An old flame — a former sweetheart. C. I suppose she was an old flame of the colonel's.— Tdackeray. Flare. — To flare uji — to go into a passion. C. At this reference to her husband, she flared up (showed her indignation), and asked the man what he meant. Flash. — A flash in the pan — an abortive attempt ; a failure of some am- bitious undertaking. P. The phrase is taken from a flint-lock gun which, though loaded, fails sometimes to go off when the flint is struck. The rising at Kilrush was a mere flash in the pan (an abortive attempt). The flash gentry — thieves; professional rogues. F. " Nice boys, both," said their father. " They won't turn up their noses as if they were gentlemen. A pretty kind of flash gentlemen you are ! " — Bks.\nt. Flat I 117 ] Fling To flash fire — to throw augry or passionate glances ; to make the eyes glisten with strong emotion. P. The eyes of the Indian monarch flashed fire, and his dark brow grew darker, as he replied, " I will be no man's tributary." — Pkesuott. TlsX.—To fa/t flat — to fail to cause interest or amusement. P. She had a dry, queer humour, and loved a joke ; but Phil's fell very flat (his jokes were very far from interesting her) this night. — Blaukmore. A flat — a dull-witted ^lerson. .S. He hasn't got these qualities yet, or he wouldn't have been such a flat to-night as to let Jack liaggles go in out of his turn. — Hughes. Flea. — A flea-bite — something triflmg ; a thing of no importance. F. Doubtless to a man of Mr. Aird's fortune such things are but flea-bites.— James Payn. A flea in one's ear — an annoying suggestion ; an unwelcome repulse. S. " I wouldn't do it, if it was ever so ! " exclaimed Mrs. Jennynge, who in this ex- tremity had utterly discarded her French for the vernacular. " You try it yourself, and see if lie don't put you down pretty quick, or send you flying with a flea in your ear" (with a sharp rebuke). — Jajies Payn. Flesh. — Flesh-pots, or the flesh-j)Ots of Egypt — material welfare ; sordid considerations. P. The reference is to the conduct of the children of Israel in the desert, many of whom grew weary of the plain food. See Ex. xvi. 3. And he was grateful to her father (on account of the dowry) for her, not for him- seh", with whom the flesh-pots did not count. — Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. I had forgiven her ; I had not felt that it was anything but an escape not to have married a girl who had it in her to take back her given word and break a fellow's heart for mere flesh-pots. — Henry James, jun. Flesh ami blood — human nature. P. Not as I wish to speak disrespectful o' them as have got the power i' their hands, but it's more than flesh and blood (human nature) 'ul bear sometimes. — George EnoT. To make the flesh creep — to cause a sensation of dread and horror. P. "My dear Mr. Aird, you make our flesh creep!" (you horrify us), remonstrated Mrs. Wallace ; whereupon he desisted. — James Payn. Fling. — To fling from — to leave hastily in ill temper; to quit in dis- gust. C. He flung from her and went out of the room.— S. Richardson. To fling over — to desert ; to cease to assist or patronize. C. "Of course, the old girl will fling him over," said the physician. — Thackeray. To have a fling at; to indulge in a fling at — to attack sarcastically. C. I even went so far as to indulge in a fling at (attack surcastically) tho State House, which, as we all know, is in truth a very imposing structure. — Holmes. Flint [ 118 j Ply To have one's JiiiKj — to indulge in fun or in dissipation. S. The time which Tom allowed himself away from his charge was from locking-up till supper-time. During this hour or hom--and-half he used to take his fling (give way to unrestrained fun). — Huuhe.s. As for me, all I look forward to is to have my little fling (indulge in a little dissi- pation), and then to give up the gaieties of Loudon and take a quiet villa and have a garden.— Besant. Flint. — To fix another's flint for him — to punish liim. S. " That is worse still," said I, " because you can't resent it yourself. Leave him to me, and I'll fix his flint for him " (castigate him). — Halibukton. To skin a flint — to be excessively mean in one's dealings. F. Flipper. — A tip of the flipper — a shake of the hand. Sailors' slang. I say, old fellow, give me a tip of your flipper (shake hands with me). Floor. — To take the floor — to rise to address a public meeting. P. Mr. Hardcastle then took the floor (rose to speak), and, in a long and able speech, advocated the cause of bi-metallism. To have the floor — to have the right of addressing a meeting by rising before other intending speakers. P. The chairman ruled that Judge ElUs had the floor (possessed tlie right to speak). Flotsam. — Flotsam and jetsam — goods lost at sea, and either floating in the water or cast on shore. P. But even Germans, like Herr von Hartmann, who set such store by a thorough knowledge of modern languages — which means to them French and English in the first place— would not be long in perceiving how much they had lost in throwing overboard, as so much flotsam and jetsam, the only intelligent clue to the under- standing of the long and difticult words of English and of French and her sister tongues of Latin descent. — Journal of Education, February ISSS. Fly. — Fly-away — absurd ; fantastic. F. It was not easy to put her into a fly-away bonnet now, or to keep the bouuet in ita place on the back of her poor nodding head when it was got on. — Dickens. To fly out against or at — to speak in a rash, impulsive manner against. C. It 'ud ill become a man in a public office to fly out (speak rashly) again' King George.— Geokge Eliot. Poor choleric Sir Brian would fly out at his coachman, his butler, or his game- keeper; would use language to them which, proceeding from any other master, would have brought about a prompt resignation on the part of the aggrieved servant. — Good Words, ltiS7. To fly in the face o/— to oppose directly and in a reckless fashion. C. Every evening before we left Paris I saw her, and implored her to trust herself to n^ and leave Paris as my wife. . . .But, with all tliis, she was firm, and would not fly in her parents' face. — C. Eeade. ToflyinthefaceofProddence — to do a deliberately imprudent thing; to court danger or death. C. Dr. Cooper had told her that to sleep with the child would be to fly in the face of Providcnc"; for if any mischief was roally brewing, she would in that case be certain to suffer from it. — James I'avn Fold [ 119 ] Fool WilhJlijiiKj colours — honourably; tiiuniphautly. P. But for my part I bave always thought that their both getting their degree at last with ttyiug colours (in a distinguished way) after three weeks of a famous coach (private tutor) for fast men, four nights without going to bed, and an incredible con- sumptiou of wet towels, strong cigars, and brandyand-water, was one of the most astonishing feats of mental gymnastics I ever heard of. — M. Aknulu. The Flying Dutchman — the name applied to the express tram running from London to Exeter on the broad-gauge railway ; so called on account of its speed. The term originally belonged to a phantom ship, which was supposed to fly over the waves till the day of judgment. Then he went on to other superstitions, the Flying Dutchman, etc. — K. H. Dana, J UN. To Jly off at the handle — to become excited; to act impulsively. F. lie was full of crotchets that way, and the sight of the sea, or even a mere flower, would make him fly right off at the handle. — HjV_libukxon. Fold. — To fold one's hands — to be idle; to do nothing but rest one- self. C. To no New Yorker, to no American, would that (the possession of a fortune) seem a reason for folding his hands.— Nineteenth Centunj, 1SS7. Follow. — To follow suit — to behave in the same manner; to do as the person before you has done. C. A phrase borrowed from card-playing. But when the fortunes of Kingscliff began to rise, the fortunes of the gallant admiral followed suit. — Good Words, 1SS7. Food. — To become food for fishts — to be drowned. F. But he was dead enough, for all that, being both shot and drowned, and was food for fish in the very place where he had designed my slaughter. — E. L. Stevenson. " If you'd been of the same kidney as Sawney M'Gillicuddy," he said, speaking of the poor Scotch lad who had died, " I'd have made you food for fishes long ago."— G. A. S.\LA. To be food for worms — to be in one's grave ; to be dead and buried. F. The certificates are aU genuine : Snawley had another son, he has been married twice, his first wife Is dead : none but her ghost could tell she didn't write that letter ; none but Snawley himself can tell that this is not his son, and that his sou is food for worms. — Dickens. Food for powder — a contemptuous name applied to soldiers. F. There go the poor conscripts — food for powder (soon to be shot down on the battle- field). Fool. — To be a fool for one's pains — to take unnecessary and thankless trouble. F. If you propose to take him in and board him for that small sum, you will bo ;ffool for your pains (trouble yourself needlessly, and receive no thanks). A fool's paradise — a state of happiness where everything is unreal and certain to be shattered. Into a limbo large and broad, since called The Paradise of Fool.". — Milton, Paradise Lost, bk. iii, I. /,9o. Foot [ 120 ] Foot I feel a little humiliated, Claire ; but I think I am the better for all these lessons. See in what a fool's paradise (deceptive state of liappiness) I used to live.— Besant. To make a fool of— to deceive; to make ridiculous. P. It was all very well to have IVIr. Slope at her feet, and to show her power by mak- ing an utter fool of a clergyman. — A, Teollope. To fool away — to spend on oljjects of little value. C. Instead of learning your lessons for to-morrow, you have been fooling away (fritter- ing) your time with the animals. Foot. — To put the bed foot foremost or forward — (a) to walk as rapidly as possible ; to exert oneself to the utmost. C. The girl made up her mind to put the best foot foremost (put forth all her powers of walking), and run through her terrors at such a pace that none of them could lay hold of her. — R. Blackmoee. (b) to make the best display possible. C Linlithgow put her best foot forward (made her best appearance) last Saturday, when the freedom of that ancient and royal city was presented to the Earl of Rose- bery.— St. Andrews Citizen, 1SS6. To put one's foot in it — to make an awkward mistake; to say somethmg embarrassing. C. Women have such confounded queer ways. You're sure to put your foot in it it you intermeddle. — Wm. Black. With one foot in the graved—very feeble ; having but a short time to live. P. It is sometimes the fate of a poet to succeed, only when he has one foot in the grave (has but a short time longer to live). — Besani. Tojmt down one' afoot — to refuse to go further; to be firm in refusing. C. I remember when the late Sir George Cornwall Lewis wanted to get some statistics about the religious denominations, your friend Bottles, who is now a millionaire and a Churchman, was then a Particular Baptist. "No," says Bottles, "liere I put down my foot (refuse firmly). No Government on earth shall ask me whetlier I am a Particular Baptist or a Muggletonian." — M. Arnold. At one's feet — submissive; iu a suppliant attitude. C. It was all very well to have Mr. Slope at her feet, to show her power by making an utter fool of a clergyman. — A. Teollope. The cloven foot — one of the marks of the devil. To display the cloven foot is to betray an evil purpose. C. At a subsequent meeting he (Dr. Ritchie) had to answer the charge that his party were showing the cloven foot (displaying sinister designs). The doctor was attired, as was liis wont, punctiliously — knee-breeches, silk stockings, and dress shoes. So, extending his shapely limb, he asked with an air of triumph, " Do you call that a cloven foot?" Whereupon a mechanic in the gallery shouted out in a gruff voice, " Tak' aff (take off) the shoe, sir, and we'll see !"-Dk. Outiirie. But they had not long been man and wife ere Tom began to show the cloven foot. — O. J. Whyte-Melville. Fore 3 [ 121 ] Forelock To foot it — to dance. C. Of course they found the master's house locked up and all the servants away in the close, about this time no doubt footing it away on the grass. — Uuuues. To jnd one^sfoot on another's neclc — to crush or trample upon him. P. She should tramp the roads as a mendicant. He would put his foot on her neck. — Hall Caise. To fall on one's feet — to meet with unexpected good-luck. C I had certainly fallen on my feet. — Temple Bar, 1S88. To foot a bill — to pay the expenses incurred. C. Goa, in the case of final French occupation, might continue its work of propagand- ism, but the Church would have to look after the work and foot the bills.- H« riser's Monthly, September 1S87. Tht first-foot — the person who is the first to cross the threshold of a house on New- Year's morning. P. It matters not upon which side of the Border it may be — and northward the feeling extends far beyond tlie Border — there is a mysterious, an ominous importance attached to the individual who first crosses the threshold after the clock has struck twelve at midnight on the 31st of December, or who is the first-foot in a house after the new year has begun. — Wilson's Tales of the Border. To jmy one's footing — to pay the necessary fees or perquisites on being admitted to any club or society. P. When he had paid his footing, the members all wished him good-luck, and drank his health. Force. — To force a man's hand — to compel hun to act prematurely, or to adojit a policy he dislikes. P. The best guarantee against such a course is the repugnance of the German em- peror to engage in a new struggle ; but if it were determined on by all but himself, the emperor's hand might be forced (the emperor might be compelled unwillingly to declare war). — Spectator, 1SS6. To come into force — (of a law or regulation) to begin to be enforced. P. The law making paper money no longer legal tender comes into force (is put in actual operation) next July. Fore. — To the fore — present ; on the scene. C. It never did really occur to him that any one would have the wild audacity to run away with one of his sisters, while he, Mr. Tom Beresford, was to the fore. — \Vm. Black. Forelock. — To take time or occasion hy the forelock — to avoid delay ; to be on the alert for every available opportunity. C. Time is repre- sented as an old man with a single lock of hair on tlie forehead, and an hour-glass and a scythe in his liaiids. Time flips here with such a frightful rapidity that I am compelled to seize occa»ion> by the forelock. — Thackekav. Forget [ 122 ] Free Forget. — To fonjtt onttself—io be guilty of an uuwurthy act or word; to lose command of one's tongue or temper. P. The little gentleman shocked the propriety of the breakfast-table by a loud utterance of three words, of which the two last were " Webster's Unabridged," and the first was an emphatic monosyllable (" damn "). " Beg pardon," he added — " for- got myself" (I have said hastily what I should jjot). — Holmes. Fork. — To fork out — to hand out money; to take from one's pocket. S. I'll fork out and stump. — Dickens. If I am willing to fork out a sum of money, he may be willing to give up his chance of Diplow.— Geohue Eliot. Forlorn, — A forlorn liope — a desperate venture. P. He had not merely, as the French say, the courage of his opinions ; but his opinions became principles, and gave him that gallantry of fanaticism which made him always ready to head a forlorn hope. — J. R. Lowell, on Joiiah Quiiicy. Form. — III form — in good condition ; able to do oneself credit. C. " Were you in form, Babs?" asked Mrs. Gaysworthy. — Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. Forty, — Forty winks — a short sleep during the day. F. Then came forty winks ; and afterwards he would play whist for high stakes. — Saturday Revieiv, ISSS. Fours. — To . Go along — an exclamation of (feigned) anger or impatience. F. See Get ALONG. "May its poppet come in and talk?" — "Certainly not," replied madam; "you know I never allow you here. Go along." — Dicken.s. ''To go hail for another — to become legal security for an accused jierson's appearance at his trial. P. The world has not gone bail for us, and our falling short involves not the ruin of others. — C. Lever. Go [ 133 ] Go To go hard ivith one — to prove a troublesome matter to one. P. He jumped up with a ^eat exclamation, which the particular recording angel who heard it pretended not to understand, or it might have gone hard with (proved a serious matter for) the Latin tutor some time or other. — Holmes. To I/O Jiome to — to appeal directly to. P. 2VIrs. Wallace spoke very slowly, because it was not an easy matter with her to ex- press her ideas, and with a certain gentle earnestness that went home (appealed directly) to the young girl's heart, at least as much as the logic of her argument. — James Payn. Oo-fo-mee(iii Gooseberry. — To play nj) old gooseberry icith people — to defeat tliem or silence tliem sliarply. S. He began to put on airs, but I soon played up old gooseberry with him (snubbed him). She can squander the income as she pleases, and play old gooseberry up to a certain point. — Miss Braddon. '^ To play gooseberry — to act as a third person for the sake of propriety ; to appear with two lovers in public. C. There was Helena out of her chair standing by a gentleman .... while I was reduced to that position which is vulgarly but expressively known as playing gooseberry. — The Mistletoe Bough, ISSS. A gooseberry -picker — one who plays gooseberry. C. What do I care for old Thresher? I brought Thresher to-day as a gooseberry- picker.— S. Baring Gould. i Like old gooseberry — witli great energy. S. Take them by the tail. . . .and lay on like old gooseberry.— H. Kinoslev. t-* Gordian [ 138 ] Grape As green as a gooseberry — very ignorant of life ; raw and unedu- cated. S. His name was Green, and he was as green as a gooseberry.— Captain Marryat. Gordian. — To cut the Gordian knot — to solve a difiBculty in a bolder unusual fashion. P. Frank Muller must die, and die before tlie morning liglit. By no other possible means could the Gordian knot be cut. — H. E. Haggard. Grace. — To say grace — to ask the Divme blessing before commencing a meal. P. Mr. Pickwick, having said grace, pauses for an instant and looks round him.— Dickens. To get into a person's good graces — to gain his favour or friendship. P. Major D'Orville is rapidly gaining ground in the good graces of all the Newton Hollows party.— G. J. Whyte-Melville. With a good grace — gracefully ; graciously. P. With a bad (/race— ungraciously, so as to leave an unpleasant impres- sion. P. What might have been done with a good grace would at last be done with a bad grace. — Macaulay. The throne of grace — a figurative expression, meaning God's seat, heaven. P. To come to the throne of grace is to pray. The means of grace — opportunities of hearing the gospel. P. A reli- gious expression. The shop is next door but one to a chapel, too. Oh, how handy for the means of grace !— Besant. Grain. — Against the grain — unpleasant ; contrary to one's bias or in- clination. P. I am deficient in the auri sacra fames— the passion for dying a millionaire that possesses so many excellent people. I had rather have a little, and do what I like, than acquire a great deal by working against the grain (doing work which is un- pleasant).— James Payn. With a grain of salt — with some reservation. P. Translation of the Latin phrase, Cm??i grano sails. They fear lest suspicious men might take the story with a grain of salt. — II. R. Haggard. Some of the adventures narrated may require to be taken with a grain of salt. — Spectator, Sept. 3, 1887. Grape.— '5'oHr grapes — something which is despised because it is un- attainable. C. See Sour. " So it has got its big wax doll after all, has it?" asks she with a sneer; " curly wig and Inng legs, and all ! " I am roused to retort. I turn and rend her. "Sour grapes!" cry I, witli red cheeks, and in an elevated key. — Ruoda Broughton Q-rass [ 139 ] G-reek Grass.— J^o let the (jrafifs (jroii: under one's J'tet — to be inactive ; to be idle ami lazy. C. Viola is not the sort of girl to let the grass grow under her feet.— Florence Maruyat. Captain Cuttle held on at a great pace, and allowed no grass to grow under his feet — Dickens. ^ Grass widow — a lady whose husband is temporarily absent. P. An Eastern term, especially used in India. A gr.iss widow finds herself in need of consolation for the cruel absence of her liege lord.— r/ie Mistletoe Bough, 1SS5. Gray. — The rjray of the morning — the dawn. P. See Morning. The ijray (or ' Hair and now for several years I have lived here in England, and have in my own stupid manner done my best to learn the ways of the children of light, and what have I found? A great gulf fixed? No, only a very little one.— H. K. Hacjoard. Gun. — '4 great (jun — a noted personage. C. Time flew on, and the great guns one by one returned— Peel, Graham, Goulbourn, Hardinge, Ilerries. — Beaconsfield. To hlou: fjreat guns — to be very stormy ; to blow a heavy gale. P. At last it blew great guns ; and one night, as the sun went down crimson in the Gulf of Florida, the sea running mountains high, I saw Captain Sebor himself was fidgety.— C. Keade. Guts. — To have guts in the brain — to have souse ; to be full of iutelli- geuce. Old-fashioued. The fellow's weU enough, if he had any guts in his brain.— Swift. Guttev.^Out of the gutter — of low origin. P. " We could never have supposed one of our blood would commit the crime of marrying a jjlebeian — and for love ! " " Then why do you marry your sons to girls out of the gutter ? " (low-born girls), was sometimes the rejoinder. — National Seview, 1887. H ^ Hack. — At hack (or heck) and mangei — profusely; extravagantly. F. Heck, or hack, is Scotch for a manger. The word is of Scandinavian origin. The servants at Lochmarlie must be living at hack and manger. — Miss Fekrier. Hail. — Hail-feUoxo veil-met — familiar ; on terms of easy intimacy. C. Also used as a noun. It was not, I will frankly admit, a very righteous beginning to a young life to be hail-fellow well-met witli a gang of deer-stealers. — G. A. Sala. His rOle was that of a hail-fellow well-met with everybody. — Sar^h Tvtler. Hair. — To a hair — to an extreme nicety. P. Oh ! that's her nose to a hair, — that's her eye exactly. — Haliburton. To split hairs — to dispute over petty points. P. A hair-splitter is a caviller. Pray, don't let us be splitting hairs. — A. Trollope. Both of a hair — both alike. F. For the peddler and tinker, they are two notable knaves, both of a hair, anil both cousin-gerraans to the devil. — Grkene. Hair standing on end. This i.s a sign of terror. P. See St.vnd. Half [ 144 ] Hammer To take, a hair of the dog that hit you. This was at one time supposed to be a cure for hydrophobia. The expression is commonly used now when a man, after heavy drinking, is advised to take a little more brandy or other liquor. Decidedly, too, the homojopathic system must be founded on great natural facts, and there is philosophy, born of the observation of human nature, in the somewhat s,^ vulgar proverb that recommends a hair of the dog that bit you.— H. E. Haggard. ~'^To turn a hair — to show signs of fatigue. C. A phrase taken from horsemanship, and properly only applicable to a horse, but now used generally. Flushington would toil manfully through the most realistic descriptions (in French novels) without turning a hair. — F. Anstey. Then the fiddlers began — the celebrated Mellstock fiddlers, who, given free stripping, could play from sunset to dawn without turning a hair.— R. D. Black- more, in Murray's Magazine, 1888. Half. — Half -seas over — in a semi - drunken state; confused with drink. F. But Jason put it back as lie was going to fill again, saying, " No, Sir Condy, it shan't be said of me I got your signature to this deed when you were half-seas over." — Maria Edge worth. A had halfpenny — something which is supposed to return to the owner, however often he tries to get quit of it. C. It was not the first time, nor the second, that I had gone away— as it seemed, per- manently—but yet returned, like the bad halfpenny. — N. Hawthorne. Half the battle — no small part of the difficulty overcome. C. To provide the patient with a good bed, fresh air, and suitable warmth is half the battle (will do as much as all things else for his recovery). Better half— a. wife. See Bettek. Halloo. — Don't halloo till you're out of the wood — be careful about show- ing premature signs of exultation. C. A favourite saying of the Duke of Wellington. "When Wellington had driven the French out of Portugal, the Portuguese issued a print of the Duke, bearing the legend underneath—" Invincible Wellington, from grateful Portugal." A friend having sent the Duke a copy of the print, he struck out the word " Invincible" with a dash of his pen, and wrote below, " Don't halloo till you're out of the wood." Halting. — The halting foot of justice — an expression bori'owcd from Latin literature, signifying the slow but sure punishment which follows wrong-doers. P. Justice, though with halting foot, had been on his track, and his old crime of Egyptian days found him out at last. — The Times, 1SS7. Hammer. — To go it hammer and tongs — to act violently and recklessly; to throw all one's energies into anything. C. The ancient rules of a fair fight were utterly disregarded ; both parties went at it hammer and tongs, and hit one another anywlicrc with anything.— James Payn. Hand [ 145 ] Hand To briny to the hammer — to sell by auction. P. All Diggs's penates (household effects), for the time being, were brought to the hammer.— HuoHES. To sell wider the hammer — to sell by auction. P. He threatened to foreclose, and sell the house under the hammer. — C. Reade. Hand. — In hand — {a) under control. P. The other was laughed at behind his back, and outwitted by the young man he thought he had so well in hand (completely under control). — Jane Austen. (h) in present possession ; ready for use. P. " You are in the fortunate position of having a competence of your own, I con- clude." " Well, yes ; that Is, I come into it on my majority — something in land and also in hand."— Besant. (c) under discussion. P. Mrs. Xickleby glided, by an easy change of the conversation, occasionally into various other anecdotes, no less remarkable for their strict application to the subject in hand. — Dickens. To Iceep in hand — to direct or manage. P. As keeping in hand the home-farm at Domwell, he had to tell what every field was to bear next year.— Jane Austen. To take in hand — to take charge of ; to pay attention to. P. I have asked Herr Hoffman to take me in hand. — Leisure Hour, 1887. At hand — near ; close to one. P. Used both of time and of place. Mr. Woodhouse was to be talked into an acquiescence of his daughter's going out to dinner on a day now near at hand (soon to arrive).— Jane Austen. To come to hand — to be received. P. " Your letter came to hand yesterday morning. Dr. Tempest," said Mr. Crawley. — A. Trollope. At first-hand — directly; without any intermediate process. P. Could we not have a school for great men, just as they used to have a school of prophets ? . . . . They would be taught to speak ; they would be taught to study man- kind at first-hand and not by reports; they would be tauglit to write, to reason, to Investigate; above all, they would be taught that remarkable history, the history of progress. — Besant. Oh, indeed, I should much rather come here at first-hand if you will have me. — Jane Austen. At second-hand — not directly; through an intermediary. P. He kept up just so much communication with them as to inform them, at second- hand or at third-hand, which measures to impede and if possible to defeat.— Tkevelyan. Out of hand — {a) directly; at once. P. Gather we our forces out of hand, and set upon our boasting enemy. — Shake- speare. Sir Terence, in a tone of jocose, wheedling expostulation, entreated him to have the carriage finished out of hand (forthwith).— :M.\ui a ED> Hatches. — To be under hatches — to be in ;i state of depression or poverty ; to be dead. C. AVell, he's dead now and under hatches. — R. L. Stevenson'. Hatchet. — To bury the hatchet — to cease fighting; to become friendly. C. A phrase borrowed from a Red Indian custom. Dr. Andrew Marshall made it up with his adversary, and they lived un friendly terms ever afterwards. AVIiy don't some of our living medici bury the hatchet with a like effective ceremony? — Jeaffkeson. To diij up the hatchet — to renew hostilities. C. To take up the hatchet — to make war. C. ~'To throw the hatchet — to tell fabulous stories. F. Haul. — To haul over the coals. See Coal. To haul in with — to sail close to the wind, in order to approach more closely an object. A nautical phrase. To haul off— to sail close to the wind, in order to avoid an object. A nautical phrase. To haul round — (of the wuid) to shift to any point on the compass. A nautical phrase. To haul the wind — to turn the head of the ship nearer to that point from which the wind blows. A nautical phrase. Have. — To have at a person — to try to strike or hit him. C. A have- at-him is a stroke or thrust. And therefore, Peter, have at thee (I'll hit thee) with a downright blow. — Shake- SI'EARE. Well, come here and I U have at you in the vulgar tongue. — C. Reade. To have at a thing — to begin it or attempt it. C. Have at (I'll begin) it with you.— Shakespeare. To have it out {with a person) — (a) to settle a disputed point ; to challenge another because of some offence of which he has been guilty. C. I marched back to our rooms feeling savagely inclined to have it out with Forbes for (demand from Forbes an explanation of) his selfishness and lack of consideration. — Macmillan's Mwjaziae, 1SS7. (6) to finish it ; to enjoy the rest of it. C. During the remainder of the day Mr. Browdie was in a very odd and excitable state; bursting occasionally into an cxi'losion of laughter, and then taking up liis hat and running into the coachyard to have it out by himself. — Dickens. Hawk [ 152 ] Head To have a care — to be cautious. C. Have a care, Joe ; that girl is setting her cap at you. — Thackeray. —/" To have nothing for it — to have no alternative. P. He had nothing for it but to disperse his army. — Buetos. He had like to have — he came near having. P. Wherever the Giant came, all fell before him ; but the Dwarf had like to have been (was nearly) kiUed more than once. — GoLD.SMirH. HdiWk. — To know a hawk from a hernshaw — to be clever ; to be wide- awake. C. A hernshaw is a kind of heron. When the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a hernshaw (or handsaw). — Shakespeare. Hawse. — To come in at the hawse-holes — to enter the navy at the lowest grade. F. Hay. — To make hay while the sun shines — to take every advantage of a favourable opportunity. P. If Patty had not been wise in her generation — if she had not made her hay while the sun shone, and lined her nest while feathers were flying abroad — on the death of her master she would have come to cruel ends. — Mrs. E. Lvxn Linton. -^ Between hay and grass — in an unformed state; hobble-de-hoy. F. An Americanism, said of youths between boyhood and manhood. To make hay of— to throw into confusion ; to disturb. F. Oh, father, you are making hay of my things. — Maria Edgewoeth. Head.— ?'o have a head on one's shoiddei-s — to be possessed of judgment and discretion. P. To be sure, her father had a head on his shoulders, and had sent her to school, contrary to the custom of the country. — C. Reade. To eat his head off^(oi a horse) to do little or no work ; costing more in food than he is worth. C. It was my duty to ride, sir, a very considerable distance on a mare who had been eating her head off (resting lazily in her stable).— Blackmobe. To take it into one's head — to conceive a sudden notion. F. See T.\ke. Francis had taken it into his head to stroll over to Whitestone's that evening. To turn one's head — to make vain or unreasonable. C. Well, he fairly turned Sail's head; the more we wanted her to give him up, the more she wouldn't. — Halibukton. To put out of one's head— to forget; to drive away the thought of. C. Emma at last, in order to put the Martins out of her head, was obliged to hurry on the news, which she had meant to give with so much caution.— Jane Austen. Heads or tails ? — A cry used in tossing up a British coin. The face side and the reverse side of the coin are known respectively as heads, Head { 153 ] Head (with reference to the Queen's bust stamped on that side), and as tails, a term which has no particular significance. If you come out heads (says C pps, addressing an old sixpence which he is about to toss), little Ethy shall go ; if y m come out tails, I shall take it for a sign that we ought to turn tail in (retreat from) this here job.— Blackmore. To make neither head nor tail of anything — to be unable to understand or find meaning in any statement or event. C. You did say some queer things, ma'am, and I couldn't make head nor tail of what you said.— Mrs. Olipha>t. Over head and ears — completely. C. Kit is over head and ears (in love), and she will be the same with him after that fine rescue. — Blackmore. He's over head and ears in debt. — Thackerav. Head-over-heels — hurriedly ; before one has time to consider the matter. C. This trust which he had taken on him without thinking about it, head-over-heels. in fact, was the centre and turning-point of his school life. — Hughes. ^To give the head to a horse — to allow it freedom. C. He gave his able horse the head. — Shakespeare. To let a man have his head — to allow him freedom. F. A phrase bor- rowed from the last, and originally only applicable to a horse. She let him have his head for a bit, and then, when he'd quite got accustomed to the best of everything and couldn't live witliout it, she turned him into the street, where there is no claret and no champagne.— Besant. Head and shoidders—hy the height of the head and shoulders. C. My son is head and shoulders taUer than his mother. ?' To come to a head — to ripen ; to approach completion. P. The plot was discovered before it came to a head. Head and front — the outstanding and important part. P. "Your good conversation in Christ"-" As he who called you is holy, be ye holy in all your conversation." This is the head and front of the matter with the writer. — M. Arnold. Off one's head — crazy ; excited, and not under the guidance of one's reason; delirious. C. His three companions exchanged a second look of meaning, and one of the men whispered to his mate, "He's clean off his head" (he is no longer sane). — All the Year Round, 1SS7. To buy or sell a jyroperty over out's head — to buy or sell \\-ithout con- sulting the occupants. C. Now liis return to Beaton Brows, his crafty purcliase of Mock Beggar over their heads, and his reputed wealth, bid fair to poison the whole stream of social life for them. — Mrs. E. Lv.vx Ltntox. " What will become of Ked Windows? " " It will be sold over my head."— C7i,am*er8'« Journal, 1S8S. Heap [ 154 ] Heart To keep one's head above water — to avoid bankruptcy. C. He is not, like our friend Sir Hyacinth O'Brien, forced to sell tongue and brains and conscience to keep his head above water. — Maria Edgeworth. Heap. — Struck all of a heap — completely astonished. F. I thought he'd fainted too; he was so struck all of a heap. — Haliburton. Hear. — To hear tell of— to hear by report ; to be informed of. F. I never heard tell of a man becoming a dressmaker. — Haliburton. Heart. — To take heart — to become hopeful; to feel encouraged. P. It is difficult for the farmer, particularly in some districts of Fife, to take heart after the experience of the last few days with their ceaseless torrents. — St. Andrews Citizen, 1S8G. To take anything to heart — to feel deeply pained about anythmg. P. I would not shame you by seeming to take them to heart or treat them earnestly for an instant.— Dickens. To break one's heart — to die of disappointment; to be mortally disap- pointed ; to cause bitter grief or sorrow to one. He (Lord Aberdeen) entered into the Crimean War, and it broke his heart (caused his death from grief). — M. Arnold. But his friend talked, and told the other officers how Greaves had been jilted, and was breaking his heart (dying of grief). — C. Reade. In one's heart of hearts — in the inmost recesses of the heart ; privately ; secretly. P. In his lieart of hearts he feared lest there might be some flaw in the young man's story.— James Payn. To carry or wear one's heart upon one's sleeve — to expose one's inmost thoughts to one's neighbours. P. In his youth, and in his unreserved intercourse with his sisters, he (Beaconsfield) would have appeared to carry a warm heart upon his sleeve (displayed unreservedly inner feelings of kindness). — Edinbunjli Revieiv, 1SS6. 'Tis not long after But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve For daws to peck at. — Shakespeare. Note.— By "daws" are meant captious, ill-natured people. Heart and soul — enthusiastically. P. He went into the scheme heart and soul (with enthusiasm). His heart is in the right place — he is of a kindly and sympathetic dis- position. C. See Right. To have at heart — to be deeply interested in. P. What a touching attachment that is which these poor fellows show to any one who has their cause at heart — even to any one who says he has. — Thackeray. To r/ef or learn by heart — to commit to memory. P. She fell to Laughing like one out of their right mind, and made me say the name of the bog over, for her to get it by lieart, a dozen times. — Maria Edgeworth. Heaven [ 155 ] Heels To liave one's heart in one's month — to be frightened or startled. C. "Old Thady," said my master just as he used to do, "how do you do?" "Very well, I thank your lionour's honour," said I; but I saw he was not well pleased, and my heart was in my mouth as I walked along with him.— Maria Edgeworth. Heart whole — not in love. C. No young woman could reject such an offer without consideration, if she were heart whole. — Florence Maruyat. To fake heart of eoph — to be ready to receive visitors. C. " Sir Charles Bassett ! " trumpeted a servant at the door, and then waited, prudently, to know whether this young lady, whom he had caught blushing so red with one gentleman, would be at home to another. — C. Eeade. To bring a thing home to peoj)le — to say something which interests people, and the meaning of which they fully grasp. P. " You're like the wood-pigeon ; it says do, do, do all day, and never sets about anj work Itself." That's bringing it home to people (a saying which rouses the attention of people).— Geokge Eliot. To come home to a 2}erson — to reach one's conscience ; to touch one's heart. C. I've heard a good deal of the clerks out of place, and now it comes homo to me.— Besant. To make oneself at home — to act as if one were in one's own house. F. " Do untie your bonnet-strings, and make yourself at home. Miss Nipp-r, please," entreated Jemima.— DicKE>f-<. To bring oneself home — ^to recover what one has previously lost. F. He is a little out of cash just now. . ..However, he has taken a very good road to bring himself home again, for we pay him very handsomely.— Madamk D'Arblav. Owe's long hojne — the grave. P. Whatever you can see in cold water to run after it so, I can't think. If I was to flood myself like you, it would soon float me to my long home (cause my death).— C. Reade. Honour. — Honour bright? — do yoti pledge your word for it? F. A phrase used when a man wishes to be perfectly sure that he is not going to be deceived. It is also used in affirmations to mean, " I do pledge my word solemnly." " I do not mean to marry Mr. Jacorab, if that is what you mean."—" No I Honour bright?"— "Wm. Black. " Was it written in joke, pray?"—" No, that's the best of it," returned the actor; "right down earnest — Iioiiour bright."— Dioken's. Hoof [ 163 ] Hook An affair of honour — a dispute involving a duel. P. He had to leave London owing to a fatal result from an affair of honour in which he was concerned. A dfht of honour — a debt incurred at play, whicli cannot be recovered by legal process, and is therefore considered more binding in tlie social code of laws. P. He had all along meant to pay his father's debts of honour ; but the moment the law was taken c f him, there was an end of honour, to be sure. — Maria EDiiEwoiirii. A point of honour — a scruple arising from delicacy of feeling. P. " I will not," said Lochiel, " break the ice. That is a point of honour with me." — Macaulay. Honours of war — tlie privilege gi-anted to a defeated army to march out of a town or a camp with colours flying. P. The same day, at one p.m., arrived a letter from General Stiels, granting permission to the officers to retain their swords, and to the army the honours of war. — Edinhuryh Ikvieu; 18SG. The honours rested with him — he was the most successful. P. The honours of the evening wovild have rested with Ratcliffe, had lie not lowered himself again to his ordinary level.— Edinburgh Review, ISS:?. To do the honours — to act as host or hostess at an entertainment. C. Afterwards Miss Amelia did the honours of the drawing-room.— Thackeray. Hoof. — To beat or pad the hoof— to walk. F. Charles Bates expressed his opinion that it was time to pad the hoof.— Dickens. Hook. — By hook or by croolc — by some means or other ; through some device. C. "I do not tliink," he replied coldly, after an unpleasant pause, "that William Henry cares much about Shakespeare ; but he has probably asked for his holiday thus early in hopes that, by hook or by crook, he may get another one later on."— James Paym. OffththooJcs — (a) in disorder ; flurried. S. While Sheridan is off the hooks. And friend Delany at his books. — Swift. (h) dead; no longer in existence. S. The attack was so sharp that Matilda, as his reverence expressed it, was very nearly off the hooks. — Thackeray. On ont's own hook — independently ; on one's own responsibility. F, The very eye-glass, which headed the cane he carried so jauntily in his hand, was out of keeping with their eye-glasses, and looked like some gay young lens who had refused to be put into spectacles, and was winking at life on its own hook. — James Pavn. To hook it — to run away. R. Every school-boy knows that the lion has a claw at the end of his tail with which he lashes him.self into fury. When the experienced hunter sees him doing that, he, so to speak, "hooks it."— H. Kinoslev. Hop [ 164 ] Horrors Hop. — To hop the twiS. ^ Well, the other gipsy man is no other than Joe Smith, who jumped the liroomstick with the lovely Princess Cinnaminta.— Br.Ar'KMORE. A Romish wedding is surely better than juniiiing over a broomstick, which, unless we had adopted the uncouth Moresque custom, woiiM liave \wcn all the ceremony of matrimony we could have liad. — G. A. Sala. Justice [ 180 ] Keep Justice. — To do one justice — to display one's good qualities or good looks. P. In one bracelet was a photograph of dear little Charlie, taken from a picture done in oils, very like, but not doing him justice (making him appear as pretty as he actually was). — Tlie Mistletoe Bough, 1SS5. In justice to — desiring to treat fairly; doing what justice demands to. P. In vain poor Lady Clonbrony followed the dowager about the rooms to correct this mistake, and to represent, in justice to Mr. Soho, though he had used her so ill, that he knew she was an Englishwoman. — Maria Edgeworth. K KaoW. — To kaoiv-taow — to behave in a submissive manner. F. From the Chinese. To have to kaow-taow to Arnold too, as I must do of course. — Anon. Keen. — Keen of a job — eager for work. S. I f you offer to take charge of those young brats, I must say you are keen of a job. Keep. — To keep abreast of — to advance at an equal pace with ; not to fall behind. P. He yet found abundance of time to keep abreast of all that was passing in the world. — Athenceum, 1SS7. To keep up — to continue alongside of ; not to fall behmd. P. " Please, sir, we've been out Big-side hare and hounds and lost our way." " Hah ! you couldn't keep up (fell behind), I suppose."— Hughes. To keep comj>any — to have a sweetheart ; to court. F. This is Miss Kennedy, and I hope— I'm sure — that you two will get to be friendly with one another, not to speak of keeping company (becoming lovers). — Besant. To keep an eye to or on — to watch. C. Whilst they were eating it, leaving Mouti to keep an eye to them, he went some way off and sat down on a big ant-heap to tliink. — H. R. Haggard. ■^ To keep in with a man — to remain on friendly terms witli him. C. I always told your father he thought too much of that Watson ; but I would keep in with him if I were you, for they say he's coining money.— The Mistletoe Sowjh, 1SS5. To keep one^s hand in — to employ one's energies ; to continue in practice. C. You'll find plenty to keep your hand in at Oxford, or wherever else you go.-- Huuhes. Keeping [ 181 ] Keeping To kttp body and soul to(jtlhtr — to niaiiitain bare existence. P. One of the maids having fainted three times the last day of Lent, to keep body and soul together we put a morsel of roast beef into her mouth.— Maria Edgewoktu. To hep dark about auythimj — to preserve secrecy. C. If you have tastes for the theatre and things, don't talk about them. Keep them dark. — Bes.\nt. To keep to ontself— to be retiring in one's habits; of a resen'ed dis- position. C. AVe do not see much of our neighbours ; they Uve very quietly, and keep to them- selves. To keep in view — to liave one's aim or attention fixed in a certain direc- tion. P. He had always kept in view the probability of a dissolution of the firm. •^7^0 keep countenance or in countenance — to lend moral support to. P. Flora will be there to keep you countenance. — R. L. Steven.son. He might as well be a West India planter, and we negroes, for anything he knows to the contrary — has no more care nor thought about us than if we were in Jamaica or the other world. Shame for him ! But there's too many to keep him in coun- tenance.-MARiA Edgeworth " To keep one's countenance — to preserve one's gravity; to refrain from laiighing. P. The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word. — Swift. To keep hotise. See House. To keep pace loith. See Pace. "-^ To keep in— (a) to refuse to disclose ; to preserve secret. C. But, please, don't think old Grizzel mean for keeping in what had taken place ; she was only obeying orders.— ^Irs. Henry Wood. (b) to detain schoolboys after the regular hours as a punishment. C. He was no more moved than the Roman soldiers, or than the schoolmaster is moved by the sad face of a boy kept in. — Besant. To keep up appearances — to behave as if everything was right. C. Captain Cuttle kept up appearances, nevertheless, tolerably weU.— Dickens. Keeping. — In keepinrj — suitable ; harmonizing. P. It was in keeping (harmonized) with the scenery around. — Mrs. H. Wood. Out of keeping — unsuitable ; inappropriate. P. It was an old room on which George Dallas looked — an old room with panelled walls, surmounted by a curious carved frieze and stuccoed roof, and hung round with family portraits, which gave it a certain grim and stern Rir, and made the gay hothouse plants with which it was lavishly decorated seem out of keeping. — Edmund Yatbs. Kettle [ 182 ] Kick Kettle.—^ kettle of fish — a confused state of afifaiis; a muddle. F. "Kettle" is here for kiddle, a net. There, you have done a fine piece of work truly there is a pretty kettle of fish made on't at your house. — Fieldino. Key. — The key of a j)osition — the point whose possession gives control over a position or a district. P. A military phrase. ^0 have the key of the street — to be locked out. F. "There," said Lowten, "you have the key of the street." — Dickens. Gold key — the badge of a chamberlain. P. Hardly will that gold key protect you from maltreatment. — Coleridge. Keystone. — The Keystone State — a popular name for Pennsylvania. He comes from the Keystone State. Kick. — To hick over the traces — to become violent and insubordinate. F. A phrase taken from horse -driving. You must not kick over the traces, or I shall be forced to suppress you, Lady Anne. . . . You are growing a trifle too independent. — H. K. Haggakd. Who on earth would have thought that a girl like Janette Lisle, brought up in that kind of way, and in such a household, would have been so carried away by her love as to kick right over the traces and run off. — J. M'Caethy. To kick the beam — to be deficient in weight; to fly into the air. P. Said of a scale in a balance. But in his present survey of the age as his field, he seems to find that a sadder colour has invested all the scene. The evil has eclipsed the good, and the scale, which before rested solidly on the ground, now kicks the beam. — Gladstone. The latter (scale) quick flew up, and kicked the beam. — Milton. 7'o kick up dust — to carry on a valueless discussion. C. Amongst the manuscript riches of the Bodleian, there was a copy of a certain old chronicler about whose very name there has been a considerable amount of learned dust kicked up. — De Quincev. To kick the bucket — to die. S. " The cap'n (captain) will inherit the property after the old bird hops" (his old aunt dies). " Hops?" repeated Josephine, not understanding him. "Ay — kicks." " Kicks ? I don't understand." ~ '-' Hops the twig— kicks the bucket. How dull you are ! "—Chambers's Journal, 1887. To kick up the heels — to die. F. His heels he'll kick up. Slain by an onslaught fierce of hickup.— Egbert Browning. To kick up a row or a shindy — to cause a disturbance; to be violent in behaviour. F. Master Mash, who prided himself upon being a young gentleman of great spirit, was of opinion that they should kick up a row, and demolish all the scenery.— Thomas Day (Sandford and Merbin). Hawes shrank with disgust from noise in his prison. .. ."Beggars get no good by kicking up a row," argued he.— C. Reade. Kidney [ 183 ] King To (jet more kicks than halfpence — to receive more abuse than profit ; to be badly or roughly treated. F. Let the sweet woman go to make sunshine and a soft jiiHow for tlic poor devil whose legs are not models, whose efforts are blunders, and wlio in general gets more kicks tlian halfpence.— Geoiuje Eliot. To kick aijainst the pricks — to struggle with an overmastering force ; to refuse to move in a clearly mapped-out path. P. The phrase is used in the Bible (Acts ix. 5). Like most such men, who are sent into seclusion for the good of the community, Maurice Hervey was able to realize, witliout such severe treatment as was needed to convince the apostle, that kicking against the pricks is foolishness. — Himih Conwav. My father had quite as little yielding in his disposition, and kicked against the pricks determinedly. — T. A. Tkollote. Kidney.— Q/V/ie scune kidney — of the same nature. P. Fellows of your kidney will never go through more than the skirts of a scrimmage. —Hughes. ^ Kilkenny. — Tofiijkt like Kilkenny cats — to fight till the cond)atants are all torn to pieces. C. See Cats. The tactics of the Kilkenny cats by which the Sultan kept hold of the wretched island were hideously cruel. — Spectator, December 1SS7. Kill. — To kill two birds with one stone — to effect two results with one expenditure of trouble; to gain two ol)jects by one exertion. C. \Ve will kill two birds with one stone— disinter a patient for our leathern gallows, and furnish a fresh incident of the Inquisition. — C. Reade. To kill one's man — to fight a duel with fatal results to one's opponent. C. He was a famous shot, had killed his man before he came of age, and nobody scarce dared look at him whilst at Bath. — Maria Edgeworth. Kinchin. — On the kinchin lay. See Lay. Kind. — ( Tribute) in kind — tribute paid, not in money, but in articles of produce. P. The Turk, who was a man of strict honoui-, paid the count by embezzling the tribute in kind of the province he governed. — Beaconsfield. King. — Kin(js Ent/lish — the standard English, such as is regarded as good ))y the highest authorities. P. Now known as Queen's English. She was the most ignorant old creature that ever was known, could neither read nor write, and made sad jumble of the King's English when she spoke.— G. A. Sala. Kinr/'s evidence — the evidence of one of a Ijand of criminals wlio, in order to obtain a pardon, informs against his fellows. P. The unhappy man, to save his life, had betrayed his master and turned King's evi- dence.— G. A. Sala. King Log — one who, liaving enjoyed a short popidarity, is afterwards treated with contempt. P. See .£sop's Fables, " Tlie Frogs asking Kingdom [ 184 ] Knee for a King." To change King Log for King Stork is to change a stupid but harmless I'uler for an oppressor and tyrant. It is a singular fact that Mr. Emerson is the most steadily attractive lecturer in America. Into that somewhat cold-waterish region adventurers of the sensational kind come down now and then with a splash, to become disregarded King Logs before the next session. — J. R. Lowell. To he unicillinr/ to call (he kiiKj one's cousin — to be m a state of perfect satisfaction or elation. F. He wouldn't condescend to call the king his cousin just at this present time (he is so much elated with his prosperity). — Haliburton". The king of terrors — a name for death. P. From the BiVjle (Job xviii. 14). Her rival was face to face with that king of terrors before whom all earthly love, hate, hope, and ambition must fall down and cease from troubling.— H. R. Hag) to overlook ; to allow to pass. P. He forgave her, and lo kod over her conduct. — Murray's Marjuzinc, JSS7. ijoose [ 202 ] Love To look for a need/t: in a hay^fach — to search after aiij'thing with very little chance of finding it. P. There is little use searching for him in this crowd ; it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. To look throwjh coloured spectacles — to see things not as they really are, but distorted by one's own prejudices. P. People who live much by themselves are apt to look at things through coloured spectacles. To look foricard to — to expect with feelings of pleasure. P. The children are all looking forward to your visit. To look about one — to be cautious and wary. C. John began to think it high time to look about him (take precautions for the future). — Arbuthnot. Loose. — To loose one's purse-strings — to give money towards some good object. C. On the loose — dissipated. F. Her husband is, I fear, on the loose just now. A loose fish — a dissipated man. F. In short, Mr. Miles was a loose fish.— C. Eeade. Having a tile loose. See Tile. Lord. — -4 lord of creation — a man (as distinguished from a woman). C. The term is generally used jocularly. No, I had rather be a woman, with all her imperfections, tlian one of those lords of creation, such as we generally find them. — G. J. Whyte-Melville. Lose. — To lose caste — to be no longer welcomed in the houses of re- spectable people. P. You may break every command in the decalogue with perfect good breeding, nay, if you are adroit, without losing caste. — J. R. Lowell. To lose heart — to become dispirited. P. Deprived of solid support in the rear, the men in front will probably lose heart, and be easily driven away or arrested. — Furtnhjhtly Rnneio, li>i>7. To lose the day — to be defeated. P. You will be shot, and your houses will be burnt, and if you lose the day those who escape will be driven out of the country. — H. E. H.\cH!.\.r>D. Loss. — To he at a loss — to be unable to decide. P. Jane herself was quite at a loss (quite bewildered) to think who could possibly have ordered the piano.— Jane Austen. Love. — Lore in a cottage — marriage without a sufHcicnt income to live in the fashionable world. P. Lady Clonbrony had not, for her own part, the slightest notion how anybody out of Bedlam could prefer, to a good house, a decent cquip: