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diff --git a/old/54657-0.txt b/old/54657-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 7d7fb78..0000000 --- a/old/54657-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,16338 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Phrases and Names Their Origins and Meanings, by -Trench H. Johnson - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Phrases and Names Their Origins and Meanings - -Author: Trench H. Johnson - -Release Date: May 3, 2017 [EBook #54657] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PHRASES AND NAMES *** - - - - -Produced by KD Weeks, Brian Coe and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was -produced from images made available by the HathiTrust -Digital Library.) - - - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Transcriber’s Note: - -This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects. -Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_. Bold -characters are delimited with ‘=’, as =bold=. - -Footnotes have been moved to follow the paragraphs in which they are -referenced. - -Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please -see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding -the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - PHRASES AND NAMES - THEIR ORIGINS AND - MEANINGS - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - PHRASES AND NAMES - THEIR ORIGINS AND - MEANINGS - - BY - TRENCH H. JOHNSON - - “_How did such and such a country, city, town, - street, river, natural curiosity, or world-renowned - edifice obtain its name? Whence arose a particular - sobriquet, nickname, byword, epithet, or slang term? - What was the origin of the thousand-and-one phrases - and expressions engrafted upon our vocabulary which - would appear to have no meaning whatever? These - things are worthy of investigation._” - - PHILADELPHIA - J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY - LONDON - T. WERNER LAURIE - - - - - PREFACE - - -_Few words are necessary to introduce this work to the reader. It -partakes of the nature of an encyclopædia, with the saving clause that -the information it sets forth is confined to a plain statement of facts. -Verbal embellishments have been studiously avoided. Those who seek for -additional intelligence may easily obtain it from ordinarily available -sources. To account for the origin of popular phrases and names has been -the author’s sole design. To the best of his knowledge, no other work of -the kind exists. From the stores of his own knowledge, acquired through -many years of omnivorous reading, patient inquiry, and investigation, he -has been enabled to bring together an_ Olla podrida _which should go far -towards supplying a want_. - -_The origin of place-names is interesting in that it opens up the -history of peoples and the civilising influences, if so one might term -it, of conquest. London street-names, in particular, convey in one word -to a person of antiquarian tastes as much meaning as “a volume of -forgotten lore.” As to phrases and expressions, the author has made a -special study of the subject. A great many Americanisms have been -included, but as the number is daily increasing it would require a -monthly publication of such home-made phrases to keep fully abreast with -the times. That nothing should be wanting in the way of exhaustiveness, -it has been thought advisable to incorporate in the text a number of -slang terms and expressions which daily assail one’s ears. To the author -the compilation of this volume has been a pleasant recreation in the -intervals of more exacting literary labours. If it be found to contain a -plethora of good things, the reader will, of course, take them out in -small doses._ - - _T. H. J._ - -LONDON, 1906. - - - - - Phrases and Names - - - A - - -=A1.= An expression meaning “first-rate.” Derived from Lloyd’s “Registry - of Shipping,” in which letters denote the quality of a ship’s hull, - and figures that of its equipment. A vessel registered A1 is of the - first class in all respects. - -=Abbey Laird.= An insolvent debtor who in former times sought the - sanctuary of the precincts of Holyrood Abbey against arrest. - -=Abbey Road.= From the ancient abbey of the Holy Virgins of St John the - Baptist in St John’s Wood. - -=Abbotsford.= The name given by Sir Walter Scott to his residence on the - banks of the Tweed, from the poetical assumption that the abbots of - Melrose must have forded the stream hereabouts in olden times. - -=A.B.C. Girls.= Waitresses at the depots of the Aerated Bread Company - Limited. - -=Aberdeen.= From the Celtic _aber_, estuary, confluence; the town at the - mouth of the Dee. - -=Abernethy Biscuits.= From the name of the baker who introduced them. - Their connection with Dr Abernethy was repudiated by the great - physician himself. - -=Aberystwith.= The town at the mouth of the Ystwith. - -=Abigail.= The generic name for a waiting-maid, in allusion to the - handmaid who introduced herself to David (1 Sam. xxv. 23). Its - popularity during the second half of the seventeenth century may be - accounted for by the fact that the maiden name of Mrs Masham, the - waiting-woman of Queen Anne, was Abigail Hill. - -=Abingdon.= A corruption of Abbendon, the town of abbeys, being a place - famed for religious houses far back in Anglo-Saxon days. - -=Abingdon Street.= From the ancient town residence of the Earls of - Abingdon. - -=Abney Park.= From Abney House, now a Conservative Club, the residence - of Sir Thomas Abney, Lord Mayor of London. Dr Isaac Watts passed - away at Abney House in 1748. - -=Abode of Love.= See “Agapemonites.” - -=Abolitionists.= The party sworn to the total and immediate abolition of - slavery in the United States. - -=Above Board.= Open, not playing an underhanded game. The owners of the - gaming-tables on a race-course unsuspectedly regulated the issue of - the spinning hand on the board by means of a treadle. - -=Abraham Newlands.= Bank of England notes, so called from the signature - they bore early in the last century. - -=Absinthe.= From the Greek _apsnithion_, wormwood. - -=Absquatulate.= A Far-West Americanism. A squatter who suddenly left his - claim was said to have absquatulated. - -=Abyssinia.= The country of the Abassins, or “mixed races.” - -=Academy.= From the garden of Academus, where Plato taught his - disciples; called on this account the Academics, or Academic School - of Philosophy. - -=According to Cocker.= Strictly correct. After Edward Cocker of Paul’s - Chain, who published a most popular arithmetic. - -=According to Gunter.= An expression much used in America for anything - done properly and systematically. The allusion is to Edmund Gunter, - the celebrated mathematician, who invented a chain and scale for - measuring. - -=Achilles Tendon.= The tendon reaching from the calf of the leg to the - heel. See “Heel of Achilles.” - -=Acknowledge the Corn.= An Americanism of extremely popular application. - Its origin is thus given by _The Pittsburg Commercial Advertiser_: - “Some years ago a raw customer from the upper country determined to - try his fortune at New Orleans. Accordingly he provided himself with - two flat boats--one laden with corn and the other with potatoes--and - down the river he went. The night after his arrival he went up town - to a gambling-house. Of course, he commenced betting, and, his luck - proving unfortunate, he lost. When his money was gone he bet his - ‘truck’; and the corn and potatoes followed the money. At last, when - evidently cleaned out, he returned to his boats at the wharf, where - the evidences of a new misfortune presented themselves. Through some - accident or other the flat boat containing the corn was sunk, and a - total loss. Consoling himself as well as he could he went to sleep, - dreaming of gamblers, potatoes, and corn. It was scarcely sunrise, - however, when he was disturbed by the ‘child of chance,’ who had - arrived to take possession of the two boats as his winnings. Slowly - awakening from his sleep, our hero, rubbing his eyes and looking the - man in the face, replied: ‘Stranger, I acknowledge the corn--take - ’em; but the potatoes you _can’t_ have, by thunder!’ Since that time - it has become customary for a man who frankly admits having been - hoaxed or beaten to say: ‘I acknowledge the corn.’” - -=Acropolis.= From the Greek _akros_, highest, and _polis_, city. A - citadel or fortress overlooking a city, as at Athens. - -=Acton.= Anglo-Saxon for “Oak Town,” built in the neighbourhood of a - great oak forest. - -=Actors’ Day.= A day--the third Thursday in October--set apart for a - performance in all the theatres of the United Kingdom in aid of the - various theatrical charities--actors being pledged to give their - services, dramatic authors to forego their fees, and managers to - devote the entire receipts to the good cause. - -=Adam Street.= After the Brothers Adam, who built the streets - collectively styled the “Adelphi.” - -=Adam’s Needle.= A plant so called from its long, pointed leaves. - Whether he and his spouse strung their aprons together by its means - is doubtful. - -=Adam’s Wine.= Drinking water, because Adam knew not the fermented juice - of the grape. - -=Ada Rehan.= This American actress is of Irish extraction, her name - being “Regan,” but on entering the dramatic profession she changed - it to “Rehan.” - -=Addison of the North.= The literary sobriquet of Henry Fielding, author - of “The Man of Feeling,” on account of the purity and elegance of - his style. - -=Addison Road.= After the great English essayist, who, having married - the Dowager Countess of Warwick, lived and died at Holland House, - Kensington. - -=Addled Parliament.= A memorable session during the reign of James I., - which, though it lasted from 5th April 1614 to 7th June 1615, passed - no new measure whatever. - -=Adelaide.= The capital of South Australia, an island, and also a noted - hostelry on Haverstock Hill, named in honour of the consort of - William IV. - -=Adelphi.= The collective name for several streets and a noble terrace - on the south side of the Strand, built by the Brothers Adam. - _Adelphi_ is Greek for “brothers.” - -=Adieu.= Originally a popular commendation to the care of God--_A Dieu!_ - -=Adonis.= The name given to a beautiful youth, and also to the anemone, - after Adonis, who was beloved by Venus. The flower is said to have - sprung from his blood when he was gored to death by a wild boar in - the chase. - -=Admirable Crichton.= The designation of one accomplished in all the - arts. “Admirable” Crichton was a noted Scottish prodigy of the - sixteenth century. - -=Admiral.= From the Arabic _emir-el-bahr_, Lord of the Sea. - -=Adrianople.= The city founded by the Emperor Hadrian. - -=Adriatic Sea.= After the Emperor Hadrian. - -=Adullamites.= Those who in 1866 seceded from the Reform Party. John - Bright said they had retired to the Cave of Adullam, there to gather - around them all the discontented. The allusion was to David’s flight - from Saul (1. Sam. xxii. 1, 2). - -=Ad valorem.= A Customs term for duties levied according to the stated - value of goods imported. The duty on various qualities of the same - goods may therefore differ. - -=Ædiles.= Civil officers of Rome who had the care of the streets and - _ædes_, or public buildings. - -=Æolian Harp.= A lute placed in the trees for the zephyrs to play upon, - so called after Æolus, the god of the winds. - -=Æsculapius.= The generic term for a physician, after the one of this - name mentioned by Homer, who was afterwards deified in the Greek - mythology. - -=Afghanistan.= Pursuant to the Persian _stan_, the country of the - Afghans. - -=Africa.= From the Phœnician _afer_, a black man, and the Sanskrit - _ac_, earth, land, country. This great continent is the natural home - of the blacks--the negroes of North America and the West Indian - Islands being descended from the slaves carried thither from the - west coast of Africa since the time of the original slave trader, - Sir John Hawkins, in 1562. - -=Agapæ.= Love feasts of the Romans, from the Greek _agape_, love. - -=Agapemonites.= An old term which has newly come into vogue in our day. - _Agapemone_ is Greek for “abode of love.” There was such a retreat - early in the nineteenth century at Charlynch, Somerset, the seat of - the Agapemonists or Agapemonites, followers of Henry James Prince, - an ex-Churchman. - -=Agar Street.= After William Agar, a wealthy lawyer, who resided in it. - See “Agar Town.” - -=Agar Town.= A now vanished district covered by St Pancras Railway - Station, the lease of which was acquired by William Agar in 1840 for - building purposes. - -=Agate.= From _Achates_, the Greek name of a Sicilian river, in the bed - of which this gem was found in abundance. - -=Agnostic.= From the Greek _a_, without, and _gnomi_, to know. One who - professes a belief only in what he knows or can discover for - himself. Literally a “know-nothing.” - -=Agony Column.= At first this newspaper column was confined to - distressful inquiries for missing relatives and friends. Latterly it - has become a tacit means of communication between persons who, for - various reasons, cannot exchange letters sent through the post. - -=Ahoy.= From _Aoi_, the battle cry of the Norsemen as they ran their - galleys upon the enemy. - -=Aigrette.= A French word, denoting the tall white plume of a heron. - From a feather head-dress the term has now come to be applied to an - ornament of gems worn by a lady on the crown of her head when in - full evening dress. - -=Air of a Gentleman.= In this sense the word “air” is synonymous with - “manner” and “deportment.” - -=Air Street.= When laid out and built upon in 1659 this was the most - westerly street in London. The allusion to fresh air is obvious. - -=Aix-la-Chapelle.= The _Aquis Granum_ of the Romans, famous for its - baths. Hence the German name Aachen, expressive of many springs. The - place is also noted for its many churches; the cathedral, which grew - out of the original chapel, contains the shrine of Charlemagne. - -=Alabama.= Indian for “here we rest.” - -=A la Guillotine.= The name given in France after the Revolution to the - fashion of wearing the hair very short, in memory of friends and - relatives who had fallen victims to the “Guillotine.” - -=A la Watteau.= The name given to a stage ballet in which the pretty - rustic costumes are after the style of those ever present in the - pastoral paintings of Antoine Watteau, the famous French artist. - Reproductions of his pictures frequently also figure on expensive - furniture--screens in particular. - -=Albania.= From the Latin _albus_, white, “the country of snowy mountain - ranges.” - -=Albany.= A commodious range of bachelor chambers in Piccadilly, at one - time the residence of Frederick, son of George III., created Duke of - York and Albany. - -=Albany Street.= After the Duke of York and Albany, _temp._ George III. - -=Albemarle Street.= In the West End street of this name resided - Christopher Monk, second Duke of Albemarle. The other, in - Clerkenwell, was built upon when General Monk, the first Duke of - Albemarle, was at the zenith of his popularity. - -=Albert.= After the Prince Consort, to whom the jewellers of Birmingham - presented a short gold watch-chain on the occasion of his visit to - that city in 1849. - -=Albert Gate.= After Prince Albert, the consort of Queen Victoria. The - Albert Bridge, Albert Memorial, and Royal Albert Hall likewise - perpetuate his name. - -=Albigensis.= Christian heretics of the twelfth century, drawn from the - Albigeois, whose capital was Albi, in Languedoc. - -=Albion.= The name given to Britain by the Romans on account of its - (_albus_) white cliffs, as approached from the sea. - -=Alcantara.= From the Arabic _Al-kantarah_, “the bridge,” referring to - the fine stone bridge built by Trajan. - -=Alcove.= From the Arabic _El-kauf_ through the Spanish _alcoba_, a - tent. - -=Aldermanbury.= The _bury_ or enclosed place in which stood the first - Guildhall prior to the reign of Henry IV. - -=Alderney.= In French Aurigny, from the Latin Aurinia, Isle of Light. - -=Aldersgate Street.= From the ancient city gate near which grew several - fine alder-trees. - -=Aldgate.= From the Auld Gate of Saxon London, the earliest of the city - gates. - -=Aldine Editions.= Early editions of the classics produced and given to - the world by Aldo Manuzio, the celebrated printer of Venice, in the - sixteenth century. - -=Aldwych.= An old name for a magnificent new thoroughfare which has - taken the place of quaint, out-of-date Wych Street, anciently - described as _Auld Wych_, leading as it did to the old village, - whose parish church was that of St Giles’s in the Fields. - -=Ale-stake.= The pole anciently set up in front of an alehouse. This was - at first surmounted by a bush, in imitation of a wine bush; later it - became exchanged for a sign. - -=Ale-wife.= An old name for the wife of a tavern keeper. - -=Alexandra Limp.= When our present Queen, as Princess of Wales, having - sustained an injury to her knee, was walking lame, it became the - fashion to imitate her gait. - -=Alexandria.= The city founded by Alexander the Great, B.C. 332. - -=Aleutian Islands.= From the Russian _aleut_, “bald rock.” - -=Alfreton.= Properly Alfred’s Town, identified with Alfred the Great. - -=Algiers.= From the Arabic _Al Jezair_, “the peninsula.” - -=Alhambra.= From the Arabic _Kal-at-al-hamra_, “the red castle.” - -=Alibi.= Latin for “elsewhere.” - -=A Little too Previous.= An Americanism for being in too great a hurry; - rushing at conclusions; saying or doing a thing without sufficient - warranty. - -=All Abroad.= Provincial for scattered wits; “all over the place.” - -=Allahabad.= Arabic and Persian for “City of God.” - -=All Bosh.= The introduction of the term “Bosh” into our vocabulary must - be accredited to James Morier, in whose Oriental romances, “The - Adventures of Haiji Baba of Ispahan” and “Ayesha,” it frequently - appears. _Bosh_ is Persian and Turkish, signifying rubbish, - nonsense, silly talk. - -=Alleghany.= A corruption of Alligewi, the name of an Indian tribe. - -=Allemanni.= Teutonic for “All Men”; expressing a confederacy. - -=All-fired.= An Americanism for “great”--_e.g._ “He came in an all-fired - hurry.” - -=All-hallowe’en.= The vigil of “All-hallows’ Day.” - -=All-hallows’-Barking.= This ancient church, dedicated to All the - Saints, belonged to the Abbey at Barking, Essex. - -=All-hallows’ Day.= The old-time designation of All Saints’ Day, from - Anglo-Saxon _halig_, holy. - -=All Moonshine.= As the light of the moon is reflected from the sun, so - an incredible statement received at second hand is said to be “all - moonshine.” - -=All my Eye and Betty Martin.= A corruption of _Ah mihi, beate Martine_ - (Woe to me, Blessed Martin), formerly used by beggars in Italy to - invoke their patron saint. The story goes that a sailor who wandered - into a church in that country, hearing these words, afterwards told - his companions that all he could make out from the service was: “All - my eye and Betty Martin.” - -=All Saints’ Bay.= Discovered by Amerigo Vespucci on the Feast of All - Saints, 1503. - -=All Saints’ Day.= The day set apart by the Church for the invocation of - the whole body of canonised saints. - -=All Serena.= From the Spanish _serena_, used by sentinels as a - countersign for “All’s well.” - -=All Souls’ College.= Founded at Oxford by Henry Chichely, Archbishop of - Canterbury, for the perpetual offering up of prayers on behalf of - the souls of those who fell in the wars of Henry V. in France. - -=All Souls’ Day.= The day of special prayers for the liberation of the - suffering souls in Purgatory. The French people make it a point of - duty to visit the graves of their deceased relatives on this day. - -=All the Go.= Originally a drapers’ phrase, meaning that a certain line - of goods is “going” fast and will soon be gone. A publisher, too, - thinks a book should “go” with the reading public. - -=All There.= An Americanism expressive of one who has all his wits about - him. - -=Almack’s.= Fashionable assembly-rooms in King Street, St James’s, - opened 12th February 1765 by MacCall, a Scotsman, who inverted his - name to remove all suspicion of his origin. The next proprietor - called them Willis’s Rooms, after himself. In 1890 they were - converted into a restaurant. - -=Almighty Dollar.= For this expression we are indebted to Washington - Irving, who in his sketch of “The Creole Village” (1837) spoke of it - as “the great object of universal devotion throughout our land.” - -=Alnwick.= The _wick_, or village, on the Alne. - -=Alpaca.= Cloth made from the wool of the Peruvian sheep of the same - name, akin to the llama. - -=Alps.= From the Latin _albus_, white, the mountains eternally capped - with snow. - -=Alsace.= Teutonic for “the other seat,” being the abode of their own - people west of the Rhine. With the Celtic suffix the name became - “Alsatia.” - -=Alsatia.= Anciently the district of Whitefriars, which, being a - sanctuary for law-breakers, received the name of the Rhine province - notorious as the common refuge of the disaffected. - -=Alter Ego.= Expresses the Latin for “my other self” or “double.” - -=Amadeus.= The family name of the House of Savoy, from its motto: “Love - God.” - -=Amain.= A nautical phrase meaning suddenly, at once--_e.g._ “Strike - amain,” “Lower amain.” - -=Amateur Casual.= The literary sobriquet of Mr James Greenwood, who in - 1866 spent a night in Lambeth Workhouse, and wrote his experiences - in _The Pall Mall Gazette_. Within the last few months he has - undertaken a similar up-to-date commission for _The Tribune_. - -=Amati.= A violin of rare excellence made by Andrea Amati of Cremona. - -=Amazon.= The Spaniards first called this river the Orellana, in honour - of their countryman who navigated it, but after hearing accounts of - the fighting women on its banks they gave it the name of the fabled - African tribe of warlike women who cut or burnt off the right breast - in order the better to steady the bow. The word Amazon is Greek, - from _a_, without, and _maza_, breast. - -=Ambrosian Chant.= Ascribed to St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan in the fourth - century. - -=Ambuscade.= From the Italian _imboscata_, concealed in a wood. - -=Amen.= Hebrew for “Yea,” “Truly,” “So be it.” - -=Amen Corner.= Old Stow tells us this lane was suddenly stopped up in - his time, so that people said “Amen” on finding they had to turn - back again. There may be something in this; but the greater - likelihood is that it was here where the monks finished the recital - of the Paternoster before they took up the Ave Maria while on their - way in solemn procession to St Paul’s at the great Church festivals. - -=America.= After Amerigo Vespucci, a Florentine adventurer, who chanced - to be at Seville when Columbus was preparing for his second voyage - to the West. With Ojeda, Vespucci embarked upon an independent - expedition. Subsequently he made further voyages in Portuguese - ships, and discovered the Bay of All Saints. His remaining days were - spent in the service of the King of Spain, preparing charts and - prescribed routes to the New World. Although these official - publications bore his signature, Vespucci never claimed to have - discovered the great Western Continent. A wonderful narrative of his - voyages, however, purporting to have been written by Vespucci, found - its way into the hands of Martin Waldseemuller of Freiburg, Baden. - This he translated, and caused it to be published by a bookseller at - St Die in Lorraine in 1507. In his preface to the work Waldseemuller - suggested that the newly discovered country should be called - America, after the author, who had visited it. Hence the name really - originated in Germany. - -=American Indians.= See “Indians.” - -=Americanism.= A coined word or phrase in the United States which, - freely repeated, tickles the popular ear and soon becomes engrafted - upon the national vocabulary. Many Americanisms are now as common in - England as in the land of their origin. The term may also be applied - to such American deviations from British custom, as the substitution - of “Depot” for Railway Station, “News-stand” for Bookstall, “On the - street” for “In the street,” etc. etc. - -=Amiens.= From the Latin _ambiens_, surrounded by water. Three branches - of the River Somme run through the city. - -=Ammonites.= The descendants of Ben-ammi, the son of Lot (Gen. xxix. - 38). - -=Among the Gods.= At the time when the expression first came into use, - the ceiling of Drury Lane Theatre was embellished with classical - deities disporting themselves among the clouds in an azure sky. - -=Among the Missing.= An Americanism for an absentee. When a person - wishes to be “out” to a visitor, he tells the servant that he - prefers to be “among the missing.” - -=Amorica.= The country of the Armorici, “dwellers on the sea.” - -=Ampthill Square.= From Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire, one of the seats of - the ground landlord, the Duke of Bedford. - -=Amsterdam.= The town built on the dam of the Amstel. - -=Amwell Street.= After one of the wells in Hertfordshire, whose waters - were drawn upon by Sir Hugh Myddleton for the New River. - -=Anabaptists.= Conformably to the Greek _ana_, twice, the designation of - the original Baptists, who, having been baptised at birth, went - through the ceremony a second time on reaching maturity. - -=Anacreon Moore.= The sobriquet of Thomas Moore, who translated the - _Odes_ of Anacreon, and constructed his own verses on the same - classic model. - -=Anatolia.= The Turkish and Greek description of Asia Minor, from - _anatolie_, east--_i.e._ of Constantinople. - -=Ancient.= Iago is described as Othello’s “ancient.” Even in - Shakespeare’s day this word was a corruption of _ensign_, or - standard-bearer. - -=Ancient Lights.= After having enjoyed the light of a window on his - premises for twenty years uninterruptedly a person may, subject to - displaying the notice “ancient lights,” prevent that light from - being intercepted by any other building. - -=Ancona.= From the Greek _agkon_, elbow, relative to its position on an - angle of the coast. - -=Andalusia.= Properly Vandalusia, the country of the Vandals. - -=Andes.= From the Peruvian _anta_, copper. - -=Andrea Ferrara.= A world-famous Italian sword blade made by Andrea of - the city of Ferrara. - -=Angel.= An inn sign, originally the “Angel and Salutation,” depicting - the visit of the angel who announced to the Virgin that she was to - be the mother of the Redeemer. - -=Angelic Doctor.= One of the sobriquets of St Thomas Aquinas, - universally regarded as “The Angel of the Schools.” He is said also - to have written much on the nature of angels. - -=Anglesea.= Properly Anglesey, expressing, from the point of view of the - Celtic inhabitants of Wales, the _ey_, or island of the Angles. - -=Anglesea Morris.= After William Morris, who caught this species of fish - off the Isle of Anglesea. - -=Angola.= Wool brought from Angola on the West Coast of Africa. - -=Angostura Bitters.= Prepared from the celebrated medicinal bark - discovered by Capuchin monks in the Venezuelan city Angostura, which - name signifies a strait. - -=Anguilla Island.= West Indian for “Little Snake,” from its shape. - -=Anisette.= A cordial prepared from aniseed. - -=Annunciator.= An Americanism for bell or gong. - -=Antarctic Ocean.= That situate _anti_, opposite to, the Arctic Ocean. - -=Antelope State.= Nebraska, from the number of antelopes found there. - -=Anthem.= A hymn sung by the entire congregation, as distinguished from - Antiphone, which term expresses a series of choral responses. - -=Antigua.= Expresses the Spanish for an ancient city. - -=Antwerp.= In French Anvers, the _Antverpia_ of the Romans. - -=Any.= An Americanism for “at all”--_e.g._ “It didn’t trouble me any.” - -=Apache State.= Arizona, the scene of many bloodthirsty encounters with - the wild Apaches. - -=Apennines.= The Pennine Alps, from the Celtic _ben_, which is the same - as the Welsh _pen_, summit or mountain head. - -=Apollinaris Water.= Brought from the famous mineral spring in the - valley of the Ahor of the Rhine province. The ruins of a temple of - Apollo gave the name to the spot. - -=Apothecary.= The old name for a dispenser of medicines. The Greek word - really implies a storehouse or depository; it is compounded out of - _apo_, to put away, and _theke_, chest, box. Differing from modern - chemists and druggists, licentiates of the Apothecaries’ Company may - visit the sick and prescribe for them, as well as make up - physicians’ prescriptions. - -=Appian Way.= The construction of this famous road leading from Rome to - Capua was commenced by Appius Claudius. - -=Apostle of Temperance.= Father Mathew, the inveterate enemy of tipplers - in the Emerald Isle of his time. - -=Apostles’ Creed.= The whole summary of Christian Faith, according to - the Apostles. - -=Apostolic Fathers.= Those early doctors of the Church who, living in - the first century after Christ, received their teaching from His - disciples, if they did not actually enjoy personal communion with - the Apostles. - -=Apricot.= From the Latin _præcoqus_, early ripe. - -=April.= The month in which the buds begin to shoot, from _aperio_, to - open. - -=April Fish.= The French equivalent of “April Fool,” since, like a fish, - the unsuspecting victim of a practical joke is easily caught. - -=April Fool.= The custom of April Fooling originated in France, which - country took the lead in shifting the New Year from what is now Lady - Day to the 1st of January. This occurred in 1564. From the earliest - periods of history people bestowed gifts upon their neighbours at - the New Year, but as the 25th of March so often fell in Holy Week, - even on Good Friday itself, the Church uniformly postponed the - celebration of the New Year until the octave--viz. the 1st of April. - When, therefore, New Year’s Day had been transferred to the 1st of - January, people paid mock visits to their friends on the 1st of - April with the object of fooling them into the belief that matters - remained as they were. The like custom was introduced into England - on the alteration of our calendar in 1762. April Fools’ Day is - supposed to be over at twelve o’clock, since the New Year’s - visitation and bestowal of gifts always took place before noon. - -=Apsley House.= The residence of the Duke of Wellington, built by Henry - Apsley, Lord Chancellor, afterwards Lord Bathurst. - -=Aquarians.= A Christian sect of the fourth century who substituted - water for wine in the Communion. - -=Aqua Tofana.= A colourless poison invented by a Sicilian woman named - Tofana towards the close of the seventeenth century. So extensive - was her secret traffic with this liquid among young married women - who were anxious to rid themselves of their husbands that when, at a - great age, Tofana was dragged from the convent where she had taken - refuge, and executed, she admitted to having caused the deaths of - 600 persons. - -=Arabia.= The country of the Arabs, or “men of the desert.” - -=Arbor Day.= A day set apart in America for planting trees. - -=Arbroath.= Originally Aberbrothockwick, the village at the mouth of the - Brothock. - -=Arcadian.= An ideal farmer or a rustic scene; after the Arcadians, who - were essentially a pastoral race. - -=Arcadian Poetry.= Pastoral poetry, in allusion to the Arcadians. - -=Archangel.= A town in Russia which derived its name from a great - monastery of St Michael the Archangel. - -=Archer-fish.= A fish endowed with the power of shooting water at - insects, which thus become an easy prey. - -=Archway Road.= Leads to the modern successor of the famous Highgate - Archway opened in 1813. - -=Arctic Ocean.= From the Greek _arktos_, bear, having reference to the - great northern constellation. - -=Ardennes.= The great forest on the heights. - -=Argand Lamp.= After its inventor, Aimé Argand. - -=Argentine Republic.= The modern name of Argentina, through which runs - the La Plata, or River of Silver. While preserving their original - designation of the river, the Spaniards Latinised that of the - country. - -=Argosy.= A vessel laden with rich merchandise, from the _Argo_, in - which Jason and his fellow-adventurers, the Argonauts, sailed to - Colchis in quest of the Golden Fleece, B.C. 1263. - -=Argyll.= From _Garra Ghaidhael_, the country of the West Gaels. - -=Argyll Street.= From the old town mansion of the Dukes of Argyll. The - celebrated Argyll Rooms, now the Trocadero Restaurant, were a far - cry from the other extreme of Regent Street. - -=Argus-eyed.= After the fabled Argus, who had a hundred eyes. - -=Arians.= The followers of the first Christian heretic, Arius, a - presbyter of the Church of Alexandria in the fourth century. - -=Arizona.= Indian for “sand-hills.” - -=Arkansas.= The same as Kansas, “smoky water,” with the French suffix - _arc_, a bow. - -=Arkansas Toothpick.= The Far-West designation of a “Bowie Knife,” the - blade of which, as used by the people of this state, shuts up into - the handle. - -=Arlington Street.= From the town mansion of Henry Bennett, Earl of - Arlington. - -=Arminians.= The anti-Calvinists of Holland, led by James Harmensen - under the Latinised name of Jacobus Arminius. - -=Arras.= Mediæval tapestry, for the production of which the town of - Arras, in the French Netherlands, was famous. - -=Arrowroot.= So called because the Indians of tropical America regarded - the root of the plant as efficacious against arrow wounds. - -=Artemus Ward.= The pseudonym of Charles Farrar Browne, the American - humorous lecturer. This was, however, the actual name of an - eccentric showman whom he had encountered on his travels. - -=Artesian Well.= From Artois, where such wells were first bored. - -=Arthur’s Seat.= Said to have derived its name from King Arthur, but how - his association with the city of Edinburgh arose no man can tell. - -=Artichoke.= From the Arabic _ardischauki_, earth thorn. - -=Artillery Lane.= Stands on part of the site of the practising ground of - the London Artillery Company, _temp._ Henry VIII., and later of the - Tower Gunners, when all the land towards the north hereabouts was - open fields. - -=Arundel.= The dale of the River Arun. - -=Arundel Street.= That in the Strand from the town mansion and extensive - grounds of the Howards, Dukes of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel and - Surrey. That in the Haymarket after the ground landlord, Lord - Arundel of Wardour. - -=Ascension Island.= Discovered by the Portuguese on the Feast of the - Ascension, 1501. - -=As Cross as Two Sticks.= Two sticks held together in the centre like - the letter X form a cross. - -=Ashby-de-la-Zouch.= The home among the ash-trees of the De La Zouches. - _By_ expresses the Anglo-Saxon for a dwelling. - -=Asia.= From the Sanskrit _Ushas_, “land of the dawn.” By the Western - nations Asiatics were anciently styled “the people of the sun.” - -=Asia Minor.= Lesser Asia, called by the Turks and Greeks “Anatolia.” - -=Aspasia.= A flower named after Aspasia of Miletus, the mistress of - Pericles. - -=As Poor as a Church Mouse.= A church is one of the very few buildings - that contain neither kitchen nor larder. Church mice, therefore, - have a hungry time of it. - -=As Rich as a Jew.= The Jews in England were the first usurers, bankers, - and bill-brokers. They only had the command of ready money, the - wealth of the nobility consisting in the possession of broad lands. - -=Assumptionists.= A modern religious Order, founded fifty years ago, - whose full title is the Augustinians of the Assumption. - -=Astoria.= From the fur-trading station established in 1811 by John - Jacob Astor of New York. - -=Astrakhan.= Fur brought from Astrakhan, which name signifies the - country or district ruled by a khan of the Tartar or Mogul Empire. - -=Asturia.= From the Basque _asta_, rock, and _ura_, water, denoting a - region of mountains and estuaries. - -=Atlantic Ocean.= Called by the Greeks _Atlantikos pelagos_, from the - Isle of Atlantis, imagined by Homer and Plato to be beyond the - Strait of Gibraltar. - -=Athanasian Creed.= Opinions affecting the doctrine of the Trinity, - ascribed to St Athanasius of Alexandria, adopted and formally - compiled by St Hilary, Bishop of Arles in the fifth century. - -=Athens.= From the Temple of Athene, or Minerva, the tutelary goddess of - the city. - -=Athens of America.= The city of Boston, considered the chief seat of - learning in the New World. - -=Athens of the South.= Nashville, Tennessee, on account of the number of - its scholastic institutions. - -=Athelney.= The “Royal Island” or “Isle of the Nobles,” where Alfred the - Great founded a Benedictine monastery. - -=Atlas.= Since the publication of “Mercator’s Projections,” with the - figure of Atlas bearing the globe on his shoulders as a - frontispiece, in 1560, all books of maps have received this name. - -=At Loggerheads.= See “Loggerhead.” - -=Auburn.= From the Anglo-Saxon Auld Bourne, old bourn, or stream. - -=Auckland.= The capital of New Zealand, named in honour of Lord - Auckland, a famous politician of his time, who became - Governor-General of India, and after his retirement was elected - President of the Asiatic Society. His ancestor, the first Lord - Auckland, took his title from Auckland in Durham, which name was - originally Oakland. - -=Audley Street= (North and South). Perpetuate the memory of Hugh Audley, - a barrister of the Middle Temple, whose landed estates hereabouts - were computed at his death in 1662 to be worth a million of money. - -=Augsburg Confession.= The Lutheran Confession of faith drawn up by - Melancthon, and presented by Martin Luther to Charles V. during the - sitting of the German Diet at Augsburg in 1530. - -=August.= After Augustus Cæsar, who regarded this as his lucky month. - Its original name was _Sextilis_, the sixth month of the Roman year. - -=Augustan Age.= The best literary age of any country, because Rome in - the time of Augustus Cæsar produced the finest examples of Latin - literature. - -=Augustin Friars.= The religious Order said to have been founded by St - Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury. See “Austin Friars.” - -=Auld Reekie.= The name given to the old part of Edinburgh, from the - cloud of reek or smoke which usually caps it. - -=Austin Friars.= Part of the site of the priory of the Augustin Friars, - whose church still remains. - -=Australasia.= Southern Asia. - -=Australia.= From the Latin _Australis_, southern. - -=Austria.= From _Oesterreich_, or Eastern Empire, as distinguished from - the Western Empire founded by Charlemagne. - -=Autocar.= The name first given to a motor car; incorrectly, however, - since so far from being automatic such a one, like all mechanically - propelled vehicles, requires a guiding intelligence. - -=Autun.= The _Augustodunum_, or Town of Augustus, of the Romans. - -=Auvergne.= From the _Auverni_, who overran it in the time of the - Cæsars. - -=Avoca.= Gaelic for “the meeting of the waters.” - -=Ave Maria Lane.= Where the monks of old chanted the “Ave Maria” on - their way to St Paul’s. See “Amen Corner.” - -=Avon.= From _Arfon_, the Celtic for river or stream, which enters into - many place-names. - -=Axminster.= The monastery town on the Axe. - -=Ayah.= Hindustani for waiting-woman or nurse. - -=Aye-Vye.= An animal found in Madagascar, so called from its cry. - -=Aylesbury Street.= From the town house and garden of the Earls of - Aylesbury. - -=Azores.= The Portuguese named this group of islands Acores, the plural - of _acor_, hawk, on account of the great number of hawks there. - -=Azov.= A Russianised form of Asak, the name given to it by the Tartars. - - - B - - -=Bacchanalia.= Roman festivals in honour of Bacchus, the god of wine. - -=Bacchus Verses.= Verses written in praise or dispraise of Bacchus, and - affixed to the doors of the College at Eton on “Collop Monday.” - -=Bachelor Girl.= One who lives in her own rooms, belongs to a woman’s - club, and considers herself superior to what is called home - influence--a distinctly modern creation. - -=Backgammon.= From the Saxon _Bac_ and _gamen_, “back-game,” because the - pieces have at times to go back and be moved up afresh. - -=Back a Man.= To have full confidence in him. From backing or endorsing - a bill on another’s behalf. - -=Badajoz.= Called by the Moors _Beledaix_, “Land of Health.” - -=Bad Egg.= A man who is commercially or morally unsound, and therefore - fit only to be shunned. - -=Badger State.= Wisconsin, from the name given to the early miners, who - made for themselves winter habitations in the earth, like a badger. - -=Badminton.= A drink of spiced claret, and also a game of tennis played - with shuttlecocks instead of balls, introduced by the Duke of - Beaufort at Badminton, his country seat. - -=Baffin’s Bay.= After William Baffin, the pilot of an expedition sent - out to explore this region in 1616. - -=Bagatelle.= From the Italian _bagetella_, a conjurer’s trick. - -=Baggage.= A term often applied to a woman, because the wives of - soldiers taken on foreign service go with the stores and baggage - generally. In the United States this word is an equivalent for the - English “Luggage.” - -=Bagman.= The old name for a commercial traveller, who carried his - samples in a bag. - -=Bag o’ Nails.= A popular corruption of the ancient inn sign, “The - Bachannals,” referring to Pan and the Satyrs. - -=Bag o’ Tricks.= In allusion to the large bag in which an itinerant - conjurer carried his tricks. - -=Bakers’ Dozen.= In olden times, when bread was sold in open market - instead of shops, women took up the trade of selling bread from door - to door. They received from the bakers thirteen loaves for the price - of twelve, the odd one constituting their profit. - -=Baker Street.= After Sir Edward Baker, a great friend of the Portmans - of Dorsetshire, the ground landlords. - -=Bakshish.= A Persian word for “gratuity.” - -=Balaklava.= When settled by the Genoese, they gave it the name of - _Bella-chiava_, or “Fair Haven.” - -=Balearic Islands.= From the Greek _ballein_, to throw, expresses the - Island of Slingers. - -=Ball.= A dancing party received this name primarily from the curious - ancient Ball Play in Church by the Dean and choir boys of Naples - during the “Feast of Fools” at Easter. While singing an antiphon the - boys caught the ball thrown by the Dean as they danced around him. - At private dancing parties the dancers always threw a ball at one - another as, to the sound of their own voices, they whirled around in - sets, the pastime consisting in loosening hands in time to catch it. - Afterwards the ball was discarded, but the dance time received the - name of a Ballad, from the Latin _ballare_, to dance. - -=Ballad.= See “Ball.” - -=Ballet.= Expresses the French diminutive of _bal_, a dance. See “Ball.” - -=Ball’s Pond.= From an inn, the “Salutation,” kept by John Ball, whose - dog and duck sports in a large pond attracted a great concourse of - visitors in former days. - -=Balsover Street.= From Balsover, Derbyshire, the seat of the Fitzroys, - Dukes of Grafton, the ground landlords. - -=Baltic Sea.= A sea of belts or straits. _Bält_ is Norse for strait. - -=Baltimore.= After Lord Baltimore, the founder of the neighbouring state - of Maryland. - -=Baltimore Bird.= Though found almost everywhere in the United States, - it is said to have received its name from the correspondence of its - colours with those distinguished in the arms of Lord Baltimore, the - Governor of Maryland. - -=Bancroft Road.= After Francis Bancroft, the founder of the Drapers’ - Almshouses, in this road. - -=Bandana.= The Hindu term for silk goods generally, but now applied to - cotton pocket-handkerchiefs with white or yellow spots on a blue - ground. - -=Bandy Words with You.= From the old game of Bandy, in which the ball - was struck or bandied to opposite sides. - -=Bangor.= From _Ban-choir_, “The White Choir” of the Abbey, founded by - St Cungall in the sixth century. - -=Banjo.= Properly Bandore, from the Greek _Pandoura_, a stringed - instrument named after Pan. The word was introduced into North - America from Europe. - -=Banker Poet.= Samuel Rogers, author of “The Pleasures of Memory,” who - was a banker all his life. - -=Banshee.= From the Gaelic _bean sidhe_, woman fairy. - -=Bantam.= A species of fowl said to have been introduced to Europe from - Bantam in Java. - -=Banting.= After William Banting, a London cabinetmaker, who in 1863 - reduced his superfluous fat by a dietic system peculiarly his own. - -=Bar.= In old days, when a counter did not obtain, and drinking vessels - had to be set down on the benches or barrel ends, a bar separated - the frequenters of a tavern from the drawers or tapsters. Similarly, - at the Courts of Law the _Bar_ was a rail behind which a barrister - or counsel had to plead his client’s cause. - -=Barbadoes.= From the streamers of moss, resembling a beard, suspended - from the tree branches. - -=Barbarians.= The name universally applied by the Romans to wandering or - warlike tribes who were unkempt and unshaven. - -=Barbarossa.= The sobriquet of Frederick the First of Germany, on - account of his red beard. - -=Barbary.= The land of the Berbers, the Arabic description of the people - of this region prior to the Saracen Conquest. - -=Barber.= From the Latin _barba_, a beard. - -=Barber-surgeons.= Hairdressers who, down to the sixteenth century, also - practised “cupping” or blood-letting, a relic of which is the modern - Barber’s Pole. The red and white stripes around the pole denoted the - bandages, while in place of the gilt knob at the end there - originally hung the basin affixed under the chin of the patient - operated upon. - -=Barbican.= That portion of the Roman wall round the city of London - where there must have been a watch-tower looking towards the north. - _Barbacana_ is a Persian word for a watch-tower in connection with a - fortified place. - -=Barcelona.= Anciently Barcino, after Hamilcar Barca, the father of - Hannibal, who refounded the city. - -=Baring Island.= Named by Captain Penny after Sir Francis Baring, first - Lord of the Admiralty. - -=Barley Mow.= An old sign for a tavern in connection with the Mow or - house where the barley was stored for brewing. _Mowe_ is Saxon for - “heap.” - -=Barmecide’s Feast.= An illusory banquet. From the story of the Barber’s - Sixth Brother, in “The Arabian Nights.” Barmecide invited a starving - wretch to a feast, but gave him nothing to eat. - -=Barnsbury.= Anciently Berners’ Bury, the manor of which was held by - Lady Berners, abbess of St Albans. - -=Barnstormer.= A strolling actor. In the old days, away from the regular - circuits, there were no provincial theatres or halls licensed for - stage plays whatever. The consequence was a company of strolling - players obtained permission to perform in a barn. Edmund Kean - admitted, when in the zenith of his fame, that he had gained his - experience “by barnstorming.” - -=Barrister.= See “Bar.” - -=Barrow Road.= This, with Barrow Hill Place, marks the site of a barrow - or sepulchral mound of the Britons and Romans slain in battle. - -=Barry Cornwall.= The anagrammatic pseudonym of Bryan Waller Procter, - the poet. - -=Bar Tender.= An Americanism for barman or barkeeper. - -=Bartholomew Close.= The site of the ancient cloisters of St - Bartholomew’s Priory, connected with the neighbouring church, which - is the oldest in London. - -=Bartholomew Fair.= The famous fair which for centuries survived the - mediæval mart that had given rise to it in the neighbouring street, - still known as Cloth Fair. It was held on the Feast of St - Bartholomew. - -=Barton Street.= A street in Westminster built by Barton Booth, the - eminent actor of Drury Lane Theatre. - -=Bashaw.= Properly “Pashaw.” See “Pasha.” - -=Basinghall Street.= From the mansion and grounds of the Basings, whose - ancestor, Solomon Basing, was Lord Mayor of London in 1216. - -=Bassano.= The better known, indeed to most people the only proper, name - of the famous Italian artist, Jacopa da Ponte, who signed all his - pictures “Il Bassano,” having been born at Bassano in the state of - Venice. - -=Bass’s Straits.= Discovered by Matthew Flinders. These straits were - named by him after a young ship’s surgeon, who, with a crew of only - six men, in a small vessel, accompanied him on the expedition. - -=Bath Chair.= First introduced at Bath, the great health resort of a - bygone day. - -=Bath Street.= From a Bagnio, or Turkish Bath, established here in the - seventeenth century. - -=Battersea.= Anciently Patricesy, or St Peter’s-ey, the manor belonging - to the abbey of St Peter’s, Westminster. The suffix _ey_ implied not - only an island, but also a creek. - -=Battle-born State.= Nevada, because admitted into the American Union - during the Civil War. - -=Battle Bridge Road.= In this neighbourhood the _Iceni_, under Boadicea, - sustained their total defeat at the hands of the Romans, A.D. 61. - -=Battle of all the Nations.= The battle of Leipsic, 16th to 18th October - 1813, so called because it effected the deliverance of Europe from - the domination of Napoleon Buonaparte. - -=Battle of the Giants.= That of Marignano, in which 1200 Swiss Guards, - allies of the Milanese, were defeated, 13th September 1515. - -=Battle of the Herrings.= From the sortie of the Orleaners to cut off a - convoy of salted herrings on its way to the English, besieging their - city, 12th February 1429. - -=Battle of the Standard.= From the high crucifix borne as a standard on - a waggon by the English at Northallerton, 29th August 1138. - -=Battle of the Spurs.= That of Guinnegate, 16th August 1513, when the - French were utterly routed in consequence of a panic; they used - their spurs instead of their weapons of defence. - -=Battle of the Spurs of Gold.= From the enormous number of gold spurs - picked up on the field after the defeat of the French knights at - Courtray, 11th July 1302. - -=Bavaria.= The country of the _Boii_, anciently styled Boiaria. - -=Baynard’s Castle.= See “Bayswater.” - -=Bayonet.= Not from the town of Bayonne, but because a Basque regiment - in the district of Bayonnetta in 1647, surprised by the Spaniards, - stuck their knives into the muzzles of their muskets, and, charging, - drove off the enemy with great slaughter. - -=Bay State.= Massachusetts, from the original denomination of this - colony in the New England Commonwealth--viz. Massachusetts Bay. - -=Bayon State.= Mississippi, from the French _bayon_, watercourse, - touching its great river. - -=Bayswater.= Originally described as “Baynard’s Watering,” being a manor - built by Ralph Baynard, one of the favourites of William the - Conqueror, the owner of Baynard’s Castle, in what is now Thames - Street, destroyed in the Great Fire of London. - -=B. D. V.= A tobacco advertisement which stands for “Best Dark - Virginia.” - -=Beak.= The slang term for a magistrate, on account of the _beag_ or - gold collar that he wears. - -=Beak Street.= This name has a sportive reference to the magistrate at - the neighbouring police court in Great Marlborough Street. - -=Beanfeast.= From the Bean-goose (so called from the similarity of the - nail of its bill to a bean) which was formerly the invariable dinner - dish. - -=Bear.= Wherever this enters into the name of a tavern sign (with the - single exception of that of “The Bear and Ragged Staff”) it denotes - a house that had originally a bear garden attached to it. - -=Bear and Ragged Staff.= A common inn sign in Warwickshire, from the - heraldic device of Warwick the King Maker. - -=Bear Garden.= This name at the corner of Sumner Street, Southwark, - recalls the old Paris Garden, a famous bear-baiting establishment - founded by Robert de Paris as far back in English history as the - reign of Richard I. A “Bear Garden” is in our time synonymous with a - place of resort for roughs or rowdies. - -=Bear State.= Arkansas, from the Western description of the character of - its people. “Does Arkansas abound with bears that it should be - called the Bear State?” a Western man was once asked. “Yes, it - does,” was the reply; “for I never knew a man from that state but he - was a _bar_, and, in fact, the people are all _barish_ to a degree.” - -=Bearward.= The custodian of the bear at public and private bear-baiting - gardens. Most English towns anciently retained a bearward. See - “Congleton Bears.” - -=Beats a Philadelphia Lawyer.= An American expression implying that the - lawyers of Philadelphia are noted for shrewdness and learning. - -=Beauchamp Tower.= After Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, whom - Richard II. caused to be imprisoned here for inciting the barons to - remove the King’s favourite, Sir Simon de Burley. - -=Beauclerc.= The surname of Henry I., on account of his accomplishments - in an age when learning was rare. - -=Beckenham.= The home in the vicinity of becks or brooks. The Saxon - terminal _en_ expresses the plural. - -=Bedad.= An Irishman’s exclamation, derived from the English “Begad” or - “By Gad.” - -=Bedford.= From the Anglo-Saxon _Bedican-ford_, the protected ford over - the Ouse. - -=Bedfordbury.= The _bury_ or enclosed land of the Duke of Bedford. - Bedford Street and Bedford Square likewise point to the great ground - landlord. - -=Bedlam.= Short for Bethlehem Hospital, a “Lazar House” in South London - which in 1815 was converted into an asylum for lunatics. See - “Bethlehem.” - -=Bedouins.= From the Arabic _badawiy_, “dwellers in the desert.” - -=Beech Street.= Said to have been the property of Nicholas de la Beech, - Lieutenant of the Tower, _temp._ Edward III. - -=Beefeaters.= Although it has been proved that the word _Buffetier_ - cannot be met with in any old book, the Yeomen of the Guard - instituted by Henry VII. certainly waited at the royal table, and - since this monarch was largely imbued with French manners, his - personal attendants must after all have received their nickname from - the _Buffet_, or sideboard. - -=Beer Bible.= From the words “the beer” in place of “strong drink” - (Isaiah xxiv. 9). - -=Before the Mast.= The for’ard part of a ship, where, in the forecastle, - the sailors have their quarters. Hence a common seaman is said to - “Serve before the Mast.” - -=Begad.= See “By Gad.” - -=Begorra.= An Irish form of the English corrupted oath Begad or “By - Gad.” - -=Beguines.= An order of nuns in France, from the French _beguin_, a - linen cap. These nuns are distinguished by their peculiar head - covering. - -=Begum.= A lady of high rank in the East, a princess in India, or the - wife of a Turkish _beg_ (generally corrupted into _bey_) or - Governor. - -=Beldame.= From the French _Belle-dame_, “fine lady.” The meaning has - now been corrupted from a lady entitled to the utmost respect on - account of age or position to an ugly old woman. - -=Belgium.= From the _Belgæ_, the name given by Cæsar to the warlike - people who overran this portion of Gaul. - -=Belgravia.= The fashionable district of which Belgrave Square is the - centre, after one of the titles of the Duke of Westminster, the - ground landlord. - -=Bell.= A tavern sign, originally denoting a haunt for the lovers of - sport, where a silver bell constituted the prize. - -=Bell, Book, and Candle.= The instruments used by the Church in carrying - out a sentence of excommunication. The bell apprised all good - Christians of what was about to take place, the dread sentence was - read out of the book, while the blowing out of the candle symbolised - the spiritual darkness in which the excommunicated person would in - future abide. - -=Belleisle.= French for “beautiful isle.” - -=Beloochistan.= Pursuant to the Persian _stan_, the country of the - Belooches. - -=Below Par.= Not up to the mark in point of health. The allusion is to - Government stock not worth its nominal £100 value. - -=Belvedere.= A public-house sign, derived from the Italian word for a - pavilion built on a house-top commanding a fine prospect. - -=Ben.= Theatrical slang for “benefit.” - -=Bench.= The primitive seat of judges and magistrates before the modern - throne-like chair was introduced. Barristers of the Inns of Court - are styled “Benchers” from the wooden seats formerly provided for - them. - -=Benedict.= A confirmed bachelor, after St Benedict, who unceasingly - preached the virtues of celibacy. Also a newly-married man who, like - Benedick in _Much ado about Nothing_, after having long forsworn - marriage, at length succumbed to the grand passion. - -=Benedictine.= A liqueur made at the Benedictine monastery at Fécamp. - -=Benedictines.= The monastic Order founded by St Benedict in the sixth - century. - -=Bengal Tigers.= The Leicester Regiment, which as the old 17th Foot - rendered good service in India at the commencement of the last - century, and received a royal tiger as a badge. - -=Bennett Street.= From the town mansion of Henry Bennett, Earl of - Arlington. - -=Bentinck Street.= After William Bentinck, second Duke of Portland, the - ground landlord. - -=Bergen.= From the Danish _bierg_, mountain, the port nestling at the - foot of high hills. - -=Berkeley Square.= The whole district hereabouts comprised the land of - Lord Berkeley of Stratton, one of the officers of Charles I. - -=Berkeley Street= (Upper and Lower). After Edward Berkeley Portman, the - ground landlord. There is a Berkeley Street too in Clerkenwell, on - the site of which stood the residence of Sir Maurice Berkeley, the - standard-bearer of Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Elizabeth. - -=Berkshire.= The _Beoric_, or “forest shire,” of the Saxons. - -=Berlin.= From the Slavonic _Berle_, denoting its situation in the midst - of a sandy plain. - -=Bermondsey.= The _ey_, or creek land, belonging to the Saxon lord - Beomund. - -=Bermuda Islands.= After Juan Bermudas, who discovered them in 1522. - -=Bernardine Hospice.= This noble institution on the Alpine heights was - not founded by St Bernard, nor has it ever been served by the monks - of his Order. It takes its name from Bernard de Menthon, a wealthy - Savoyard, who in 962 established this house of refuge for the - pilgrims crossing the Alps on their way to the Holy Land. The monks - who serve the Hospice are Augustinians. - -=Bernardines.= The monastic Order founded by St Bernard in 1115. - -=Berne.= From the German _Bären_, which expresses the plural for bear. - The figure of a bear is conspicuous on the public buildings, - fountains, etc. - -=Berners Street.= After Lady Berners, the original owner of the land - hereabouts. - -=Best Man at a Wedding.= A survival of feudal times, when the particular - friends of the “Bridegroom” undertook to frustrate the designs of a - rival sworn to carry off the bride before the nuptials could take - place. In Sweden weddings formerly took place under cover of night. - Behind the high altar of the ancient church at Husaby, in Gothland, - a collection of long lances, with sockets for torches, may yet be - seen. These were served out to the groomsmen on such occasions, both - for defence and illumination. These groomsmen were the bravest and - best who could be found to volunteer their services. - -=Bethlehem.= Hebrew for “house of bread.” Hence Bethlehem Hospital, the - original name for a lazar or poor house. - -=Bethnal Green.= Anciently Bednal Green, but corrupted from the family - name of the Bathons, who resided here, _temp._ Edward I. - -=Bevis Marks.= Properly Bury’s Marks, from the posts to define the - limits of the ground belonging to the town house of the Abbots of - Bury. - -=Bideford Postman.= The sobriquet of Edward Capern, the poet, who was a - letter-carrier at Bideford in Devon. - -=Big Ben.= After Sir Benjamin Hall, Bart., M.P., one of the designers of - the New Houses of Parliament, and Chief Commissioner of Works. - -=Big Bend State.= Tennessee, which name expresses the Indian for “river - of the great bend.” - -=Bilbo.= The old name for a Spanish sword blade made at Bilboa. - -=Bilboes.= The irons with which mutinous sailors are manacled together. - From Bilboa, Spain, their place of origin. - -=Bilker.= A corruption of _Balker_, one who balks or outwits another. In - our day one hears mostly of the “Cab bilker”; formerly the “Tavern - bilker” was an equally reprehensible character. - -=Billingsgate.= After Belin, a Saxon lord, who had a residence beside - the old Roman water-gate on the north bank of the Thames. - -=Billiter Street.= A corruption of Belzettar, the name of the first - builder on the land hereabouts. - -=Billycock.= The slang term for a “bowler” hat always worn by William - Coke at the Holkham shooting parties. - -=Bingham’s Dandies.= One of the nicknames of the 17th Lancers, after - their Colonel and their smart uniforms. - -=Bioscope.= Moving or living pictures thrown on a screen, so called from - the Greek _bios_, life, and _skopein_, to view. - -=Birchin Lane.= Properly Birchover Lane, after the name of the builder. - -=Birdcage Walk.= From the Royal Aviary of the Restoration, located along - the south wall of St James’s Park. - -=Bird of Passage.= A hotel phrase applied to a guest who arrives at - stated seasons. - -=Bird’s Eye Tobacco.= So called from the oval shape of the stalks when - cut up with the leaf. - -=Birkbeck Institute.= The premier Mechanics’ Institute, established by - Dr Birkbeck in 1824. - -=Birmingham.= Called Bremenium by the Romans and Birmingeham in Domesday - Book. This being so, it cannot be corrupted from “Broom-place town,” - as some authors say. - -=Birrell.= To write, speak, or do anything after the manner of Mr - Augustine Birrell, M.P., President of the Board of Education. - -=Birrelligion.= A word coined by Dr Casterelli, Roman Catholic Bishop of - Salford, who, speaking on Mr Birrell’s New Education Bill, said it - was not one exactly of irreligion, but of Birrelligion, acceptable - to no party or denomination. - -=Bishopsgate Street.= From the ancient city gate rebuilt by Bishop - Irkenwald, the son of King Offa, and repaired by Bishop William in - the time of the Conqueror. - -=Biz.= Theatrical slang for “business” or stage by-play. - -=Black Brunswickers.= A celebrated regiment of seven hundred volunteers - raised in Bohemia in 1809 by Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick, - who took up arms against Napoleon because the latter had obstructed - his succession to his father’s dukedom. Their uniform was black, in - token of mourning for the deceased Duke. Finding they could not bear - against the power of France, they enlisted in the English service. - Thus it came to pass that the Black Brunswickers fought at the - Battle of Waterloo, where their gallant leader met his death. - Afterwards they were heard of no more. - -=Black Bull.= An inn sign derived from the heraldic device of the House - of Clare. - -=Black Country.= The name given to the great coalfield in the Midlands. - It extends from Birmingham to Wolverhampton on one side and from - Lyle Waste to West Bromwich on the other. - -=Black Friars.= The Order of the Dominicans, so called from their - habits. In the district of Blackfriars stood the great monastery. - -=Blackguards.= A derisive nickname given originally to the scullions of - the Royal Household, touching their grimy appearance, as contrasted - with the spruceness of the Guards of Honour. - -=Blackheath.= A corruption of Bleak Heath. - -=Blackleg.= After sporting men of a low type, who invariably wore black - gaiters or top-boots. - -=Blackmail.= Originally a tax or tribute paid to robbers or freebooters - as a compromise for protection. “Black” implied the Gaelic for - security, while _mal_ was Anglo-Saxon for tribute. - -=Black Maria.= Slang for a prison van. Many years ago a negress of - powerful build and strength, named Maria Lee, kept a sailor’s - lodging-house at Boston. Everyone dreaded her, and she so frequently - assisted the police of that day to pin down a refractory prisoner - before he could be manacled that “Send for Black Maria!” became - quite a common exclamation among them. Hence the earliest vehicles - for the conveyance of offenders against law and order, especially - since they were painted black, were named after her. - -=Black Museum.= The collection of criminal relics preserved at the - headquarters of the Metropolitan Police at New Scotland Yard. - -=Black Prince.= The sobriquet of Edward, Prince of Wales, son of Edward - III., not because he wore black armour, as is generally supposed, - but, according to Froissart, “by terror of his arms,” and again, - Strutt, “for his martial deeds.” - -=Black Sea.= From its many black rocks, which render navigation - dangerous. - -=Blackwall.= A corruption of Bleak Wall. - -=Black Watch.= Soldiers first appointed to watch the Highlands of - Scotland. They received the name from their black tartans. - -=Blandford Square.= From Blandford, Dorsetshire, near Bryanstone, the - seat of the great ground landlord, Viscount Portman. - -=Blankets.= First made by the Brothers Blanket, of Bristol, in 1337. - -=Blarney.= Suave speeches intended only to gain time. When Cormack - Macarthy was besieged by the English in Blarney Castle in 1662 he - concluded an armistice, with the object of surrendering after a few - days; but instead of doing so he sent out soft, evasive speeches, - until Lord Carew and his soldiers were forced to admit that they had - been duped. Hence the expression: “None of your Blarney.” - -=Blenheim Oranges.= First cultivated at Blenheim, the seat of the Duke - of Marlborough. - -=Blenheim Street.= In compliment to the Duke of Marlborough after the - battle of Blenheim. - -=Blind Man’s Buff.= So called because if any one of those taking part in - the game allowed the blind man to buff up against him he had to be - blindfolded in his place. - -=Blood.= See “Penny Blood.” - -=Bloody.= The addiction of the vulgar to the use of this adjective on - all occasions has made it low and reprehensible. Anciently, however, - it was employed in a most reverential sense, relative to the Blood - of Christ--_e.g._ the “Bloody Sacrifice of the Mass.” - -=Bloody Assizes.= Those held by Judge Jeffreys in 1685 for the - punishment of all who had taken part in the Duke of Monmouth’s - rebellion. Three hundred persons were executed, and more than a - thousand transported to the plantations. - -=Bloody Butcher.= The sobriquet of the Duke of Cumberland, son of George - II., owing to his wholesale slaughter of the adherents of Prince - Charles Stuart, the Young Pretender, after the battle of Culloden. - -=Bloody Eleventh.= The 11th Foot, in memory of the terrible slaughter - inflicted on this regiment at Salamanca. - -=Bloody Tower.= Where the infant Princes were murdered at the order of - their uncle, Richard, Duke of Glo’ster. - -=Bloomers.= After Mrs Ann Bloomer of New York, who introduced the - original nondescript style of “New Woman” in 1849. - -=Bloomsbury.= A corruption of “Lomesbury,” the name of a manor house and - grounds which stood on the site of the present square. “Lomesbury - village” sprang up around the ancient church of St Giles’s - in-the-Fields. - -=Bluchers.= After Field-Marshal von Blucher, who affected this style of - military half-boot. - -=Blue.= An indecent story is said to be “blue” because harlots in the - ancient Bridewell, and in more modern houses of correction or - penitentiaries, were habited in blue gowns. - -=Blue Boar.= An inn sign derived from the heraldic device of Richard - III. - -=Blue Grass State.= Kentucky, from the character of the orchard grass in - this fertile limestone region. - -=Blue Hen’s Chickens.= A nickname for the people of Delaware. _The - Delaware State Journal_ thus accounts for its origin: “At the - beginning of the Revolutionary War there lived in Sussex county of - that colony a gentleman of fortune named Caldwell, who was a - sportsman, and breeder of fine horses and game-cocks. His favourite - axiom was that the character of the progeny depends more on the - mother than on the father, and that the finest game-cocks depended - on the hen rather than on the cock. His observation led him to - select a _blue_ hen, and he never failed to hatch a good game-cock - from a blue hen’s egg. Caldwell distinguished himself as an officer - in the First Delaware Regiment for his daring spirit. The high state - of its discipline was conceded to its exertions, so that when - officers were sent on recruiting service it was said that they had - gone home for more of Caldwell’s game-cocks; but as Caldwell - insisted that no cock could be truly game unless its mother was a - _blue_ hen, the expression _Blue Hen’s Chickens_ was substituted for - game-cocks.” - -=Blue Law State.= An old name for Connecticut, whose original settlers - shared with the Puritans in the mother country a disgust of the - licentiousness of the Court of the Restoration, and on this account - were said to advocate “Blue” Laws. - -=Blue Noses.= A nickname bestowed upon the Nova Scotians, from the - species of potato which they produce and claim to be the best in the - world. - -=Blue Peter.= The flag hoisted at the mast head to give notice that a - vessel is about to sail. Its name is a corruption of the French - “Bleu Partir,” or blue departure signal. - -=Blue Pig.= An inn sign, corrupted from the “Blue Boar.” - -=Blue Stocking.= From the famous club of literary ladies formed by Mrs - Montague in 1840, at which Benjamin Stillingfleet, who habitually - wore blue stockings, was a regular visitor. Blue stockings, - therefore, became the recognised badge of membership. There was, - however, such a club of ladies and gentlemen at Venice as far back - as 1400, called _Della Calza_, from the colour of stockings worn. - -=Blunderbuss.= A corruption of the Dutch _donderbus_, “thunder tube.” - -=Board of Green Cloth.= The steward of the Royal Household presides over - this so called court, which has a green cover on its table. - -=Boar’s Head.= The sign of the ancient tavern in Eastcheap immortalised - by Shakespeare. This, like all others of the same name, was derived - from the heraldic device of the Gordons, the earliest of whom slew a - boar that had long been a terror of the forest. - -=Bob Apple.= A very old boyish pastime. Standing on tiptoe, with their - hands behind them, they tried to catch in their mouths an apple as - it swung to and fro at the end of a piece of string suspended from - the ceiling. A variant of the same game consisted in lying across a - form and plunging their heads into a large tub of water, at the - bottom of which was the apple. - -=Bobby.= The nickname of a policeman, after Sir Robert Peel, to whom the - introduction of the modern police system was due. - -=Bobs.= The popular nickname of Lord Roberts during the South African - War. He is also called “Lord Bobs.” - -=Boer.= Expresses the Dutch for a farmer. Synonymous with the English - “boor,” an uncultivated fellow, a tiller of the soil. - -=Bogtrotter.= An Irishman, from the ease with which he makes his way - across the native bogs, in a manner astonishing to a stranger. - -=Bogus.= In reporting a trial at law _The Boston Courier_ in 1857 gave - the following authoritative origin:--“The word Bogus is a corruption - of the name of one Borghese, a very corrupt individual, who twenty - years ago or more did a tremendous business in the way of supplying - the great west, and portions of the south-west, with counterfeit - bills and bills on fictitious banks. The western people fell into - the habit of shortening the name of Borghese to that of _Bogus_, and - his bills, as well as all others of like character, were universally - styled by them ‘bogus currency.’” So that the word is really - American. - -=Bohea.= Tea of the poorest quality, grown in the hilly district of - Wu-i; pronounced by the Chinese _Vooy_. - -=Bohemia.= From the _Bohii_, the ancient inhabitants of the country. - -=Bohemian.= One who leads a hand-to-mouth existence by literary or other - precarious pursuits, who shuns the ordinary conventions of society, - and aspires to that only of his fellows. The term originally meant a - “Gipsy,” because the earliest nomadic people who overran Western - Europe did so by way of Bohemia. - -=Boiled Shirt.= An Americanism, originally from the western states, for - a starched white shirt. - -=Bolivia.= After General Simon Bolivar, surnamed “The Liberator of - Peru.” - -=Bologna.= A settlement of the _Boii_, after whom the Romans called it - Bononia. - -=Bomba.= The sobriquet of Ferdinand, King of Naples, on account of his - bombardment of Messina in 1848. - -=Bonanza State.= Nevada, on account of its rich mines, styled Bonanza - mines. _Bonanza_ is Spanish for “prosperity.” - -=Bond Street= (Old and New). Built on the land owned by Sir Thomas Bond, - Comptroller of the Household of Charles I. - -=Bone of Contention.= In allusion to two dogs fighting over a bone. - -=Bone-shaker.= The original type of bicycle, with wooden wheels, of - which the rims consisted of small curved pieces glued together. - Compared with a modern machine it was anything but easy riding. - -=Boniface.= The popular name for an innkeeper--not that St Boniface was - the patron saint of drawers and tapsters, but because one of the - Popes of this name instituted what was called “St Boniface’s Cup,” - by granting an indulgence to all who toasted his health, or that of - his successors, immediately after saying grace at meals. - -=Booking Office.= In the old coaching days passengers had to book their - seats for a stage journey several days in advance at an office in - the innyard whence the coaches set out. When railways came in the - name was retained, though no “booking” was ever in evidence. Nearly - all the old coaching innyards have been converted into railway goods - and parcels receiving depots. - -=Bookmaker.= From the way in which he adjusts his clients’ bets, so - that, ordinarily, he cannot lose on the issue of a day’s racing. - -=Boot-jack.= A wooden contrivance by which the wearer could help himself - to take off his high-legged boots without the aid of a servant. - Hence it was called a _jack_, which is the generic term for a - man-servant or boy. - -=Border Eagle State.= Mississippi, on account of the Border Eagle in the - arms of the state. - -=Bore.= This name was first applied by the “Macaronies” to any person - who disapproved of foppishness or dandyism. Nowadays it implies one - whose conversation is uninteresting, and whose society becomes - repugnant. - -=Borneo.= A European application of the Sanskrit _boorni_, land. - -=Born in the Purple.= Since purple was the Imperial colour of the Cæsars - and the Emperors of the East, the sons of the reigning monarch were - said to be born in it. This expression had a literal truth, for the - bed furniture was draped with purple. - -=Born with a Silver Spoon in his Mouth.= In allusion to the silver - apostle spoon formerly presented to an infant by its godfather at - baptism. In the case of a child born lucky or rich such a gift of - worldly goods was anticipated at the moment of entering life. - -=Borough.= The _Burgh_ or town which arose on the south side of Old - London Bridge, long before the City of London became closely packed - with streets and houses. - -=Borough English.= A Saxon custom, whereby the youngest son of a burgher - inherited everything from his father, instead of the eldest, as - among the Normans. - -=Bosh.= See “All Bosh.” - -=Bosphorus.= From the Greek _bos-porus_, cow strait, agreeably to the - fable that Io, transformed into a white cow, swam across it. - -=Boss.= A term derived from the Dutch settlers of New York, in whose - language _baas_ (pronounced like the _a_ in _all_), expressed an - overseer or master. - -=Boston.= Short for St Botolph’s Town. “The stump” of the church is seen - from afar across the Boston Deeps. - -=Botany Bay.= So called by Captain Cook on account of the variety of, to - him, new plants found on its shores. This portion of New South Wales - was the first British Convict Settlement; hence Botany Bay became a - term synonymous with penal servitude. - -=Botolph Lane.= From the church of St Botolph, situated in it. - -=Bottle of Hay.= A corruption of “bundle of hay,” from the French - _botte_, a bundle, of which the word bottle expresses the - diminutive. - -=Bottom Dollar.= An Americanism for one’s last coin. - -=Bovril.= An adaptation of _bovis_, ox, and _vril_, strength--the latter - being a word coined by Lord Lytton in “The Coming Race.” - -=Bow.= From the ancient stone bridge over the Lea, which was the first - ever built in this country on a bow or arch. - -=Bow Church.= Properly the church of St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside, the - first in this country to be built on bows or arches. - -=Bowdlerise.= In the year 1818 Thomas Bowdler brought out an expurgated - edition of Shakespeare’s Plays; hence a “Bowdlerised Edition” of any - work is one of which the original text has been unwarrantably - tampered with. - -=Bowie Knife.= After Colonel Jim Bowie, a famous fighter of the western - states, who first armed himself with this weapon. - -=Bow Street.= From its arc shape when first laid out. - -=Bow Street Runners.= Primitive detectives sent out from their - headquarters in Bow Street in highwayman days. - -=Bowyer Tower.= Anciently the residence of the Tower bowyer or bowmaker. - Here, according to tradition, the Duke of Clarence was drowned in a - butt of “Malmsey.” - -=Boxing Day.= See “Christmas-box.” - -=Box Office.= At one time only the private boxes at a theatre could be - booked in advance; hence the term. - -=Box the Compass.= To be able to repeat all the thirty-two degrees or - points of the mariner’s compass; a mental exercise all round the - compass-box. - -=Boycott.= To ostracise a man. This word came into use in 1881, after - Captain Boycott of Lough Mark Farm, co. Mayo, was cut off from all - social and commercial intercourse with his neighbours for the crime - of being an Irish landlord. - -=Boy King.= Edward VI., who ascended the throne of England in his tenth, - and died in his sixteenth, year. - -=Boz.= Under this _nom de plume_ Charles Dickens published his earliest - “Sketches” of London life and character in _The Morning Chronicle_. - He has told us himself that this was the pet name of a younger - brother, after Moses Primrose in “The Vicar of Wakefield.” The - infantile members of the family pronounced the name “Bozes,” and at - last shortened it into “Boz.” - -=Bradford.= From the Anglo-Saxon _Bradenford_, “broad ford.” - -=Braggadocio.= After _Braggadochio_, a boasting character in Spenser’s - “Faery Queene.” - -=Brahma Fowl.= Originally from the district of the Brahmapootra River in - India. _Pootra_ is Sanskrit for Son; hence the river name means “The - Son of Brahma.” - -=Brandy.= From the German _Brantwein_, burnt wine. A spirituous - distillation from wine. - -=Brazenose College.= The brazen nose on the college gate - notwithstanding, this name was derived from the fact that here stood - an ancient _brasenhuis_, or “brew-house.” Oxford has always been - famous for the excellent quality of its beer. - -=Bravo.= In Italy one who is always boasting of his courage and prowess; - generally a hired assassin. - -=Brazil.= From _braza_, the name given by the Portuguese to the red - dye-wood of the country. - -=Bread Street.= Where the bakers had their stalls in connection with the - Old Chepe, or market. - -=Break Bread.= To accept hospitality. In the East bread is baked in the - form of large cakes, which are broken, never cut with a knife. To - break bread with a stranger ensures the latter personal protection - as long as he remains under the roof of his host. - -=Breakfast.= The morning meal, when the fast since the previous night’s - supper is broken. - -=Break the Bank.= Specifically at the gaming-tables of Monte Carlo. With - extraordinary luck this may be done on occasion; but the winner’s - triumph is short-lived since, the capital of the bank being - unlimited, if he continues to play after fresh stores of gold have - been produced, he must lose in the end. - -=Brecon.= See “Brecknock.” - -=Brecknock.= The capital (also called Brecon) of one of the shires of - Wales, originally _Breckineauc_, after Brychan, a famous Welsh - prince. Brecknock Road takes its name from Lord Camden, Earl of - Brecknock, the ground landlord. - -=Breeches Bible.= From the word “breeches” for “aprons” (Genesis iii. - 7). - -=Brentford.= The ford over the Brent. - -=Breviary.= The name given to an abridgment of the daily prayers, for - the use of priests, during the Seven Canonical Hours, made by Pope - Gregory VII. in the eleventh century. - -=Brevier.= The style of type originally employed in the composition of - the Catholic “Breviary.” - -=Bridegroom.= The word _groom_ comes from the Gothic and Anglo-Saxon - _guma_, man, allied to the Latin _homo_, man. It still expresses a - man-servant who grooms or attends to his master’s horse. - -=Bride Lane.= From the church of St Bride or Bridget. - -=Bride of the Sea.= Venice, in allusion to the ancient ceremony of “The - Marriage of the Adriatic.” - -=Bridewell.= The name anciently given to a female penitentiary, from the - original establishment near the well of St Bride or Bridget in the - parish of Blackfriars. The name is preserved in Bridewell Police - Station. - -=Brigadier.= The commanding officer of a brigade. - -=Bridge.= Twenty years ago two families at Great Dalby, Leicestershire, - paid each other a visit on alternate nights, for a game of what they - called Russian whist. Their way lay across a broken bridge, very - dangerous after nightfall. “Thank goodness, it’s your bridge - to-morrow night!” they were wont to exclaim on parting. This gave - the name to the game itself. - -=Bridge of Sighs.= The bridge forming a covered gallery over the Canal - at Venice between the State prisons on the one hand and the palace - of the Doges on the other. Prisoners were led to the latter to hear - the death sentence pronounced, and thence to execution. No State - prisoner was ever known to recross this bridge; hence its name. - -=Bridgewater Square.= From the town house of the Earls of Bridgewater. - -=Brief.= A brief summary of all the facts of a client’s case prepared by - a solicitor for the instruction of counsel. - -=Bristol.= Called by the Anglo-Saxons “_Brightstow_,” or pleasant, - stockaded place. - -=Britain.= This country was known to the Phœnicians as _Barat-Anac_, - “the land of time.” The Romans called it _Britannia_. - -=British Columbia.= The only portion of North America which honours the - memory, as a place name, of Christopher Columbus. - -=Brittany.= The land anciently possessed by the kings of Britain. - -=Brixton.= Anciently _Brigestan_, the bridge of stone. - -=Broadside.= A large sheet printed straight across instead of in - columns. - -=Broker.= From the Anglo-Saxon _brucan_, through the Old English - _brocour_, to use for profit. - -=Brompton.= Anciently Broom Town, or place of the broom plant. - -=Brook Street.= From a stream meandering through the fields from Tyburn. - -=Brooke Street.= From the town house of Fulke Greville, Lord Brooke. In - this street the boy poet Chatterton poisoned himself. - -=Brother Jonathan.= After Jonathan Turnbull, the adviser of General - Washington in all cases of military emergency. “We must ask Brother - Jonathan” was the latter’s invariable reply to a suggestion made to - him. - -=Brougham.= First made to the order of Lord Brougham. - -=Brought under the Hammer.= Put up for sale by public auction. The - allusion is, of course, to the auctioneer’s hammer. - -=Bruce Castle.= The residence of Robert Bruce after his defeat by John - Baliol in the contest for the Scottish crown. - -=Bruges.= From its many bridges. - -=Brummagem.= The slang term for cheap jewellery made at Birmingham. In - local parlance this city is “Brummagem,” and its inhabitants are - “Brums.” - -=Brunswick Square.= Laid out and built upon at the accession of the - House of Brunswick. - -=Bruton Street.= From the seat of the Berkeleys at Bruton, - Somersetshire. - -=Bryanstone Square.= From the seat, near Blandford, Dorset, of Viscount - Portman, the ground landlord. - -=Bucephalus.= A horse, after the famous charger of Alexander the Great. - -=Buckeye State.= Ohio, from the buckeye-trees with which this state - abounds. Its people are called “Buckeyes.” - -=Buckingham.= The Anglo-Saxon _Boccenham_, or “beech-tree village.” - -=Buckingham Palace.= After the residence, on this site, of John - Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham. - -=Buckingham Street.= From the older mansion of John Sheffield, Duke of - Buckingham. The water-gate is still in evidence. - -=Buckle to.= An expression descended from the days of chivalry, when a - knight buckled on his armour for the tournament. - -=Bucklersbury.= Anciently the _bury_ or enclosed ground of a wealthy - grocer named Buckle or Bukerel. - -=Budge Row.= From the vendors of “Budge” or lambskin fur who congregated - here. - -=Bug Bible.= From the word “bugges”--_i.e._ bogies--in place of “the - terror” (Psalm xci. 5). - -=Buggy.= From _bâghi_, the Hindustani for a one-horse vehicle. - -=Bull.= A papal edict, so called on account of the _bulla_, or seal. - -=Bull and Gate.= An inn sign, corrupted from “Boulogne Gate,” touching - the siege of Boulogne and its harbour by Henry VIII. in 1544. - -=Bulgaria.= A corruption of Volgaria, the country of the _Volsci_. - -=Bull-dog.= A dog originally employed in the brutal sport of - bull-baiting. The name is also given to one of the two attendants of - the proctor at a university while going his rounds by night. - -=Bullion State.= Missouri, after Thomas Hart Benton, who, when - representing this state in Congress, merited the nickname of “Old - Bullion,” from his spirited advocacy of a gold and silver currency - instead of “Greenbacks” or paper. - -=Bullyrag.= See “Ragging.” - -=Bullyruffian.= A corruption of the _Bellerophon_, the vessel on which - Napoleon surrendered after the battle of Waterloo. - -=Bungalow.= From the Bengalese _bangla_, a wooden house of one storey - surrounded by a verandah. - -=Bunhill Fields.= Not from the Great Plague pit in Finsbury, but from - the cart-loads of human bones shot here when the charnel-house of St - Paul’s Churchyard was pulled down in 1549. - -=Bunkum.= Originally a Congressman’s speech, “full of sound and fury, - signifying nothing.” An oratorial flight not intended to carry a - proposal, but to catch popular applause. The representative for - Buncombe, in North Carolina, occupied the time of the house at - Washington so long with a meaningless speech that many members left - the hall. Asked his reason for such a display of empty words, he - replied: “I was not speaking to the House, but to Buncombe.” - -=Bureau.= French for a writing-desk, from _buro_, a drugget, with which - it was invariably covered. - -=Burgess Roll.= See “Roll Call.” - -=Burgundy.= A wine produced in the French province of the same name. - -=Burke.= To stop or gag--_e.g._ to burke a question. After an Irishman - of this name, who silently and secretly took the lives of many - peaceable citizens by holding a pitch plaster over their mouths, in - order to sell their bodies to the doctors for dissection. He was - hanged in 1849. His crimes were described as “Burking.” - -=Burleigh Street.= From the residence of Lord Burleigh in Exeter Street, - hard by. - -=Burlington Street= (Old and New). After Richard Boyle, Earl of - Burlington and Cork, from whom Burlington House, refronted by him, - also received its name. - -=Burmah.= From the natives, who claim to be descendants of Brahma, the - supreme deity of the Hindoos. - -=Burton Crescent.= After the name of its builder. - -=Bury St Edmunds.= A corruption of the Borough of St Edmund, where the - Saxon king and martyr was crowned on Christmas Day, 856. Taken - prisoner and killed by the Danes, he was laid to rest here. Over the - site of his tomb Canute built a Benedictine monastery. - -=Bury Street.= Properly Berry Street, after its builder. - -=Bury the Hatchet.= At a deliberation of war the hatchet is always in - evidence among the Indians of North America, but when the calumet, - or pipe of peace, is being passed round, the symbol of warfare is - carefully hidden. - -=Busking.= Theatrical slang for an _al fresco_ performance to earn a few - coppers. To “go busking on the sands” is the least refined aspect of - a Pierrot Entertainment. See “Sock and Buskin.” - -=Buy a Pig in a Poke.= A man naturally wants to see what he is - bargaining for. “Poke” is an old word for a sack or large bag, of - which _pocket_ expresses the diminutive. - -=By Gad.= A corruption of the old oath “By God.” - -=By George.= Originally this oath had reference to the patron saint of - England. In more modern times it was corrupted into “By Jove,” so - that it might have applied to Jupiter; then at the Hanoverian - Succession the ancient form came in again. - -=By Hook or by Crook.= The final word here is a corruption of Croke. - More than a century ago two eminent K.C.’s named Hook and Croke were - most generally retained by litigants in action at law. This gave - rise to the saying: “If I can’t win my case by Hook I will by - Croke.” - -=By Jingo.= An exclamation traceable to the Basque mountaineers brought - over to England by Edward I. to aid him in the subjection of Wales - at the time when the Plantagenets held possession of the Basque - provinces. “Jainko” expressed the supreme deity of these hillmen. - -=By Jove.= See “By George.” - -=By the Holy Rood.= The most solemn oath of the crusaders. “Rood,” from - the Anglo-Saxon _rod_, was the Old English name for Cross. - -=By the Mass.= A common oath in the days of our Catholic ancestors, when - quarrels were generally made up by the parties attending Mass - together. - -=By the Peacock.= See “Peacock.” - -=By the Skin of my Teeth.= An expression derived from Job xix. 20: “My - bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the - skin of my teeth.” - -=Byward Tower.= A corruption of Bearward Tower, the residence of the - Tower “Bearward.” The bear-house at our national fortress in the - time of James I. is mentioned in Nichol’s “Progresses and - Processions.” - - - C - - -=Cab.= Short for “Cabriolet,” or little caperer, from _cabriole_, a - goat’s leap. See “Capri.” - -=Cabal.= A political term formed out of the initials of the intriguing - ministry of 1670--thus: Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington, and - Lauderdale. - -=Cabinet.= The designation of Ministers of State, who first conducted - their deliberations in a cabinet, from the Italian _gabinetto_, a - small room. A picture or photograph of this size received its name - from the apartment for which it was best suited. - -=Cabin Girls.= Waitresses at the “Cabin” Restaurants Limited. - -=Cablegram.= An Americanism for telegram. - -=Cadiz.= Called Gades by the Romans, from the Phœnician _Gadir_, - enclosed, shut in. - -=Cadogan Square.= From the Earl of Cadogan, the lord of the manor of - Chelsea. - -=Cahoot.= An Americanism for partnership or company, derived from the - French _capute_, hut, cabin. Men who share a cabin or shanty are - said to be “in cahoot.” - -=Caitiff.= An old term of contempt for a despicable person, derived from - the Latin _captivis_, a captive, slave. - -=Caius College.= The name given to Gonville College, Cambridge, after - its refoundation by Dr Caius by royal charter in 1558. - -=Cake Walk.= A musical walking competition round a cake, very popular - among the negroes of the southern states. The couple adjudged to - walk most gracefully receive the cake as a prize. - -=Calcutta.= From _Kalikutta_, “the village of Kali,” the goddess of - time. - -=Caledonia.= The country of the Caels or Gaels; _Gadhel_ in the native - tongue signified a “hidden cover.” - -=Caledonian Road.= From the Royal Caledonian Asylum for Scottish - orphans, now removed. - -=Calico.= First brought from Calicut in the East Indies. - -=California.= Called by Cortez _Caliente Fornalla_, or “hot furnace,” on - account of its climate. - -=Caliph.= From the Arabic _Khalifah_, a successor. - -=Called over the Coals.= A corruption of “Hauled over the Coals.” - -=Camberwell.= From the ancient holy well in the vicinity of the church - of St Giles, the patron saint of cripples. _Cam_ is Celtic for - “crooked.” - -=Cambria.= The country of the _Cimbri_ or _Cymri_, who finally settled - in Wales. - -=Cambric.= First made at Cambray in Flanders. - -=Cambridge.= From the bridge over the Cam, or “crooked” river. See - “Cantab.” - -=Camden Town.= After the Earl of Camden, the ground landlord. - -=Camellia.= Introduced into Europe by G. J. Camelli, the German - missionary botanist. - -=Camera Obscura.= Literally a dark chamber. - -=Cameron Highlanders.= The Scottish regiment of infantry raised by Allan - Cameron in 1793. - -=Camisard.= A military term for a night attack, after the Camisards, - Protestant insurgents of the seventeenth century, who, wearing a - _camise_, or peasant’s smock, conducted their depredations under - cover of night. - -=Camomile Street.= From the herbs that grew on the waste north of the - city. - -=Campania.= An extensive plain outside Rome, across which the “Appian - Way” was constructed. The word comes from the Latin _campus_, a - field. - -=Campden Square.= From the residence of Sir Baptist Hicks, created - Viscount Campden. - -=Canada.= From the Indian _kannatha_, a village or collection of huts. - -=Canary.= Wine and a species of singing bird brought from the Canary - Islands, so called, agreeably to the Latin _canis_, on account of - the large dogs found there. - -=Candia.= Anciently Crete, called by the Arabs _Khandæ_, “island of - trenches.” - -=Candy.= An Americanism for sweetmeats. The Arabic _quand_, sugar, gave - the French word _candi_. - -=Canned Meat.= An Americanism for tinned meat. - -=Cannibal.= See “Caribbean Sea.” - -=Cannon Row.= The ancient residence of the Canons of St Stephen’s - Chapel, Westminster Abbey. - -=Cannon Street.= A corruption of Candlewick Street, where the - candle-makers congregated. - -=Cannucks.= See “K’nucks.” - -=Canonbury.= From the manorial residence of the priors of St Bartholomew - Church, Clerkenwell, of which the ancient tower remains. - -=Cant.= After Alexander and Andrew Cant, a couple of bigoted - Covenanters, who persecuted their religious opponents with - relentless zeal, and at the same time prayed for those who suffered - on account of their religious opinions. - -=Cantab.= Of Cambridge University. The River Cam was anciently called - the Granta; hence the Saxon name of the city _Grantabrycge_, or the - bridge over the Granta, softened later into _Cantbrigge_. - -=Canterbury.= The fortified place or chief town of “Kent.” - -=Canterbury Music Hall.= This, the first of the London music halls, - opened in 1848, grew out of the old-time popular “free-and-easy,” or - “sing-song,” held in an upper room of what was until then a tavern - displaying the arms of the city of Canterbury, and styled the - “Canterbury Arms.” - -=Cantlowes Road.= See “Kentish Town.” - -=Canvas Back.= A species of sea-duck, regarded as a luxury on account of - the delicacy of its flesh. So called from the colour of the plumage - on its back. - -=Cape Finisterre.= Adapted by the French from the Latin _finis terra_, - “land’s end.” - -=Capel Court.= The Stock Exchange, so called from the residence of Sir - William Capel, Lord Mayor in 1504. - -=Cape of Good Hope.= So called by John II., King of Portugal, after Diaz - had touched this point of Africa, as a favourable augury for the - circumnavigation of the globe. - -=Cape Horn.= Named Hoorn, after his birthplace, by Schouten, the Dutch - navigator, who first rounded it. - -=Capri.= From the Latin _caper_, a he-goat, expresses the island of wild - goats. - -=Capuchin Friars.= From the pointed cowl or _capuce_ worn by them. - -=Carat Gold.= So called because gold and precious stones were formerly - weighted against carat seeds or seeds of the Abyssinian coral - flower. - -=Carbonari.= Italian for charcoal-burners, in whose huts this secret - society held its meetings. - -=Carburton Street.= From the Northamptonshire village on the ducal - estate of the ground landlord. - -=Cardiff.= From _Caer Taff_, the fort on the Taff. - -=Cardigan.= After Ceredog, a famous chieftain. - -=Caribbean Sea.= From the Caribbs, which West Indian designation - signifies “cruel men.” Corrupted through the Spanish _Caribal_, we - have derived the word “Cannibal,” for one who eats human flesh. - -=Carlton House Terrace.= From Carlton House, built by Lord Carlton, - later the residence of Frederick, Prince of Wales, the father of - George III. - -=Carmagnole.= A wild song and dance which came into prominence during - the French Revolution. It received its name from Carmagnolas, a town - in Piedmont, whence the Savoyard boys carried the tune into the - south of France. - -=Carmarthen.= A corruption of _Caer-merlin_, or the fortress built by - Merlin, in the neighbourhood of which he was born. - -=Carmelites.= White Friars of the order of Mount Carmel. - -=Carnarvon.= The fortress on the _Arfon_, or water. - -=Carolina.= After Carollus, the Latinised name of Charles II., who - granted a charter of colonisation to eight of his favourites. - -=Caroline Islands.= In honour of Charles I. of Spain. - -=Carpenter.= Originally one who made only the body or wooden portion of - a vehicle. So called from the Latin _carpentum_, waggon. An ordinary - worker in wood was, and still is in the English provinces, a joiner. - -=Carpet Knight.= A civilian honoured with a knighthood by the sovereign. - One who has not won his spurs on the field, like the knights of old. - -=Carry Coals to Newcastle.= To do that which is altogether superfluous. - It would be ridiculous to take coals to a place where they are found - in abundance. - -=Cartaret Street.= After John Cartaret, Earl of Granville, Secretary of - State, and one of the most popular ministers of the reign of George - II. - -=Carte de Visite.= Photographs received this name because the Duc de - Parma in 1857 had his likeness printed on the back of his large - visiting-cards. - -=Carthage.= From the Phœnician _Karth-hadtha_, New Town. - -=Carthagena.= From _Carthago Novo_, or New Carthage. - -=Carthusians.= Monks of La Chartreuse, near Grenoble. This name is also - given to former scholars of the “Charter House.” - -=Carthusian Street.= Although some distance to the west of it, this - street leads to the “Charter House.” - -=Caspian Sea.= From the _Caspii_, who peopled its shores. - -=Castile.= In Spanish Castilla, from the castles or forts set up for - defence against the Moors. - -=Castle.= An inn sign denoting a wine-house, from the castle in the arms - of Spain. - -=Catacombs.= Italian _Catacomba_, from the Greek _kata_, downward, and - _kumbe_, a hollow, a cavity. - -=Cat and Fiddle.= A corruption of “Caton le Fidele,” the faithful Caton, - Governor of Calais, whose name was honoured by many an inn sign. - -=Cat and Wheel.= A corruption of the old inn sign the “Catherine Wheel,” - the instrument of the martyrdom of St Catherine. - -=Cat Call.= A corruption of _Cat Wail_. When a theatre or music-hall - audience is dissatisfied with the performance, and impatient for it - to be brought to an end, the “Gods” indulging in “Mewing” like a - chorus of cats on the roof by night. - -=Catch a Weasel asleep.= No one ever caught a weasel napping, for the - simple reason that he hides himself in a hole away from the sight of - man. - -=Catchpenny.= Short for “Catnach Penny,” from the penny dying speeches - and yard of songs printed by James Catnach in Seven Dials, and - hawked about the streets. The “Catnach Press” was as great a power - in that day as the trashy “Bits” literature is in our own. - -=Cathedral.= From the Greek _kathedra_, a seat--_i.e._ the chair of a - bishop. See “City.” - -=Caucus.= From the Caulkers of Boston, U.S., who shortly before the - Revolution came into open conflict with the British soldiery. - Meetings were held in the calk houses, and a Caulkers’ Club was - formed. Since that time a political meeting of American citizens has - been styled a Caucus. - -=Cavalier.= From the French _chevalier_, a horseman. - -=Cavendish.= Tobacco pressed into plugs for chewing, from the name of - the first maker. - -=Cavendish Square.= After Henrietta Cavendish, second wife of Lord - Harley, the ground landlord. - -=Centennial State.= Colorado, admitted into the American Union one - hundred years after the Declaration of Independence. - -=Ceylon.= Called by the Portuguese Selen, an abbreviation of the - Sanskrit _Sinhaladwipa_, “Island of Lyons.” - -=Chadwell Street.= After the name of the source of the New River in - Hertfordshire. The well was anciently dedicated to St Chad. - -=Chaff.= A corruption of _chafe_, to make hot with anger, as heat may be - produced by friction. - -=Chalk Farm.= Originally “Chalcot Farm,” a noted resort for duellists of - a past day. - -=Chalk it up.= In allusion to the drink score chalked on a slate against - a customer at a country ale-house. - -=Champagne.= A light wine, from the French province of the same name, - which expresses a plain, from the Latin _campus_, field. - -=Champs de Mars.= Expresses the large open space or “Plain of Mars,” in - Paris, set apart for military reviews. - -=Chancery Lane.= A corruption of “Chancellor’s Lane,” from the town - house of the Bishops of Chichester, afterwards the residence of the - Lord High Chancellor of England. - -=Chandos Street.= From the residence of James Bridges, Duke of Chandos. - -=Chap.= Originally short for “Chapman,” one who sold his wares at a - _chepe_, or market. - -=Chap Book.= A small book or tract sold by chapmen. See “Chap.” - -=Chapel.= A printers’ meeting held in the composing-room, so called - because Caxton set up the first English press in a disused chapel of - Westminster Abbey. The presiding workman is styled “The Father of - the Chapel.” - -=Chapel of Ease.= An auxiliary place of worship, for the convenience of - those who resided at a great distance from the parish church. - -=Charing Cross.= The idea that this spot received its name from the - “good Queen” Eleanor, whose bier was set down here for the last time - on its way to Westminster Abbey has been exploded. It was even then - called the village of Charing, in honour of _La Chère Reine_, the - Blessed Virgin, this being the usual halting-place between London - and the venerable Abbey. - -=Charlatan.= From the Italian _ciarlatano_, a quack, a babbler, a - loquacious itinerant who sold medicines in a public square. - -=Charles Martel.= See “Martel.” - -=Charles Street.= Built upon in the reign of Charles II. - -=Charlies.= The old night watchmen reorganised by Charles I. These were - the only civic protectors down to the introduction of the modern - police system by Sir Robert Peel. - -=Charlotte Street.= After the queen of George III. - -=Charter House.= A corruption of La Chartreuse, one of the English - houses of the Order of monks of the place of the same name in - France. - -=Chartreuse.= The liqueurs prepared at the monastery of La Chartreuse, - near Grenoble. - -=Chauffeur.= The French term for a motor-car driver; it has no English - equivalent. - -=Cheap Jack.= A modern equivalent for “Chap-man.” Jack is a generic name - for man-servant or an inferior person. - -=Cheapside.= The High Street of the city of London, consequently - abutting on the _chepe_, or market-place. - -=Cheese it.= A corruption of “Choose it better,” or, in other words, - “Tell me something I can believe.” - -=Chef.= French for head or master. Employed alone, the word expresses a - head man cook. - -=Chelmsford.= The ford over the Chelmer. - -=Chelsea.= Anciently “Chevelsey,” or “Shingle Island.” See “Chiswick.” - -=Chequers.= An inn sign derived from the arms of the Fitzwarrens, one of - whom had the granting of vintners’ licences. - -=Cherry Bob.= An old summer pastime for boys. A bunch of cherries - suspended from a beam or tree-branch was kept swinging to and fro, - while the boys, with their hands behind them, tried to catch the - fruit with their mouths. - -=Cherry Gardens Pier.= A name reminiscent of a popular resort of bygone - days in connection with the “Jamaica” in front of which rum, newly - arrived from the West Indies, was landed. - -=Cherry Pickers.= The 11th Hussars, because, when captured by the French - during the Peninsular War, some men of the regiment were robbing an - orchard. - -=Chesapeake.= Indian for “great waters.” - -=Chester.= The city built on the Roman _castra_, or camp. - -=Chestnut.= Edwin Abbey, the painter of the Coronation picture, is said - to have been responsible for the term “Chestnut” as applied to a - stale joke. While a member of a club at Philadelphia he always told - a story about a man who had a chestnut farm, but made nothing out of - it because he gave his chestnuts away. Abbey invariably began this - story differently, so that his follow clubmen would not recognise - it, but they soon interrupted him by exclaiming “Chestnuts!” - -=Chestnut Sunday.= The first Sunday in June, when the chestnut-trees in - Bushey Park at Hampton Court are in bloom. - -=Cheyne Walk.= After Lord Cheyne, lord of the manor of Chelsea in the - seventeenth century. - -=Chicago.= Indian for “wild onion.” - -=Chichester.= The Roman camp town taken by Cissa, King of the South - Saxons, thenceforth called _Cissanceaster_. - -=Chichester Rents.= The site of the town mansion of the Bishops of - Chichester. - -=Chili.= Peruvian for “land of snow.” - -=China.= After Tsin, the founder of a great dynasty. Earthenware of a - superior quality was first made in China; hence the name. - -=Chin Music.= An Americanism for derisive laughter. - -=Chip off the Old Block.= A saying in allusion to the “Family Tree.” - -=Chippendale.= Furniture of elegant design, named after its famous - maker. - -=Chiswick.= Anciently “Cheoselwick,” or village of shingles, from the - Anglo-Saxon _ceosal_, sand, gravel. - -=Chocolat-Menier.= The perfection of chocolate, introduced by M. Menier - of Paris, who died in 1881. - -=Choke Him off.= The allusion is to grip a dog by the throat in order to - make him relax his hold. - -=Christiania.= Rebuilt by Christian IV. of Denmark. - -=Christian Scientists.= A modern offshoot of the Peculiar People, or - Faith Healers, who believe that sickness and pain can be cured by - faith and prayer without medicine. - -=Christmas-box.= A relic of Catholic days, when a box was placed in all - the churches to receive Christmas alms for the poor. These were - distributed on the day following. - -=Christmas Island.= Captain Cook landed here on Christmas Day, 1777. - -=Christ’s College.= Founded at Cambridge by Lady Margaret, Countess of - Richmond, mother of Henry VII., for a master and twelve fellows, - corresponding to Christ and His apostles, to whom it was dedicated. - -=Christy Minstrels.= After Charles Christy, who introduced the Negro - Minstrel Entertainment to England. - -=Church Ale.= Specifically the ale brewed by the church-wardens for - merrymakers on the village green at Whitsuntide and other high - holidays. Later the assemblage itself came to be styled a “Church - Ale.” - -=Chute.= The French for “a fall,” applied by the Americans to a - declivity of water. The exciting diversion of boating on such a - waterfall is styled “Shooting the Chutes.” - -=Cicerone.= After Cicero, the prince of speakers. The comparison between - the celebrated orator and the “Roman Guide” befooled by Mark Twain - is rather painful. - -=Cigar.= From the Spanish _Cigarro_, the original name of a particular - kind of Cuban tobacco. - -=Cinderella Dance.= Because it is brought to an end at twelve o’clock, - in allusion to the heroine in the fairy story. - -=Circumlocution Office.= A term first applied to the shuttle-cock - methods in vogue at our public offices by Charles Dickens in “Little - Dorrit.” - -=Cistercians.= An Order of monks established at Cistercium, or Citeau, - near Dijon. - -=City.= The proper and historic distinction between a city and a town - lies in the fact that the former is the seat of a bishop, and - accordingly contains a cathedral. In modern times many burghs or - towns have been advanced to the dignity of a city on account of - their commercial importance. These are, however, cities only in - name. - -=City Fathers.= Aldermen of the city of London. - -=City Golgotha.= Old Temple Bar, from the heads of rebels spiked on its - top. _Golgotha_ is Hebrew for “the place of skulls.” - -=Claim.= A squatter’s term for a piece of land which he has marked off - and settled upon pending its legal acquisition from the Government. - During the gold fever the name also came to be applied to the land - parcelled out to each digger. - -=Clare Market.= The site of Clare House, the residence of the Earl of - Clare. - -=Clarence.= A carriage named after the Duke of Clarence, afterwards - William IV. - -=Clarges Street.= From the mansion of Sir Walter Clarges, afterwards - taken over by the Venetian ambassador. - -=Clarendon.= The black type first used at the Clarendon Press, Oxford, - which owed its foundation to the profits of Lord Clarendon’s - “History of the Rebellion,” presented to the University. - -=Claude Lorraine.= The assumed name of the celebrated landscape painter - Claude Galée, who was a native of Lorraine. - -=Cleaned Out.= Pockets emptied of cash. The allusion is to a saucepan or - other domestic cooking utensil which is cleansed after use. - -=Clerkenwell.= The holy well beside which the parish clerks performed - their miracle plays on festival days. - -=Clifford Street.= After Elizabeth Clifford, wife of the Earl of - Burlington. - -=Closure.= A modern parliamentary term signifying the right of the - Speaker to order the closing of a useless debate. The Closure was - first applied 24th February 1884. - -=Cloth Fair.= The great annual mart for the sale of cloth brought over - by Flemish merchants. - -=Club.= From the German _kleben_, to adhere, cleave to, associate. - -=Clyde.= The strong river, from the Gaelic _clyth_, strong. - -=Coast is Clear.= Originally a smugglers’ phrase relative to - coastguards. - -=Coat of Arms.= During the days of chivalry, when a knight was - completely encased in armour and the vizor of his helmet was drawn - over his face, his sole mode of distinction was by the embroidered - design of his armorial bearings on a sleeveless coat that he wore in - the lists at tournaments. In warfare the coat was dispensed with, - but he was known to his comrades by another device on the crest of - his helmet. - -=Cobbler.= An American drink of spirits, beer, sugar, and spice, said to - have been first concocted by a Western shoemaker. - -=Coblentz.= From the Latin name, _Confluentia_, being situated at the - confluence of the Rivers Rhine and Moselle. - -=Cockade.= From the party badge originally displayed on a cocked hat. - See “Knocked into a Cocked Hat.” - -=Cockade State.= Maryland, from the brilliant cockades worn by the brave - Old Maryland Regiment during the War of Independence. - -=Cockney.= From “Cockayne,” a Fools’ Paradise, where there is nothing - but eating and drinking, described in a satiric poem of the - thirteenth century. The word was clearly derived from _coquere_, to - cook, and had reference to London, where the conduits on occasion - ran with wine, and good living fell to the lot of men generally. - -=Cock-penny.= A penny levied by the master on each of the boys for - allowing the brutal sport of cock-throwing in school on Shrove - Tuesday formerly. The master himself found the bird. - -=Cocktail.= Tradition has it that one of Montezuma’s nobles sent a - draught of a new beverage concocted by him from the cactus plant to - the Emperor by his daughter Xochitl. The Aztec monarch smiled, - tasted it, gulped it down with a relish, and, it is said, afterwards - married the girl; thenceforward this drink became the native tipple, - and for centuries it bore the softened name of Octel. The corruption - of _Octel_ into _Cocktail_ by the soldiers of the American Army - when, under General Scott, they invaded Mexico, about sixty years - ago, was easy. - -=Coger.= A slang term derived from the members of the celebrated Cogers’ - Club in Salisbury Court, Fleet Street. They styled themselves - “Cogers” from the Latin _cogito_, to think deeply. - -=Cohees.= Natives of Western Pennsylvania, owing to their addiction to - the phrase “Quoth he,” softened into _Quo’he_. - -=Coin Money.= To make money as fast as it is turned out at the Mint. Few - men are so fortunate. - -=Coke Hat.= After William Coke, who popularised it. See “Billycock.” - -=Coldbath Fields.= A district of Clerkenwell now long built over, but - famous for a cold bath; the site is marked by the present Bath - Street. - -=Colchester.= The camp town on the Colne. - -=Coldstream Guards.= The regiment raised by General Monk at Coldstream, - Berwickshire, in 1660. - -=Coleman Street.= Said to have been built upon by one Coleman; but long - before his time the coalmen or charcoal merchants congregated here. - -=Colleen.= Irish for girl. “Colleen Bawn” expresses a blonde girl. - -=College Hill.= From a collegiate foundation of Sir Richard Whittington, - thrice Lord Mayor of London. - -=College Port.= Inferior port served up to the older students at - college. It is said to be specially prepared for this market. - -=Collop Monday.= The day preceding Shrove Tuesday, when housewives cut - up all their meat into large steaks or collops for salting during - Lent. - -=Cologne.= The _Colonia Agrippina_ of the Romans, so called after the - mother of Nero, who was born here. - -=Colonel.= A Far-West title of courtesy bestowed upon anyone who owns a - stud horse. - -=Colorado.= The Spaniards gave this name to the state in allusion to its - coloured ranges. - -=Colosseum.= Greek for “great amphitheatre.” - -=Combine.= An Americanism for “Combination.” Applied in a financial or - commercial sense, this term is now well understood in our own - country. - -=Come up to the Scratch.= A prize-fighting expression. A line was - scratched on the ground with a stick, and the combatants were - expected to toe it with the left foot. - -=Commonwealth.= In theatrical parlance, a sharing out of the proceeds of - the week’s performances after all expenses have been deducted. This - generally happens when the manager has decamped with the entire - takings, and left his company stranded. - -=Compton Street= (Old and New). Built upon by Sir Richard Compton and - Bishop Compton respectively. - -=Conduit Street.= From a conduit of spring water set up here before the - land was built over. - -=Confidence Man.= An Americanism for one who in this country is known to - extract money from strangers by the “confidence trick.” - -=Confounded Liar.= Literally one who is covered with confusion on being - brought face to face with the truth. - -=Congleton Bears.= A nickname given to the people of Congleton, - Cheshire. Local tradition has it that the bear intended for baiting - at the holiday sports died, and, to procure another, the authorities - appropriated the money collected for a new Church Bible. - -=Congregationalists.= Independent Nonconformists, who are neither - Baptists nor Wesleyans, and claim the right to “call” their own - ministers, each congregation managing its own affairs. - -=Connecticut.= From the Indian _Quinnitukut_, “country of the long - river.” - -=Conscience Money.= Money sent anonymously to the Treasury in respect of - Income-Tax after the thought of having defrauded the Revenue has - pricked the individual conscience. - -=Constance.= Founded by Constantine, the father of Constantine the - Great; one of the oldest cities of Germany. - -=Constantinople.= The city of Constantine. - -=Constitution Hill.= Where John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, took his - daily constitutional walk while residing at Buckingham House, built - by him in 1703. On the site of this mansion George IV. erected the - present edifice, Buckingham Palace, in 1825. - -=Cook your Goose.= An old chronicler thus explains this saying: “The - Kyng of Swedland coming to a towne of his enemyes with very little - company, his enemyes, to slyghte his forces, did hang out a goose - for him to shoote, but perceiving before nyghte that these fewe - soldiers had invaded and sette their chief houlds on fire, they - demanded of him what his intent was, to whom he replied, ‘To cook - your goose.’” - -=Coon.= Short for racoon, an American animal much prized on account of - its fur. - -=Cooper.= A publican’s term for half ale and half porter. See “Entire.” - -=Copenhagen Street.= From Copenhagen Fields, where stood a noted - tea-house opened by a Dane. - -=Copper.= A policeman, from the thieves’ slang _cop_, to take, catch. - -=Copperheads.= A political faction of North America during the Civil - War, regarded as secret foes, and so called after the copperhead - serpent, which steals upon its enemy unawares. - -=Cordeliers.= Franciscan Friars distinguished from the parent Order by - the knotted waist-cord. - -=Corduroy.= In French _Cord du Roy_, “King’s cord,” because ribbed or - corded material was originally worn only by the Kings of France. - -=Cordwainer.= The old name for a shoemaker, because the leather he - worked upon was Cordwain, a corruption of Cordovan, brought from the - city of Cordova. - -=Cork.= From the Gaelic _corroch_, a swamp. - -=Cork Street.= From the residence of Lord Cork, one of the four brothers - of the Boyle family. - -=Corncrackers.= The Kentuckians, from a native bird of the crane species - called the Corncracker. - -=Corner.= The creation of a monopoly of prices in respect of natural - produce or manufactured goods. The allusion here is to speculators - who agreed in a quiet corner, at or near the Exchange, to buy up the - whole market. - -=Cornhill.= The ancient city corn market. - -=Cornwall.= Pursuant to the Saxon _Wahl_, the horn of land peopled by - foreigners. - -=Corpus Christi College.= At Cambridge, founded by the united guilds or - fraternities of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin. - -=Corsica.= A Phœnician term for “wooded isle.” - -=Cossack.= The Russian form of the Tartar term _kasake_, a horseman. - -=Costa Rica.= Spanish for “rich coast.” - -=Costermonger.= In Shakespeare’s time a Costardmonger, or trader in a - famous species of apple so called. - -=Cottonopolis.= Manchester, the city identified with English cotton - manufacture. - -=Cotton Plantation State.= Alabama, from its staple industry. - -=Cotton to.= An Americanism meaning to cling to a man as cotton would - cling to his garments. - -=Counter-jumper.= The derisive nickname of a draper’s assistant, on - account of his agility in leaping over the counter as a short cut - from one department to another. - -=Country Dance.= A corruption of the French _contre danse_, from the - opposite positions of the dancers. - -=Coup de Grace.= The merciful finishing stroke of the executioner after - a criminal had been tortured by having all his bones broken on a - wheel. One blow on the head then put him out of his misery. - -=Court Cards.= Properly Coat Cards, on account of their heraldic - devices. - -=Court of Arches.= The ecclesiastical Court of Appeal for the - Archbishopric of Canterbury which in ancient times was held in the - crypt of St Mary-le-Bow, or St Mary of the Arches at Cheapside. See - “Bow Church.” - -=Court Plaster.= The plaster out of which ladies of the Court fashioned - their decorative (?) face patches. - -=Covenanters.= Those who entered into a Solemn League or Covenant to - resist the religious and political measures of Charles I. in 1638. - -=Covent Garden.= A corruption of Convent Garden, the site of which was - converted into a market, _temp._ Charles II. The convent and garden - belonged to the Abbey at Westminster. - -=Coventry.= A corruption of Conventry--_i.e._ Convent town. Before the - Reformation it was far famed for the number of its conventual - establishments. The suffix _try_ is Celtic for “dwelling.” - -=Coventry Street.= From the residence of Henry Coventry, Secretary of - State, _temp._ Charles II. - -=Cowcross Street.= Where the cattle crossed the brook in days when this - now congested neighbourhood was pleasant pasture land watered by the - “River of Wells.” - -=Coxcomb.= A vain, empty-pated individual. So called from the cock’s - comb worn on the cap by the licensed jesters, because they were - allowed to crow over their betters. - -=Cracker.= Although the origin of this term when applied to a juvenile - firework would appear to be self-evident, it is really a corruption - of _Cracque_, the Norman description of “Greek Fire.” - -=Crackers.= The people of Georgia, owing, it is said, to the - unintelligibility of their speech. - -=Cranbourn Street.= From the long, narrow stream of this name, when the - whole district hereabouts was open fields. - -=Crank.= One whose notions of things are angular, eccentric, or crooked. - His ideas do not run in a straight line. - -=Cravat.= Introduced into Western Europe by the Cravates or Croatians in - the seventeenth century. - -=Craven Street.= From the residence of Lord Craven prior to his removal - to Drury House in Drury Lane. - -=Cream City.= Milwaukee, from the cream-coloured bricks of which its - houses are built. - -=Credit Draper.= The modern designation of a “Tallyman.” - -=Cree Church.= See “St Katherine Cree.” - -=Creed Lane.= Where the monks recited the Credo in procession to St - Paul’s. See “Ave Maria Lane.” - -=Cremorne Gardens.= Laid out on the site of the mansion and grounds of - Thomas Dawson, Lord Cremorne. - -=Creole State.= Louisiana. In New Orleans particularly a Creole is a - native of French extraction. - -=Crescent City.= New Orleans, built in the form of a crescent. - -=Crimea.= From the _Kimri_ or _Cymri_ who settled in the peninsula. - -=Cripplegate.= From the city gate around which gathered cripples begging - for alms, the neighbouring church being dedicated to St Giles, their - patron. - -=Crokers.= Potatoes, because first raised in Croker’s Field at Youghal, - Ireland. - -=Cromwell Road.= From the mansion and grounds of Richard Cromwell, son - of the Lord Protector. - -=Crop Clubs.= Clubs formed to evade Mr Pitt’s tax on hair powder. _The - Times_ thus noticed one of the earliest in its issue of 14th April - 1795: “A numerous Club has been formed in Lambeth called the ‘Crop - Club,’ every member of which is obliged to have his hair docked as - close as the Duke of Bridgewater’s old bay horses. This assemblage - is instituted for the purpose of opposing, or rather evading, the - tax on powdered heads.” - -=Cross Keys.= A common inn sign throughout Yorkshire, from the arms of - the Archbishop of York. - -=Crowd.= Theatrical slang for members of a company collectively. - -=Crow over him.= A cock always crows over a vanquished opponent in a - fight. - -=Crutched Friars.= Friars of the Holy Trinity, so called from the - embroidered cross on their habits (Latin, _cruciati_, crossed). - Their London house was located in the thoroughfare named after them. - -=Cuba.= The native name of the island when Columbus discovered it. - -=Cully.= A slang term applied to a man, mate, or companion. Its origin - is the Romany _cuddy_, from the Persian _gudda_, an ass. - -=Cumberland.= The land of the Cymri. - -=Cupboard.= See “Dresser.” - -=Curaçoa.= A liqueur first prepared at the West Indian island of the - same name. - -=Currants.= First brought from Corinth. - -=Cursitor Street.= From the Cursitors’ Office that stood here. The - Cursitors were clerks of Chancery, but anciently _choristers_, just - as the Lord Chancellor himself was an ecclesiastic. - -=Curtain Road.= From the “Curtain Theatre,” where Ben Jonson’s “Every - Man in his Humour” was put on the stage. - -=Curzon Street.= From George Augustus Curzon, created Viscount Howe, the - ground landlord. - -=Cuspidor.= The American term for a spittoon, derived from the Spanish - _escupidor_, a spitter. - -=Cut me to the Quick.= The quick of one’s fingers when cut into is most - alive or sensitive to pain. See “Quicksilver.” - -=Cutpurse.= A thief who, in days before pockets came into vogue, had no - difficulty in cutting the strings with which a purse was suspended - from the girdle. - -=Cut the Line.= A printer’s expression for knocking off work. Formerly - compositors finished the line they were composing; nowadays Trades - Unionism has made them so particular that they leave off in the - middle of a line on the first stroke of the bell. - -=Cypress.= A tree introduced to Western Europe from the island of - Cyprus. - -=Cyprus.= From _kupras_, the Greek name for a herb which grew on the - island in profusion. - - - D - - -=Dachshund.= German for “badger-dog.” - -=Daffodil.= An English corruption of the French _d’Asphodel_. - -=Dagonet.= The pseudonym of Mr George R. Sims in _The Referee_, after - the jester at the Court of King Arthur. - -=Daguerreotype.= An early process of photography discovered by L. J. M. - Daguerre. - -=Dahlgreen Gun.= After its inventor, an officer in the United States - Navy. - -=Dahlia.= Introduced to Europe from Mexico in 1784 by Andrew Dahl, the - Swedish botanist. - -=Daisy.= From the Anglo-Saxon _dæges eye_, or “day’s eye,” on account of - its sunlike appearance. - -=Dakota.= From the Dacoits, a tribe of Indians found there. - -=Dale Road.= From the residence of Canon Dale, poet, and Vicar of St - Pancras. - -=Dalmatian.= A species of dog bred in Dalmatia. - -=Dalston.= The town in the dale when the north of London was more or - less wooded. - -=Damage.= See “What’s the Damage?” - -=Damascenes.= From Damascus, famous for its plums. - -=Damascus.= From the Arabic name of the city, _Dimiskesh-Shâm_. - -=Damascus Blade.= From Damascus, a city world famous for the temper of - its sword blades. - -=Damask.= First made at Damascus in Syria. - -=Damask Rose.= Introduced to Europe from Damascus. - -=Damassin.= A Damask cloth interwoven with flowers of gold or silver. - -=Dame School.= The old name for a girls’ school taught by a spinster or - dame. - -=Damsons.= Properly _Damascenes_, from Damascus. - -=Dancing Chancellor.= Sir Christopher Hatton so pleased Queen Elizabeth - by his dancing at a Court masque that she made him a Knight of the - Garter; subsequently he became Lord Chancellor of England. - -=Dandelion.= A corruption of the French _dent de lion_, from its fancied - resemblance to a lion’s tooth. - -=Dandy.= From the French _dandin_, silly fellow, ninny. - -=Dantzic.= Expresses the town settled by the Danes. - -=Danvers Street.= From Danvers House, in which resided Sir John Danvers, - to whom the introduction of the Italian style of horticulture in - England was due. - -=Darbies.= A pair of handcuffs, in allusion to Darby and Joan, who were - inseparable. - -=Dardanelles.= After the city on the Asiatic side founded by Dardanus, - the ancestor of Priam, the last king of Troy. - -=Dark and Bloody Ground.= Kentucky, the great battle-ground of the - Indians and white settlers, as also that of the savage tribes - amongst themselves. - -=Darmstadt.= The _stadt_, or town, on the Darm. - -=Dartford.= From the Saxon _Darentford_, the fort on the Darent. - -=Dartmoor.= The moor in which the River Dart takes its rise. - -=Dartmouth.= On the estuary of the River Dart. - -=Dauphin.= The title borne by the eldest son of the King of France until - 1830, from the armorial device of a _delphinus_, or dolphin. - -=Davenport.= After the original maker. - -=Davies Street.= After Mary Davies, heiress of the manor of Ebury, - Pimlico. - -=Davis Strait.= After the navigator who discovered it. - -=Davy Jones’s Locker.= Properly “Duffy Jonah’s Locker.” _Duffy_ is the - ghost of the West Indian Negroes; Jonah, the prophet cast into the - sea; and “locker,” the ordinary seaman’s chest. - -=D. D. Cellars.= See “Dirty Dick’s.” - -=Dead as a Door Nail.= The reflection that, if a man were to be knocked - on the head as often as is the “nail” on which a door knocker rests, - he would have very little life left in him, easily accounts for this - saying. - -=Dead Beat.= Prostrate from fatigue, incapable of further exertion. Also - the name of an American drink of whisky and ginger-soda after a hard - night’s carousal. - -=Deadheads.= In America persons who enjoy the right of travelling on a - railway system at the public expense; in this country actors and - pseudo “professionals,” who pass into places of amusement without - paying. The origin of the term is as follows:--More than sixty years - ago all the principal avenues of the city of Delaware converged to a - toll gate at the entrance to the Elmwood Cemetery Road. The cemetery - having been laid out long prior to the construction of the plank - road beyond the toll gate, funerals were allowed to pass through the - latter toll free. One day as Dr Price, a well-known physician, - stopped to pay his toll he observed to the gatekeeper: “Considering - the benevolent character of the profession to which I have the - honour to belong, I think you ought to let me pass toll free.” “No, - no, doctor,” the man replied; “we can’t afford that. You send too - many deadheads through here as it is!” The story travelled, and the - term “Deadheads” became fixed. - -=Dead Reckoning.= Calculating a ship’s whereabouts at sea from the - log-book without aid from the celestial bodies. - -=Dead Sea.= Traditionally on the site of the city of Sodom. Its waters - are highly saline, and no fish are found in them. - -=Dean Street.= After Bishop Compton, who, before he became Dean of the - Savoy Chapel, held the living of St Anne’s, Soho. - -=Dean’s Yard.= Affords access to the residence of the Dean of - Westminster, which, with the cloisters, belonged to the abbots prior - to the Reformation. - -=Death or Glory Men.= The 17th Lancers, from their badge, a Death’s head - superposed on the words “Or Glory.” - -=De Beauvoir Town.= From the manorial residence of the De Beauvoirs. - -=Deccan.= From the Sanskrit _Dakshina_, the south, being that portion of - Hindustan south of the Vindhya Mountains. - -=December.= The tenth month of the Roman Calendar when the year was - reckoned from March. - -=Decemvir.= One of the ten legislators of Rome appointed to draw up a - code of laws. - -=Decoration Day.= 30th May, observed in the United States for decorating - the graves of the soldiers who fell in the struggle between the - North and South. - -=Deemster.= See “Doomster.” - -=Dehaley Street.= From the residence of the Dehaleys. - -=Delaware.= After the Governor of Virginia, Thomas West, Lord Delaware, - who died on board his vessel while visiting the bay in 1610. - -=Del Salviati.= The assumed name of the famous Italian painter Francesco - Rossi, in compliment to his patron, Cardinal Salviati, who was born - in the same year as himself. - -=Demijohn.= A corruption of _Damaghan_, in Persia, a town anciently - famous for its glass-ware. - -=Democracy.= From the Greek _demos_, people, and _kratein_, to rule. - Government by the people. - -=Denbigh.= From _Dinbach_, the Celtic for “a little fort.” - -=Denmark.= Properly _Danmark_, the mark or boundary of the land of the - Danes. - -=Depot.= The American term for a railway station. - -=Deptford.= The deep ford over the Ravensbourne. - -=Derby.= Saxon for “deer village.” The Derby stakes at Epsom were - founded by Edward Smith Stanley, Earl of Derby, in 1780. - -=Derrick.= The old name for a gibbet and now for a high crane. So called - after a seventeenth-century hangman at Tyburn. - -=Derry Down.= The opening words of the Druidical chorus as they - proceeded to the sacred grove to gather mistletoe at the winter - solstice. _Derry_ is Celtic for “grove.” - -=Dessborough Place.= From Dessbrowe House, in which resided the - brother-in-law of Oliver Cromwell. - -=Detroit.= French for “strait.” - -=Deuteronomy.= A Greek word signifying the second giving of the Law by - Moses. - -=Devereaux Court.= See “Essex Street.” - -=Devil’s Sonata.= One of Tartini’s most celebrated compositions. He - dreamt that the Evil One appeared to him playing a sonata on the - violin. At its conclusion his visitor asked: “Tartini, canst thou - play this?” Awaking with his mind still full of the grotesque music, - Tartini played it over, and then recorded it permanently on paper. - -=Devil to Pay.= When money was lost by unsuccessful litigation it passed - into the hands of lawyers, who were thought to spend it where they - spent much of their time--viz. at the Devil Tavern in Fleet Street. - The money, therefore, went to the Devil. - -=Devizes.= From the Latin _Devisæ_, denoting the point where the old - Roman road passed into the district of the Celts. - -=Devon.= After a Celtic tribe, the _Damnonii_. - -=Devonshire House.= The town house of the Duke of Devonshire. - -=Devonshire Square.= From the mansion of William Cavendish, Earl of - Devonshire, who died here in 1628. - -=Diamond King.= The late Mr Alfred Beit, the South African financier, - whose wealth rivalled that of the Rothschilds. - -=Dickey.= A shirt front, which often has to do duty for a clean shirt. - So called from the German _decken_, to hide. - -=Diddler.= A schemer, an artful dodger. After Jeremy Diddler, the chief - character in the old farce, “Raising the Wind.” - -=Die Hards.= The 57th Foot. When the regiment was surrounded at Albuera, - their Colonel cried: “Die hard, my lads; die hard!” And fighting, - they died. - -=Digger Indians.= Tribes of the lowest class who live principally upon - roots. They have never been known to hunt. - -=Diggings.= A Bohemian term for “lodgings.” Not from the Californian - gold diggings, as generally supposed, but from the Galena lead - miners of Wisconsin, who called both their mines and their - underground winter habitations “diggings.” - -=Dime.= A ten-cent piece, from the French _dixme_, or _dîme_, - tenth--_i.e._ of a dollar. - -=Dimity.= First brought from Damietta, Egypt. - -=Dine with Duke Humphrey.= An old saying of those who were fated to go - dinnerless. When the “Good Duke Humphrey,” son of Henry IV., was - buried at St Albans, a monument to his memory was to be erected in - St Paul’s Cathedral. At that time, as for long afterwards, the nave - of our national fane was a fashionable promenade. When the - promenaders left for dinner, others who had no dinners to go to - explained that they would stay behind in order to look for the Good - Duke’s monument. - -=Dining-room Servant.= An Americanism for waiter or male house servant. - -=Diorama.= See “Panorama.” - -=Dirty Dick’s.= The noted tavern in Bishopgate, said to have been - associated with Nathaniel Bentley, the miser, who never washed - himself. As a matter of fact, Dirty Dick was an ironmonger in - Leadenhall Street. After his death his effects were bought and - exhibited at the Bishopgate tavern, together with his portrait as a - sign. - -=Dirty Shirts.= The 101st Foot, who were hotly engaged at the battle of - Delhi in their shirt sleeves. - -=Dissenters.= Synonymous with the Nonconformists. Those who dissented - from the doctrines of the Church of England and those likewise who, - at a later period, separated from the Presbyterian Church of - Scotland. - -=Distaffs’ Day.= The old name for 7th January, when, Christmas being - over with Twelfth Night, women returned to their distaffs or - spindles. - -=Divan.= A Turkish word signifying a Council of State, from the fact - that the Turkish Council Chamber has low couches ranged round its - walls, plentifully supplied with cushions. The name has been - imported into Western Europe specifically to imply a low-cushioned - sofa or couch. - -=Dixie’s Land.= The Negroes’ paradise in slavery days. Dixie had a tract - of land on Manhattan Island. He treated his slaves well, but as they - increased sold many of them off to masters further afield. They - always looked back to Dixie’s Land as an ideal locality, associated - with heaven, and when one of them died his kith and kin said he had - gone to Dixie’s Land. - -=Dizzy.= The nickname of Benjamin Disraeli, afterwards Earl of - Beaconsfield, the great political opponent of Mr Gladstone. - -=Doctor.= There are three kinds of Doctors--of Law, Physic, and - Divinity. The first and the last are essentially University degrees, - with which the vulgar orders of the people have little or no - acquaintance. They know only of one “Doctor,” the medical - practitioner, and since he wears a frock coat and a silk hat he is - entitled to all the respect that they can pay him. - -=Doctors’ Commons.= Anciently a college for Professors of Canon and - Civil Law, who dined in common on certain days in each term, similar - to students at the Inns of Court before they are called to the Bar. - -=Dog and Duck.= A tavern sign indicative of the old sport of duck - hunting by spaniels in a pond. - -=Dog-cart.= Originally one in which sportsmen drove their pointers and - setters to the field. - -=Dog his Footsteps.= To follow close to his heels like a dog. - -=Dog in the Manger.= From the old story told of the dog who did not - require the hay for himself, yet refused to allow the ox to come - near it. - -=Dog Rose.= From the old idea that the root of this rose-tree was an - antidote for the bite of a mad dog. - -=Dog Watch.= A corruption of “Dodge Watch,” being a watch of two hours - only instead of four, by which _dodging_ seamen gradually shift - their watch on successive days. - -=Dolgelley.= Celtic for “dale of hazels.” - -=Dollar.= From the German Thaler, originally Joachims-Thaler, the silver - out of which this coin was struck having been found in the Thal or - Valley of St Joachim in Bohemia. - -=Dollars and Dimes.= An Americanism for money generally. See “Dime.” - -=Dolly Shop.= The old name for a rag shop which had a black doll over - the door for a sign. At one time old clothes were shipped to the - Negroes in the southern states of America. - -=Dolly Varden.= The name of a flowered skirt, answering to the - description of that worn by Dolly Varden in Dickens’s “Barnaby - Rudge.” This dress material became very popular after the novel was - published. It also gave rise to a song, of which the burden was: - “Dressed in a Dolly Varden.” - -=Dolphin.= A gold coin introduced by Charles V. of France, also Dauphin - of Vienne. - -=Dominica.= Expresses the Spanish for Sunday, the day on which Columbus - discovered this island. - -=Dominicans.= Friars of the Order of St Dominic; also called Black - Friars, from their habits. - -=Dominoes.= A game invented by two French monks, who amused themselves - with square, flat stones marked with spots. The winner declared his - victory by reciting the first line of the Vesper service: “Dixit - Dominus Domino Meo.” When, later, the game became the recreation of - the whole convent, the Vesper line was abbreviated into “Domino,” - and the stones themselves received the name of “Dominoes.” - -=Don.= A corruption of the Celtic _tain_, river. - -=Donatists.= A sect of the fourth century, adherents of Donatus, Bishop - of Numidia. - -=Doncaster St Leger.= The stakes at Doncaster races founded by Colonel - Anthony St Leger in 1776. - -=Donegal.= Gaelic for the “fortress of the west”--viz. Donegal Castle, - held by the O’Donnels of Tyrconnel. - -=Donet.= The old name for a Grammar, after Donatus, the grammarian and - preceptor of St Jerome. - -=Donkey.= An ass, from its _dun_ colour. - -=Don’t care a Dam.= When this expression first obtained currency a dam - was the smallest Hindoo coin, not worth an English farthing. - -=Don’t care a Jot.= See “Iota.” - -=Doomster.= The official in the Scottish High Court who pronounced the - doom to the prisoner, and also acted as executioner. In Jersey and - the Isle of Man a judge is styled a “Deemster.” - -=Dope Habit.= An Americanism for the morphia habit. “Dope” is the - Chinese word for opium. This in the United States is now applied to - all kinds of strong drugs or bromides prepared from opium. - -=Dorcas Society.= From the passage in Acts ix. 39: “And all the widows - stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which - Dorcas made while she was with them.” - -=Dorchester.= The Roman camp in the district of the _Dwr-trigs_ or water - dwellers. See “Dorset.” - -=Dorset.= The Anglo-Saxon _Dwrset_, or water settlement, so called from - the British tribe the _Dwr-trigs_, “water dwellers,” who peopled it. - -=Dorset Square.= After Viscount Portman, the ground landlord, who, - before he was raised to the peerage, was for many years Member for - Dorsetshire. - -=Dorset Street.= From the mansion and grounds of the Earl of Dorset of - the Restoration period. Here stood also the Dorset Gardens Theatre. - -=Doss.= Slang for a sleep, a shakedown. From the old word _dossel_, a - bundle of hay or straw, whence was derived _Doss_, a straw bed. - -=Doss-house.= A common lodging-house. See “Doss.” - -=Douay Bible.= The Old Testament translation of the Latin Vulgate - printed at the English College at Douay, France, in 1609. - -=Doublet.= So called because it was double lined or wadded, originally - for purposes of defence. - -=Douglas.= From its situation at the juncture of the two streams, the - _Dhoo_, black, and _Glass_, grey. - -=Douro.= From the Celtic _Dwr_, water. - -=Dover House.= The residence of the Hon. George Agar Ellis, afterwards - Lord Dover. - -=Dover Street.= After Henry Jermyn, Lord Dover, who died at his - residence here in 1782. - -=Dowager.= The widow of a person of high rank, because she enjoyed a - substantial dower or dowry for her maintenance during life. - -=Dowgate.= From the Celtic _Dwr_, water. Hence a water gate on the north - bank of the Thames. - -=Downing Street.= From the mansion of Sir George Downing, M.P., of the - Restoration period. - -=Down with the Dust.= A gold miner’s expression in the Far West, where - money is scarce and necessary commodities are in general bartered - for with gold dust. - -=Doyley.= From the Brothers Doyley, linen drapers in the Strand, who - introduced this species of table napery. - -=Do your Level Best.= This expression means that, while striving to the - utmost you must also act strictly straightforward. - -=Drachenfels.= German for “dragon rocks.” Here Siegfried, the hero of - the Niebelungenlied, slew the dragon. - -=Draft on Aldgate Pump.= A punning phrase for a worthless bill or - cheque. - -=Draggletail.= A slovenly woman who allows her skirts to draggle or - trail in the mire of the street. - -=Dragoman.= From the Turkish _drukeman_, an interpreter. A dragoman is - in the East what a “Cicerone” is in Italy and elsewhere in Western - Europe. - -=Dragoons.= From the ancient musket called a dragon, or “spitfire.” The - muzzle was embellished with a representation of a dragon. - -=Draper.= One who dealt in cloth for draping only, as distinct from a - mercer, milliner, or mantle-maker. - -=Drapers’ Gardens.= The property of the Drapers’ Company, whose hall is - situated here. - -=Drat it.= A corruption of “Odd rot it,” from the old oath, “God rot - them.” - -=Drawer.= The old name for an inn or tavern keeper’s assistant, who drew - the beer from the casks. - -=Drawing-room.= Originally “Withdrawing-room” to which the ladies - withdrew after dinner while the gentlemen sat over their wine. - -=Draw it mild.= Originally a tavern phrase, when anyone preferred - ordinary ale to hot spiced liquor. - -=Draw the Long Bow.= In allusion to the exaggerated skill of the English - archers prior to the introduction of gunpowder. - -=Dress Circle.= That portion of a theatre which, before the introduction - of stalls, was set apart for the superior sections of the audience. - -=Dressed up to the Knocker.= To the extreme height of his resources. - Before the establishment of the modern police system door knockers - were placed as high as possible to prevent them from being wrenched - off by sportive wags after nightfall. - -=Dresser.= The kitchen sideboard, on which the meat was dressed before - serving it up in the dining-chamber. The collection of cups, plates, - and dishes which distinguishes a dresser originally had a place on a - wide shelf or board over this meat dresser; hence cup-board. - -=Drinks like a Fish.= Ready to swallow any quantity of liquor that may - be offered. A great many fish have their mouths wide open whilst - swimming. - -=Drive a Bargain.= An expression meaning to knock down the original - price asked, in punning allusion to “driving” a nail. - -=Drop o’ the Crater.= See “Mountain Dew.” - -=Druid.= In the Celtic _Derwydd_, derived from _dewr_, oak, and _gwydd_, - knowledge. A priest who worshipped and offered sacrifices under an - oak. - -=Drum.= The name for a fashionable evening party of bygone days, from - the noise made by the card players. - -=Drummers.= An Americanism for commercial travellers, who are engaged in - beating up trade. - -=Drunkard’s Cloak.= A large wooden crinoline that hung from a drunkard’s - neck to the ground, causing every bone in his body to ache owing to - the weight resting on his shoulders. The instrument resembled an - inverted flower pot, having a hole in the top for his head to be - thrust through. Under this drastic treatment he soon became sober. - -=Drunk as a Fiddler.= The fiddler was generally incapable of discoursing - further music half way through the night’s jollification, because - the dancers freely plied him with drink. - -=Drunk as a Lord.= When George the Third was King, and long afterwards, - the fine old English gentleman acted up to his character by using - strong language and imbibing strong potations. To be “drunk as a - lord” was the surest mark of gentility, and a “three bottle man” a - pattern of sobriety. After dining it was considered no disgrace to - roll helplessly under the table. - -=Drury Lane.= From Drury House, the residence of Sir William Drury, - _temp._ William III. - -=Dublin.= From _Dubh-linn_, “black pool.” - -=Dub Up.= An expression derived from the very general custom of dubbing - or touching a man on the shoulder when arresting him for debt. - -=Ducat.= Duke’s money, anciently struck in the Duchy of Apulia, Sicily. - -=Duchess Street.= After Lady Cavendish, who became the wife of the - second Duke of Portland. - -=Ducking Stool.= An instrument for the punishment of scolding wives. - This public ducking in a pond effectually served to cool their - temper for the time being. - -=Duck’s Foot Lane.= Properly “Duke’s Foot Lane,” the footway leading - from the town house of the Earls of Suffolk down to the Thames. - -=Dude.= An American name for a fop, derived from a very old English - word, “dudes,” whence we have the slang term “Duds,” for clothes. - -=Dudley.= From the castle built by Dodo, a Saxon prince, and _ley_, - “meadow.” - -=Duds.= See “Dude.” - -=Dug-out.= A Far West Americanism for a boat or canoe hewn out of a - large tree log. - -=Dukeries.= That portion of Nottinghamshire distinguished for the number - of ducal residences, of which Welbeck Abbey is perhaps the most - admired. - -=Duke Street.= In Aldgate, after the Dukes of Norfolk. Near Smithfield, - the ancient property of the Dukes of Brittany. In Grosvenor Square, - after the Duke of Cumberland. Off Langham Place, after the Duke of - Portland. Near Manchester Square, after the Duke of Manchester. In - the Strand, after George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham. - -=Dulwich.= The corruption of _Dalewich_, the village in the dale. - -=Duma.= Russian for Parliament or popular representation. - -=Dumb Ox.= One of the sobriquets of St Thomas Aquinas, from the silence - with which he pursued his studies. His master, Albertus Magnus, - however, predicted that “this dumb ox will one day fill the world - with his bellowing.” - -=Dumping.= A word which has come into prominence relative to Mr - Chamberlain’s Fiscal Policy. In various forms the verb _dump_ may be - met with in Teutonic and Scandinavian tongues, meaning to “pitch - down,” “throw down in a lump,” etc. etc. A “Dump Cart” in America is - one that tilts up in front, and so “dumps” its load behind. - -=Dun.= A persistent creditor. After Joe Dun, a noted bailiff, who never - failed to bring a debtor to book. People used to say: “Why don’t you - Dun him for the debt?” meaning they would send Joe Dun to make him - pay or arrest him. - -=Dunce.= From John Duns Scotus, who, it is said, gave no proof of his - remarkable attainments in his early scholastic days. - -=Dundee.= A corruption of _Duntay_, the hill fort on the Tay. - -=Dunedin.= See “Edinburgh.” - -=Dungeness.= A corruption of _Danger Ness_, the Headland of Danger. - -=Dunkirk.= Expresses the “Church in the Dunes,” or sand-hills, built by - St Eloi in the seventh century. - -=Durham.= A corruption of _Dunholm_, from its situation on a hill - surrounded by the river. - -=Dusseldorf.= The village on the Dussel. - -=Dutchman.= A contemptuous epithet applied to our phlegmatic enemies - during the wars with Holland. - -=Dyers’ Buildings.= The site of an ancient almshouse of the Dyers’ - Company. - - - E - - -=Eagle.= An inn sign, the cognisance of Queen Mary. - -=Earl Street.= After Charles Marsham, Earl of Romney. - -=Earl’s Court.= From the Earl of Warwick, whose estate it was until, by - the marriage of the Dowager Countess of Warwick with Lord Holland, - it passed into her husband’s family. - -=East Anglia.= A name still popular as defining the eastern counties. - This was one of the seven divisions or petty kingdoms of England - under the Angles or Saxons. - -=Eastcheap.= The eastern _chepe_, or market, of the city of London. - -=Easter.= From the Teutonic _Ostara_, goddess of light or spring; - rendered by the Anglo-Saxons _Eastre_. This great spring festival - lasted eight days. - -=Easter Island.= The name given to it by Jacob Roggevin when he visited - the island on Easter Sunday, 1722. - -=East Sheen.= A name reminiscent of the original designation of - “Richmond.” - -=Eat Dirt.= An Americanism for a confession of penitence or absolute - defeat in an argument. - -=Eat Humble Pie.= In the days of sumptuous banquets of venison the lords - of the feast reserved to themselves the flesh of the deer. The - huntsmen and retainers had to be content with the heart, liver, and - entrails, collectively called the “umbles,” which were made into - monster pies. - -=Eat my own Words.= To take them back again, to retract a statement. - -=Eaton Square.= From Eaton Hall, near Chester, the seat of the Duke of - Westminster, the ground landlord. - -=Eau de Cologne.= A scent prepared at Cologne. The city itself is not - sweet to the nostrils; it has been said that forty different smells - may be distinguished there. - -=Eavesdropper.= A corruption of _Eavesdripper_, one who, listening under - the eaves of a house, caught the drips from the roof when it chanced - to be raining. - -=Ebro.= After the _Iberi_, who spread themselves over the country from - the banks of this river. See “Iberia.” - -=Ebury Square.= From the ancient manor of Eabury Farm, inherited by Mary - Davies, and which, by her marriage, passed into the possession of - the Grosvenor family. - -=Eccleston Square.= From Eccleston, Cheshire, the country seat of the - Grosvenors. - -=Ecuador.= Expresses the Spanish for Equator. - -=Edgar Atheling.= Signifies “Edgar of noble descent.” - -=Edinburgh.= The fortress or burgh built by Edwin, King of Northumbria. - The Scots called it _Dunedin_. - -=Edinburgh of America.= Albany, in the state of New York, so called on - account of its magnificent public buildings and its commanding - situation. - -=Edmonton.= In Anglo-Saxon days _Edmund’s Town_. - -=Edmund Ironside.= So called from the suit of chain mail that he wore. - Notwithstanding this protection he was treacherously murdered after - a reign of nine months only. - -=Edward the Confessor.= The title bestowed upon the King of the - Anglo-Saxons at his canonisation, on account of his remarkable - asceticism, since, although he made the daughter of Earl Godwin his - queen, he denied himself what are styled conjugal rights. - -=Edward the Martyr.= Murdered at the instance of his stepmother at Corfe - Castle after having reigned scarcely three years. - -=Eel Pie Island.= From the invariable dinner dish served up to river - excursionists. - -=Effra Road.= At Camberwell, from the little river of the same name, now - converted into a sewer. - -=Egalité.= The name assumed by Philippe, Duc d’Orleans, the father of - Louis Philippe, King of France, when, siding with the Republican - Party in 1789, he accepted their motto: “Liberty, Fraternity, and - Equality.” Four years later he met his death by the guillotine. - -=Ehrenbreitstein.= Expresses the German for “Honour’s Broad Stone.” The - castle stands on a precipitous rock, which well merits the - description of the “Gibraltar of the Rhine.” - -=Eisteddfod.= Celtic for a gathering of Welsh bards, from _eistodd_, to - sit. As of old, the annual “Eisteddfod” is held for the - encouragement of national music. - -=Eldorado.= California. _Eldorado_ expresses the Spanish for “golden - region.” - -=Electic Philosophers.= Those who, agreeably to the Greek _ek-lego_, to - pick out, selected what was best in the different schools or - systems, and so built up one of their own. - -=Elephant and Castle.= The famous landmark in South London derived its - sign from the arms of the Cutlers’ Company. A tavern in St Pancras - parish took its sign from the skeleton of an elephant, beside which - was a flint-headed spear, dug up in the neighbourhood. The - connection between these and the battle fought by the followers of - Queen Boadicea against the Roman invaders was unmistakable. - -=Elephant stepped on his Purse.= An Americanism implying that a creditor - or some unlucky speculation has squeezed all the money out of a man. - -=Elgin Marbles.= Brought from Greece by the seventh Earl of Elgin. - Acquired by the nation for the British Museum in 1816. - -=Elia.= The pseudonym of Charles Lamb for his “Essays” contributed to - _The London Magazine_. This was the name of a gay, light-hearted - foreigner, who fluttered about the South Sea House at the time when - Lamb was a clerk there. At the moment of penning his signature to - the first essay he bethought himself of that person, and substituted - the name of _Elia_ for his own. - -=Eltham.= Anciently _Ealdham_, “the old home.” Here Anthony Bec, the - “Battling Bishop of Durham,” built himself a palace midway in the - thirteenth century. After his death it fell to the Crown, and became - a Royal residence, until the time of James I. The original - Banqueting-Hall, used in modern days as a barn, may yet be seen. - -=Ely Place.= Marks the site of the residence of the Bishops of Ely. - -=Ember Days.= This term has no connection with embers or sackcloth and - ashes as a penitential observance. The Saxons called them _Ymbrine - dagas_, or “running days,” because they came round at regular - seasons of the year. - -=Emerald Isle.= Ireland, from its fresh verdure, due to its shores being - washed by the warm waters of the “Gulf Stream.” - -=Empire Day.= May 24th, formerly the Queen’s Birthday. In the last days - of Victoria the British Empire was consolidated through the - assistance lent by the Colonies to the Mother Country in the South - African War. When, therefore, King Edward VII. came to the throne, - the former Queen’s Birthday was invested with a greater significance - than of old. - -=Empire State.= New York, which, owing to position and commercial - enterprise, has no rival among the other states of the Union. - -=Empire State of the South.= Georgia, in consequence of its rapid - industrial development. - -=Ena Road.= In honour of Princess Ena, the consort of the young King of - Spain. - -=Encore.= From the Latin _hauc horam_, till this hour, still, again. - -=Encyclopædia.= A book containing general or all-round instruction or - information, from the Greek _enkylios_, circular or general, and - _paideia_, instruction. An epitome of the whole circle of learning. - -=Endell Street.= After the name of the builder. This is one of the few - streets in London that has preserved its old characteristics, - steadfastly refusing to march with the times. - -=England.= In the time of Alfred the Great our country was styled - _Engaland_, or the land of the Engles or Angles, who came over from - Jutland. - -=Englishman’s House is his Castle.= By the law of the land a bailiff - must effect a peaceable entrance in order to distrain upon a - debtor’s goods; therefore the latter is, as it were, sufficiently - secure in his own fortress if he declines to give the enemy - admittance. - -=Ennis.= Expresses in Ireland, like _Innis_, the Celtic for an island. - Both these words enter largely into Irish place-names. - -=Enniskillen.= The kirk town on an island, the Celtic _kil_, originally - implying a hermit’s cell, and later a chapel. - -=Ennismore Place.= After Viscount Ennismore, Earl of Listowel, the - ground landlord. - -=Enough is as good as a Feast.= Because at no time can a person eat more - than enough. - -=Enrol.= See “Roll Call.” - -=Entente Cordiale.= Expresses the French for cordial good will. - -=Entire.= A word still to be met with on old tavern signs. It meant - different qualities of ale or beer drawn from one cask. - -=Entrées.= French for entries or commencements. Those made dishes are - served after the soups, as an introduction to the more substantial - portions of the repast, the joints. - -=Epicure.= After Epicurus, a Greek philosopher, who taught that pleasure - and good living constituted the happiness of mankind. His followers - were styled Epicureans. - -=Epiphany.= From the Greek _Epiphaneia_, an appearance, a showing; - relative to the adoration of the Magi, who came from the East twelve - days after the birth of the Saviour. - -=Epsom Salts.= From the mineral springs at Epsom. - -=Equality State.= Wyoming, where, first among the communities of the - world, women were accorded the right to vote. - -=Erie.= Indian for “Wild Cat,” the fierce tribe exterminated by the - Iroquois. - -=Escurial.= Properly _Escorial_, Spanish for “among the rocks.” King - Philip II. built this superb convent and palace after the battle of - St Quentin, in the course of which he had been obliged to bombard a - monastery of the Order of St Jerome. He dedicated it to St Lawrence. - He caused the structure to be in the form of a gridiron, the symbol - of the Saint’s martyrdom. - -=Esk.= A river name derived from the Celtic _uisg_, water. - -=Esquimaux.= An Alonquin Indian term signifying “eaters of raw flesh.” - -=Essex.= The kingdom of the East Saxons under the Heptarchy. - -=Essex Street.= From the mansion of Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex, the - Parliamentary General in Cromwell’s time. - -=Ethelred the Unready.= From his incapacity and unwillingness to accept - _rede_, or counsel. - -=Ethiopia.= From the Greek _aithein_, to burn, and _ops_, the face. - Hence “the country of the blacks.” - -=Etiquette.= A French word for “label.” Formerly a ticket or card of - instructions was handed to visitors on ceremonial occasions. - Nowadays such rules as pertain to deportment or decorum are supposed - to enter into the education of all well-bred persons. - -=Etna.= From the Phœnician _attuna_, a furnace. - -=Eton.= The Anglo-Saxon _Eyton_, “island town.” - -=Ettrick Shepherd.= The literary sobriquet of James Hogg, the poet, of - Ettrick, Selkirkshire. - -=Europe.= From the Greek _euros_, broad, and _ops_, the face; literally - “the broad face of the earth.” - -=Euston Road.= From the seat of the Earl of Euston at Thetford, Norfolk, - the ground landlord. - -=Evacuation Day.= November 25th, observed in the United States as - commemorating the evacuation of New York city by the British after - the War of Independence, 1783. - -=Evangelist.= From the Greek _euanggelion_, “good news.” One of the four - writers of the Gospels of the New Testament. - -=Evelyn Street.= From the residence of John Evelyn, the diarist. One of - his descendants, the Rev. W. J. Evelyn, of Wolton, built the church - of St Luke, Deptford, in 1872. - -=Everglade State.= Florida, from its tracts of land, covered with water - and grass, called Everglades. - -=Ex.= Another form of the Celtic _uisg_, water. - -=Exchequer.= The table of this Court was formerly covered with checkered - cloth, so called from the Old French _eschequier_, chess board. - -=Executive City.= Washington, which contains the White House, the - official residence of the President of the Republic, the House of - Representatives, and the Senate Chamber. - -=Exellers.= The 40th Foot, from the Roman numerals XL. - -=Exeter.= Called by the Saxons _Exancester_, or the Roman camp town on - the Exe. - -=Exeter College.= Founded at Oxford by Walter Stapleton, Bishop of - Exeter and Lord Treasurer of England, in 1316. - -=Exeter Street.= From the mansion and grounds of the Earl of Exeter, the - eldest son of the great Lord Burleigh. - -=Exhibition Road.= This wide thoroughfare formed the eastern boundary of - the plot of ground purchased by the Commissioners for the Great - Exhibition of 1862. - -=Exodus.= The Scriptural narrative of the departure of the Israelites - from the Land of Bondage. - -=Eye.= Expresses the Anglo-Saxon for island. The river Waveney surrounds - the town. - -=Eye-opener.= An American drink of mixed spirits as a remedy for - drowsiness. - - - F - - -=Face the Music.= To bear the jeers and taunts of those who laugh at us. - -=Factory King.= Richard Oastler of Bradford, the promoter of the “Ten - Hours’ Bill.” - -=Fag.= Slang for a cigarette, derived from the fag end--_i.e._ fatigued - or spent end--of a cigar. Also a small boy who acts as a drudge in - the service of another at a public school, so called from the - Anglo-Saxon _fæge_, weak, timid. - -=Fair Cop.= Thieves’ slang for a smart capture by the police. Whereas - another would say “The game’s up!” a thief admits that he has been - fairly caught by the expression “It’s a fair cop.” See “Cop.” - -=Fair Maid of Kent.= Joan, the beautiful and only daughter of the Earl - of Kent, who became the wife of Edward the Black Prince. - -=Fair Street.= A name left us as a reminder of a once celebrated fair on - the Southwark bank of the Thames. - -=Faith Healers.= A sect which upholds the doctrine of healing the sick - by prayer and anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, as set - forth in James v. 13-15. - -=Faix.= An Irishman’s exclamation for “Faith” or “In Faith.” - -=Fake.= To make-believe or cheat. An actor is said to “fake up” an - article of costume out of very sorry materials, which at a distance - looks like the real thing. A photographer can “fake” a spirit photo - by means of two distinct plates. Food also is largely “faked.” The - word is derived from “Fakir.” - -=Fakir.= From the Arabic _fakhar_, poor. - -=Falcon Square.= From an ancient hostelry, “The Castle and Falcon,” hard - by in Aldersgate Street. - -=Falernian.= A celebrated wine, extolled by Horace, Virgil, and other - Latin authors, prepared from grapes grown in the district of - Falernicum. - -=Fall.= An Americanism for autumn, in allusion to the fall of the - leaves. - -=Fallopian Tubes.= Said to have been discovered by Gabriel Fallopius, - the eminent Italian anatomist of the sixteenth century. They were, - however, known to the ancients. - -=Falls City.= Louisville, in the state of Kentucky, because it overlooks - the falls of the Ohio River. - -=Falmouth.= A seaport at the mouth of the Fale. - -=Family Circle.= This expression had a literal meaning in the time of - the Normans, when the fire occupied the centre of the floor, and the - smoke found its vent through a hole in the roof. In Germany and - Russia the domestic apartments are economically warmed by an - enclosed stove in the centre. Amongst ourselves the phrase “sit - _round_ the fire” only conveys a half-truth. - -=Fancy Drink.= An Americanism for a concoction of various spirits, as - distinguished from a Straight Drink of one kind. - -=Fandago.= Spanish for a “lively dance.” - -=Farmer George.= George III., on account of his dress, manners, and - bucolic sporting inclinations. - -=Farm Street.= From an old farm, on the land of Lord Berkeley of - Stratton in the time of Charles I. - -=Faro.= So called from a representation of Pharaoh on one of the cards - originally. - -=Farringdon Road.= After William Farringdon, citizen and goldsmith, who, - for the sum of twenty marks, in 1279 purchased the Aldermanry of the - ward named after him. - -=Farthing.= From the Anglo-Saxon _feorthling_, a little fourth. In olden - times penny pieces were nicked across like a Good Friday bun; so - they could be broken into halves and fourths as occasion required. - -=Farthingale.= A corruption of Verdingale, from the French _vertugarde_, - a guard for modesty. Queen Elizabeth is said to have introduced this - hooped petticoat in order to disguise her figure. - -=Farthing Poet.= The sobriquet of Richard Horne, who published his chief - poem, “Orion,” at one farthing, so that it should not want for - buyers. - -=Fastern’s E’en.= The Scottish description of Shrove Tuesday, being the - eve of the Lenten Fast. - -=Father of Believers.= Mohammed, because he established and promulgated - the faith of the Moslem, or “true believers.” - -=Father of the Music Halls.= The late William Morton, manager of the - Palace Theatre of Varieties, and founder of the earliest London - Music Hall, “The Canterbury,” in the Westminster Bridge Road, which - dates from the year 1848. - -=Fathers of the Church.= The great doctors or theological writers of the - period from the first to the seventh centuries of Christianity. See - “Apostolic Fathers.” - -=Faugh-a-Ballagh Boys.= The 87th Foot, from their battle cry. - -=Feast of Lanterns.= A Chinese festival which occurs on the fifteenth - day of the first moon of the year. Walking by the side of a - beautiful lake one night the daughter of a mandarin fell in, and was - drowned. When her father heard of the accident he, attended by all - his household, carrying lanterns, rushed to the spot. On the - anniversary he caused fires to be lighted beside the lake, and - invited all the people of the country round about to offer up - prayers for the safety of her soul. In course of time the solemn - character of the gathering was forgotten, and the day has ever since - been observed as a national holiday. - -=Feast of Tabernacles.= Commemorative of the forty years’ wandering of - the Israelites in search of the Promised Land, during which long - period they dwelt in temporary huts or tabernacles, formed of tree - branches covered with leaves. Even at the present day the Jews at - least take their meals in temporary structures covered with leaves - throughout the nine days of the festival. - -=Feather in my Cap.= An expression derived from a custom of the North - American Indians, who stuck a fresh feather in their head-dress for - every one of their enemies slain in battle. - -=Feathers.= An inn sign originally, when the painted device appeared in - place of the mere name, signifying the “Plume of Feathers,” or - “Prince of Wales’s Feathers,” the crest of Edward the Black Prince. - -=February.= From the Latin _februare_, to purify, this being the month - appointed by the Romans for the festival of the _Februalia_ of - purification and expiation. - -=Federal States.= During the American Civil War the Treaty States of the - North, which resisted the Separatist or Confederate States in the - South. - -=Feel Peckish.= See “Keep your Pecker up.” - -=Fellah.= Arabic for agriculturist or peasant. In the plural, “El - Fellahin,” the term is specifically applied to the labouring - population of Egypt. - -=Fenchurch Street.= From an ancient church in the fens or marshy ground - through which ran the Lang Bourne from Beach Lane to the Wall brook - behind the Stocks Market, where the Mansion House now stands. - -=Fenians.= Said to express the Gaelic for “hunters,” but the greater - likelihood is that this secret society took the name of the _Finna - Eirinii_, ancient organisation of Irish militia, so called after - Fion MacCumhal, the hero of legendary history. - -=Fetter Lane.= A corruption of “Fewters Lane,” from the Norman-French - _faitour_, an evil-doer, on account of the idle vagabonds who - infested it in days when this lane led to some pleasure gardens. - -=Feuilleton.= Expresses the French for a small leaf. Like the serial - stories nowadays in many English newspapers, articles of a - non-political character were introduced in the French _Journal des - Debatés_ as long ago as the commencement of the nineteenth century, - these being separated from the news by a line towards the bottom of - each page. - -=Fez.= From Fez in Morocco, whence this red cap of the Turks was - introduced into the Ottoman Empire. - -=F. F. V.= Initials well understood in America, implying the “First - Families of Virginia.” - -=Fiddler’s Money.= A threepenny piece. Originally it was a small coin - paid by each of the dancers to the fiddler at a merry-making. - -=Fifth Monarchy Men.= Religious fanatics of the time of Charles I. who - proclaimed the second coming of Christ to establish the fifth - monarchy, or millennium. The four previous great monarchies of the - world were the Assyrian, Persian, Macedonian, and Roman. - -=Fifty Club.= A social club founded in 1899 by G. C. Paterson, - incidentally for the entertainment of its members on the attainment - of their fiftieth birthday. - -=Fighting Fifth.= The 5th Foot, on account of their prowess during the - Peninsular War. - -=Fighting Fitzgerald.= George Robert Fitzgerald, a noted gamester and - duellist of the eighteenth century, with whom no one ever picked a - quarrel without falling by his hand. A sure shot and an expert - swordsman, he was a man to be feared by all. - -=Fight Shy.= Originally a prize-fighting expression, when one of the - combatants betrayed a lack of courage. - -=Filberts.= After St Philibert, on whose feast day, 22nd August, the - nutting season commenced. - -=Filibuster.= A Spanish and French corruption of the German _freibeter_, - derived from the Dutch _vlie-boot_, or fly-boat, a small clipper - vessel. This was introduced into England during the wars with the - Low Countries. The word Freebooter claims the same origin. - -=Finality John.= The sobriquet of John Russell, afterwards Earl Russell, - from his conviction that the passing of the Reform Bill of 1832 - would be a _finality_ to the universal Suffrage Question. - -=Finch Lane.= Properly Finke Lane, after Sir Richard Finke, who resided - in it, and rebuilt the church of St Bennet on the site of the - present Royal Exchange. A tradesman in Cheapside rejoices in the - possession of the full name of this vanished church, St - Bennet-Finke. - -=Fingal’s Cave.= That of Fion MacCumhal, abbreviated into Fingal, a - celebrated legendary hero. - -=Finland.= Properly _Fenland_, the land of lakes and marshes. The native - name of the country is _Suomesimaa_, the watered land of the - _Suomes_. - -=Finsbury.= From the Anglo-Saxon _Fensbury_, the town among the fens or - marshes. - -=Finsbury Pavement.= The first London thoroughfare where the paving of - the side walk with flagstones was introduced. - -=Fire dogs.= These adjuncts to an old-fashioned fireplace received their - name from the small dog that was anciently imprisoned in a wheel at - one end of the spit. Three hours of this canine exercise were - required to prepare the roast beef of Old England for the table. If - the dog refused to exert himself a live coal was put inside the - wheel to accelerate his movements. - -=Fire Water.= The North American Indian designation of rum, and ardent - spirits generally. - -=Fire Worshippers.= The Parsees, who worship the sun as the symbol of - the Deity. - -=First Gentleman of Europe.= The complimentary sobriquet of George IV., - owing to his rank, personal attractions, and the ability, as became - a gentleman of the period, of telling good stories well. - -=Firth of Forth.= _Firth_ expresses the Gaelic for an estuary or arm of - the sea. Forth is the name of the river. - -=Fish Street Hill.= From the fishmongers who first congregated here in - the reign of Edward I. The Hall of the Fishmongers’ Company stands - at the foot of London Bridge. - -=Fit-up.= In theatrical parlance the entire appurtenances of a stage, - excepting the floor only, carried from town to town, and fitted up - in Town Halls, Assembly-rooms, and Corn Exchanges. - -=Fitzroy Square.= From one of the family names of the ground landlord. - -=Fives.= An old game at ball, usually played by five on each side. The - “court” consists of a roomy space with a high wall at one end. - -=Fixings.= An Americanism for dress ornaments or accessories; house, - hotel, or theatre embellishments and decorations generally. - -=Flamingo.= From the bright red colour of this tropical bird. - -=Flanders.= From the native name _Vländergau_, the country of the - Vländer, who from the earliest period of their history were ruled by - counts. - -=Flannelled Fools.= An opprobrious epithet bestowed upon the English - people on account of their all-pervading sport of cricket by Rudyard - Kipling. It gave rise to much acrimony at the time, and tended to - lessen his popularity as a writer. - -=Flash Jewellery.= Spurious, not what it pretends to be. Like a flash of - fire, its brilliance is only fleeting. - -=Flask Walk.= In this pleasant lane stands the old hostelry “The Flash.” - -=Fleet Road.= All that is left us to remind one of the clear stream - which coursed through the meadows down to Holborn (the Old Bourne) - and Clerkenwell, emptying itself into the Thames in what is now - Bridge Street, Blackfriars. - -=Fleet Street.= The River Fleet, which in old days was navigable from - the Thames as far as what is now Ludgate Circus. The old English - word _Fleot_ expressed a tidal stream deep enough for vessels to - float in. - -=Fleetwood Road.= Here stood Fleetwood House, the residence of Charles - Fleetwood, the Parliamentary General. - -=Fleshly School of Poetry.= That of the sensuous order, popularised by - Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Swinburne, and Morris. - -=Flint.= From the flint or quartz which abounds in this country. - -=Floralia.= A Roman festival in honour of Flora, commencing 28th April - and terminating 2nd May. It was said to have been instituted at the - command of an oracle with a view of obtaining from the goddess the - protection of blossoms. - -=Florence.= Expresses “The City of Flowers.” - -=Florida.= Named by Ponce de Leon from the twofold circumstance of his - landing upon it on _Pascua Florida_, or Easter Sunday, and the - luxuriance of its vegetation. - -=Florin.= A silver coin of the value of two shillings, originally struck - at Florence. It still bears on its reverse side a representation of - a lily, symbolical of “The City of Flowers.” - -=Flower Sermon.= An annual observance at the Church of St Katherine - Cree, Leadenhall Street, inaugurated by the rector, the Rev. Dr - Whittemore, in 1853. The flowers of the earth form the text; the - pulpit is richly adorned with flowers; and every member of the - congregation brings a bouquet. The idea of the flower service, if - not the sermon, has been largely copied in various parts of the - country. - -=Flunkey.= From the French _flanquer_, the henchman or groom who ran at - the flank or side of his mounted master. - -=Fly.= Provincial for a hansom cab. When one looks at such a hackney - carriage it suggests a sedan-chair on wheels. Such a vehicle, - introduced at Brighton for invalids, was a great favourite with - George IV. then Prince of Wales, who often requisitioned it for a - night frolic. Called by him on account of its lightness a - “fly-by-night,” its name became abbreviated into a “fly.” - -=Fly Posting.= A showman’s phrase for small bills posted hurriedly in - all possible conspicuous places under cover of night. - -=Fly-up-the-Creeks.= The people of Florida, who were wont to disappear - on the approach of strangers. - -=F. M. Allen.= The pseudonym of Mr Edward Downey at the time when he was - also a publisher. F. M. Allen was his wife’s maiden name. - -=Foley Street.= After the town house of Lord Foley. - -=Fontagne.= A wire structure for raising the hair of ladies, introduced - by the Duchesse de Fontagne, one of the mistresses of Louis XIV. of - France. - -=Fontinalia.= Roman festivals in honour of the nymphs of wells and - fountains. It was from these that the English and French custom of - “Well Dressing” in the month of May found its origin. - -=Foolscap.= A size of paper which from time immemorial has had for its - watermark a fool’s cap and bells. - -=Footpad.= Originally a thief or highway robber who wore padded shoes. - -=Fop.= From the German and Dutch _foppen_, to jeer at, make a fool of. - This word must be very old, since Vanbrugh gave the name of Lord - Foppington to a conceited coxcomb in this comedy “The Relapse,” - 1697. - -=Forecastle.= The quarters apportioned to the seamen in the fore end of - a vessel. Anciently the whole forward portion bore the name of - _Aforecastle_ on account of “The Castle” or State Cabin erected in a - castle-like form in the centre. - -=Forefathers’ Day.= December 21st, commemorated in the New England - States on account of the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers in 1620. - -=Forest City.= Cleveland (Ohio) and Portland (Maine), on account of the - trees which characterise their beautiful avenues. - -=Forest Gate.= The district which in modern times has sprung up south of - the old gate leading into Epping Forest. A representation of the - gate appears on the curtain of the local public hall, or, as it is - now styled, “The Grand Theatre.” - -=Forest Hill.= A name reminiscent of days when this portion of South - London as far as Croydon was forest land. - -=Fore Street.= The street in front of the London Wall, the Barbican or - watch-tower, and Cripple Gate. - -=Forget-me-not.= A flower emblematical of friendship or a keepsake. The - story goes that a German knight, walking on the banks of the Danube - with his lady, undertook, at her request, to gather a tuft of - _Mysotis palustris_, growing in the water. Encumbered by his armour, - he was carried away by the stream, and sank, after having thrown the - flowers to his mistress, exclaiming: “_Vergess mein nicht!_” - -=Forlorn Hope.= From the German _verloren_, lost. A company of soldiers - ordered upon such a perilous enterprise, that there is small hope of - their return. - -=Formosa.= A Portuguese word signifying “beautiful.” - -=Fortino.= A clipped phrase in several of the states of North America, - from “For aught I know.” - -=Foster Lane.= From the Church of St Vedast, the name of a Bishop of - Arras. How Vedast came to be Anglicised into Foster is not - explained. - -=Foul-weather Jack.= Commodore John Byron, the circumnavigator of the - eighteenth century. Whenever he put out to sea he was sure to - experience foul weather. - -=Four Hundred.= The Select or “Smart” Society of New York city. - -=Fourteen Hundred.= The cry raised when a stranger is discovered in the - Stock Exchange, whereupon he is immediately hustled out. This had - its origin in the circumstance that for a great many years the - recognised full membership on ’Change was 1399. - -=Fourth Estate.= The Press. Edward Burke referred to the Reporters’ - Gallery as more powerful than the three great estates of the - realm--viz. the Lords Spiritual, the Lords Temporal, and the - Commons. - -=Fox in the Hole.= An inn or tavern sign contiguous to the hunting - field. - -=Frame House.= The American term for a house built of timber. Chinatown, - or the Chinese quarter of the city of San Francisco, was entirely - constructed of “frame houses.” - -=Franc.= A silver coin of Franconia or France. - -=France.= Anciently _Franconia_, the country of the Franks, so called - from the _franca_, a kind of javelin with which they armed - themselves when this people effected the conquest of Gaul. - -=Franciscans.= Friars of the Order of St Francis of Assisi. Originally - the Grey Friars, their habits are now brown. One of the rules laid - down by their pious founder was that the brethren should always be - clad like the poorest of the poor. He selected the loose sack of - grey, undyed wool, bound round the waist by a cord of the Umbrian - Shepherds. Towards the close of the fifteenth century the better - classes affected gaudy colours, and the poorer orders, imitating - them so far as the use of dyed materials was concerned, took to - wearing garments of sober brown. Hence the change in the colour of - the Franciscan habit. - -=Frankincense.= Incense brought to the East from “Franconia.” - -=Freak Dinner.= A latter-day term, arising out of the examples set by - American millionaires to outdo all previous attempts in the way of - sumptuous banquets. There have been dinners costing £100 per head. - To please the eye, champagne has been made to flow wastefully from a - fountain. The name is, however, more correctly applied to the scenic - embellishments, as when the banqueting-chamber of the Gaiety - Restaurant was converted into a South African mining tent, and real - Kaffirs were the waiters, to remind the diners of the mode by which - they had acquired their wealth. - -=Freebooter.= See “Filibuster.” - -=Free Church of Scotland.= The adherents of Dr Chalmers, who separated - from the Scottish Presbyterian Church to establish an independent - community, 18th May 1843. - -=Free House.= A public-house, of which the landlord, being his own - master, is at full liberty to change his brewer if the quality of - the liquor supplied to him does not give complete satisfaction. See - “Tied House.” - -=Free-lance.= An unattached journalist who sends out his literary wares - on approval. The term has been derived from those roving companies - of knights who, at the close of the Wars of the Crusades, were ready - to enlist under any banner for a monetary consideration. Like the - mercenaries of the Carthaginians and Romans, these were the first - paid soldiers. - -=Free List.= A list kept by theatrical managers of Men about Town, - barristers, medical men, and others, who can be relied upon to - “dress the house” at short notice when business is bad, and so give - it an air of prosperity. These are not “Deadheads” in the ordinary - sense, because they render the management a service; but being well - able to pay for seats at all times they are apt to be obnoxious in - their demands when the entertainment really draws good houses. Hence - the notice “Free list entirely suspended” at such times. - -=Freemasons.= A brotherhood of masons who in the Mediæval Ages built the - cathedrals which are even now lasting mementoes of their skill. They - travelled from one city to another, always employed in the same - devoted work, and, to prove that they were master craftsmen, - invented various symbols, by which they could be recognised. - Everywhere these masons enjoyed immunity from taxation and military - service. Hence they received the name of “free-masons.” - -=Freeze on to him.= To cling to a man as hoarfrost clings to wood in - winter. - -=Freight Train.= An Americanism for goods train. - -=Freshman.= An undergraduate in his first year at a university. - -=Friar.= Agreeably to the Latin _fratre_, brother. This term signifies a - member of a religious community as distinguished from a monk (Greek, - _monas_, alone), who was originally a hermit, and, except when at - meals or at prayers in the monastery, spends his time in a cell. - -=Friar Street.= Marks the eastern boundary of the monastery of the - Dominicans or Black Friars anciently located south of Ludgate Hill. - -=Friar Tuck.= So called because, like that of all friars, his habit was - _tucked_ or drawn up round the cord that encircled his waist. - -=Friday.= In the Scandinavian mythology this day of the week was set - apart for the worship of Frigga, the wife of Odin. - -=Friday Street.= The fish market of Old London, so called from the - weekly fast day, when it must have been particularly thronged. - -=Friendly Islands.= So called by Captain Cook on account of the - peaceable disposition of the natives. - -=Friesland.= Anciently _Friesia_, the country of the _Frisii_. - -=Frisco.= An American abbreviation of San Francisco. - -=Frith Street.= Originally Fryth Street, after the name of the builder - upon the land in 1680. - -=Frobisher Strait.= Discovered by Sir Martin Frobisher, 1576. - -=Frognal.= That portion of Hampstead once graced by Frognal Priory, - built by “Memory-Corner Thompson.” - -=From Pillar to Post.= This had reference in olden times to the hooting - crowds who followed a public offender from the pillory to the - whipping-post. The “post,” however, was more usually a “cart’s - tail.” - -=Fuchsia.= After Leonard Fuchs, the distinguished German botanist. - -=Fudge.= A word derived from the sound produced by the nasal expression - of contempt, _futsch!_ among the Germans and Dutch. - -=Fulham.= The _Fullenhame_ of Anglo-Saxon days, expressing the home or - habitation of water-fowl. - -=Funeral.= Specifically a torchlight procession, from the Latin _funis_, - a torch. In ancient times burials always took place by night. - -=Furnival Street.= A name left to remind us of Furnival’s Inn, on the - opposite side of Holborn, and where Charles Dickens wrote his - “Pickwick Papers.” Anciently this was the “Inn” or town mansion of - the Lords Furnival, a title which became extinct in the reign of - Richard II. - -=Fusiliers.= Because originally armed with a light musket styled a - _fusil_. - -=Fye Foot Lane.= A corruption of _Five Foot Lane_, the width of this - narrow thoroughfare when it led down to the Thames side. - - - G - - -=Gad-about.= The word “Gad” is Gaelic, signifying “to rove.” - -=Gaelic.= See “Caledonia.” - -=Gaff.= See “Penny Gaff.” - -=Gaffer.= Provincial for an old man; a corruption of “grandfather.” - -=Gag.= An actor’s interpolation of catch phrases at his own sweet will. - Originally, however, _gagging_ was a device to disconcert or stop - the mouth of another actor by the unexpected employment of words not - in the text of the play. - -=Gallivanting.= An old English word for “doing the agreeable.” Its - derivation is clearly traceable to “gallant” and “gallantry.” - -=Galoshes.= From the Spanish _galocha_, a patten or wooden shoe. - -=Galvanism.= After Luigi Galvani, the eminent physician of Bologna in - the eighteenth century, the discoverer of electrical currents - produced by chemical agency. - -=Gamboge.= Brought from Cambogia in Siam. - -=Gamp.= After Mrs Gamp in “Martin Chuzzlewit,” who never went abroad - without her fat, pawky umbrella, and when at home gave it an - honoured position by the side of the fireplace. Charles Dickens must - have had the town of _Guingamp_ in his mind when he invented Mrs - Gamp. See “Gingham.” - -=Gander Party.= An Americanism for a social party composed of men only. - -=Ganges.= The sacred river of the Hindoos, thought by them to flow - through Gang, the earth, to heaven. The name they gave to it, - therefore, was _Ganga_. - -=Garden of England.= The Isle of Wight. The mildness of the climate and - the luxuriance of the vegetation bespeak a perpetual summer. - -=Garden Spot.= The fertile centre of Kentucky, whence the Indians, after - many a sanguinary encounter, were banished by the white settlers. - -=Garden State.= New Jersey, from the fertility of its soil. - -=Garden Town.= The name bestowed upon both Cheltenham and Leamington in - virtue of their spas, public gardens, and promenades tastefully laid - out. - -=Gargantuan.= Anything out of all reasonable limits. We speak of a - “Gargantuan Feast,” a “Gargantuan Thirst,” to express a capacity for - enormous consumption. The word is derived from Gargantua, the hero - of Rabelais’s famous satire of this title. - -=Garlick Hill.= Where garlic was anciently brought to land at - Queenhithe. - -=Garrick Street.= From the Garrick Club, the premier rendezvous of the - leading members of the dramatic profession. - -=Garrotters.= Street marauders of the latter part of the last century - who gripped their victim tightly round the neck while accomplices - rifled his pockets. Their designation was derived from the - _Garrotte_, with which malefactors are strangled in Spain. - -=Gas Bag.= An Americanism for one who is always boasting of his own - importance. - -=Gasconade.= To boast. The people of Gascony had an unenviable - reputation for boasting. - -=Gate.= This old English word does not in all cases express a city gate, - as in London, but a road, street, or passage--_e.g._ Canongate, the - way past the House of the Canons of Holyrood Abbey at Edinburgh; - Lowgate, Whitefriargate, etc., at Hull; Harrowgate, the passage - through the hills; and Boulogne Gate, or entrance to Boulogne - Harbour. - -=Gatling Gun.= Named after R. J. Gatling, its inventor. - -=Gaul.= The _Gallia_ of the Romans, from the Celtic name of the country, - _Gal_, “western.” - -=Gave him a Baker’s Dozen.= As much as he merited, and one blow over as - a finishing stroke. A drubbing that he little expected. - -=Gave him a Roland for an Oliver.= Exactly what he gave me himself; a - tit for tat. Roland and Oliver were two knights in the train of - Charlemagne. Both were equally accomplished; what the one did the - other essayed also with success. In the matter of fighting too they - were exactly on a par, since, after having been put to the test in - single combat, for a long time neither of them gained the least - advantage. - -=Gave him the Cold Shoulder.= Received him with scant ceremony. The - allusion is to the fare generally set before an unexpected visitor - who has not dined. - -=Gave him the Grand Shake.= An Americanism for finally breaking off an - acquaintance. - -=Gavelkind.= A custom among the Anglo-Saxons whereby all the sons of a - family inherited alike. Lord Coke traces it from the Teutonic _gif - eal cyn_, and translates it literally “give all kinde.” Inheritance - by Gavelkind obtained in Kent long after the Norman Conquest; - indeed, it is said that some Kentish lands are still held by this - ancient tenure. - -=Gavotte.= A dance familiar to the Gavots in the French province of - Dauphiny. - -=Gay Lothario.= A seducer. From the leading character in Nicholas Rowe’s - “The Fair Penitent,” produced in 1703. - -=Gazette.= From the Italian _Gazzetta_, the name of a Venetian coin - valued at about ¾d. of English money, which was charged for the - individual reading, from hand-to-hand, of a written sheet at Venice - containing news of the war with Soliman II., _temp._ sixteenth - century. - -=Geneva Gown.= The habit of Low Churchmen, so called from its - resemblance to the gown worn by the Calvinists of Geneva. - -=Genre Painting.= One on a pastoral subject, with figures, that does not - properly come under the definition of a landscape. The word is - French for a kind, a sort. - -=Gentleman in Black.= A chimney-sweep, who, like a clergyman, was - formerly saluted out of respect for “the cloth.” - -=Gentleman Jack.= John Bannister, a favourite actor of Drury Lane - Theatre, respected by all for his integrity even more than for his - histrionic accomplishments. - -=Gentleman Smith.= William Smith of Drury Lane, the _beau ideal_ of a - gentleman on the stage. - -=Gentleman Turkey.= The Far Western description of a turkey cock. - -=George.= An inn sign in honour of the patron saint of England. After - the Hanoverian Succession, by which time pictorial signs had for the - most part disappeared, and the name alone stood for a sign, the - omission of the “St” made the sign complimentary to the reigning - monarch. Reading of the execution of Charles I., we are told that - the ill-fated King handed his “George” to Juxon, the Archbishop of - Canterbury, who attended him on the scaffold. This was the badge of - the Order of the Garter, representing St George on horseback - piercing the fallen dragon with his lance. - -=George and Dragon.= See “George.” - -=George Ranger.= H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, who was appointed Ranger - of the Royal Parks. - -=Georges Sand.= This literary pseudonym of Mademoiselle Dupin, - afterwards Madame Dudevant, arose out of her attachment to a young - student named Jules Sandeau, with whom she collaborated in the - production of her first novel, “Rose et Blanche.” - -=Georgia.= In compliment to George II., the reigning monarch when this - state was colonised. - -=German Silver.= See “Sterling Silver.” - -=Germany.= Called by the Romans _Germania_, from a Gaulish or Celtic - word meaning “neighbours.” - -=Gerrard Street.= After the family name of the Earl of Macclesfield, the - ground landlord, when it was first built upon at the close of the - seventeenth century. - -=Gerrymandering.= An American political term for subdividing a - constituency in such a way as to give one party an unfair advantage - over all others. Its adoption was due to Elbridge Gerry, Governor of - Massachusetts. When a map of this new electoral distribution was - shown to an artist he remarked that it looked very much like a - salamander. “A salamander, you say? Why not a Gerrymander!” was the - reply. And a Gerrymander the name of the scheme remained. - -=Get there all the same.= An Americanism meaning to succeed in any - enterprise, despite all obstacles or opposition. - -=Ghost.= One employed by an author or an artist to do his work for him, - so called because, his name and personality being withheld from the - public, he is kept in the shade. In other words, he is a mere shadow - of his master. Originally, however, the term had reference to the - friend who had inspired or suggested the work. - -=Ghost walking.= A theatrical phrase. Actors assembling at the theatre - for their weekly salaries generally put the question among - themselves: “Is the ghost walking?” While those about to accept an - engagement with a manager of whom they know nothing ask: “Does the - ghost walk?” Its origin is as follows:--Many years ago a manager of - the Bogus type had in his company a self-willed actor whose strong - part was the Ghost in “Hamlet.” If his salary was not forthcoming on - a Saturday morning he exclaimed: “Then the ghost won’t walk - to-night.” Indispensable actor as he was, the manager invariably - acceded to his demands. Sometimes it happened that he received only - a portion of his salary, with a promise of the remainder in the - course of the performance, in which case he refused to go on until - the money was actually paid. It is said that the other members of - the company would wait on a Saturday morning about the time for - “Treasury” until they received word by a messenger that the ghost - _would_ walk. - -=Giaour.= From the Arabic _kiafir_, “unbeliever.” The Turks bestow this - name on all European Christians, enemies of the Mohammedan faith. - Readers of Lord Byron’s poem “The Giaour” may require to be informed - of its meaning. - -=Gibberish.= After Geber, an Arabian alchemist of the eleventh century, - who employed an unintelligible jargon to mystify the ecclesiastics, - lest by plain speaking he might be put to death as a sorcerer. - -=Gibraltar.= From the Arabic designation, _Jebel-al-Tarik_, the Mountain - of Tarik, in honour of Ben Zeyad Tarik, a Moorish General, to whose - prowess the conquest of Spain in the eighth century was due. - -=Gibraltar of America.= The city of Quebec, from its commanding and - impregnable position on the heights. - -=Gibson Girl.= A new type of womanhood popularised in America by the - drawings of Charles Dana Gibson, and introduced to London by Miss - Camille Clifford. - -=Gibus.= An opera or crush hat, so called after its inventor. - -=Gift of the Gab.= “Gab” is a very old word; it was used by the - Anglo-Saxons for speech. The Scots employed it to describe the - mouth; hence to “gabble.” The French had it too in the forms of - “gaber,” to boast or talk wildly. - -=Gig.= A term claiming the same origin as “Jig”--_i.e._ the French - _gigue_, a lively dance--because this vehicle moves lightly. - -=Gilbertines.= An English religious Order of the twelfth century, - founded by St Gilbert of Sempringham, Lincolnshire. - -=Gilly flower.= A corruption of _July flower_, from the month when it - blossoms. - -=Giltspur Street.= Said to have received its name from the gilt spurs of - the knights riding to the tournaments in Smithfield. The greater - probability is that the makers of gilt spurs congregated in this - street. - -=Gimnal Ring.= A love token of bygone days, so called from the Latin - _gemellus_, joined. This ring was composed of two separate bands - fitted into each other with little teeth. When lovers were betrothed - it was divided, only to be put together again at the nuptial - ceremony. - -=Gin.= Short for Geneva. Not after Geneva in Switzerland, because this - is the national spirituous drink of the Dutch, called at first by - them _giniva_, from the French _genievre_, juniper. Juniper berries - were originally employed to flavour the spirit distilled from - unmalted rye. The native name for Dutch gin is now Schiedam, after - the town where it is made. Dutch gin brought to England is called - Hollands. - -=Ginger.= Red-haired people are said to be _ginger_ because Guinevre, - the Queen at the Court of King Arthur, had red hair. - -=Gingham.= A corruption of Guingamp in Brittany, where the cotton stuff - brought from Java, there called _gingang_, was dyed and made into - umbrella covers before silk and alpaca came into use for this - purpose. Hence the slang term for an umbrella. See “Gamp.” - -=Gin Sling.= An American drink composed of equal parts of gin and water. - See “Sling.” - -=Gipsies.= A corruption of _Egyptians_, because, when first heard of in - Europe, they spread themselves over Bohemia, and were thought to - have arrived there by way of Egypt. - -=Giraldus Cambrensis.= The Latinised pen name of Gerald de Barri, - Archbishop of St David’s, and historian of Cambria or Wales. - -=Girasole.= The Italian name of the sunflower, from the Latin _gyara_, - to turn, and _sol_, the sun. - -=Girondists.= Deputies from the Department of the Gironde who formed the - Moderate Republican Party in the French Revolution. - -=Girton Girl.= A student of Girton College, Cambridge. - -=Give him Beans.= An expression derived from a French proverb: “If he - gives me peas I will give him beans”--_i.e._ I will be quits with - him. - -=Give him plenty of Rope.= Let him do just what he thinks is best, and - everything will come out right in the end. Following in your train, - and, metaphorically, attached to your rope, the longer the rope the - wider will be the sweep he can command; he can always be pulled in - when it becomes necessary to check his movements. - -=Given Name.= An Americanism for a Christian or forename. - -=Gives himself Airs.= One who assumes a manner out of keeping with his - social position. “Air” was formerly synonymous with deportment. - -=Give up the Ghost.= Literally to yield up the Spirit. - -=Gladiator.= From the Latin _gladius_, a sword. A slave trained to - defend himself with a short sword in the mortal combats of the Roman - arena for the amusement of the Emperors and the populace. - -=Glad Rags.= An Americanism for holiday clothes or festive garments. - -=Gladstone Bag.= So called in compliment to Mr W. E. Gladstone when, as - leader of the Liberal Government, his name was “familiar in men’s - mouths as household words.” - -=Glamorgan.= From _Gwlad-Margam_, “the territory of Margam,” a Welsh - chieftain of the tenth century. His name is correctly preserved in - Margam Abbey. - -=Glenlivet.= Whisky distilled in the Vale of Glenlivet in Banffshire. - -=Globe.= An inn sign, the name of which was derived from the arms of the - King of Portugal. - -=Globe Trotter.= A tourist, a traveller in foreign lands. - -=Glorious Fourth of July.= Another name for “Independence Day.” - -=Gloucester.= The _Gloicastra_ of the Romans, in honour of Gloi, son of - the Emperor Claudius, who was born here. - -=Gloucester Road.= From Oxford Lodge, the one-time residence of the - Duchess of Gloucester. - -=Go ahead.= From the nautical phrase “The wind’s ahead”--_i.e._ blowing - from the stern towards the vessel’s head. - -=Goat and Compasses.= A corruption of the Puritan motto “God encompass - us.” - -=Goatee.= An Americanism for the typical Yankee chin tuft, in allusion - to the beard of a goat. - -=Gobelin Tapestry.= Made under royal patronage in the house originally - occupied by Jean Gobelin, a wool dyer in Paris, _temp._ seventeenth - century. - -=God help you.= Anciently an invocation on behalf of a person subjected - to the Ordeal of Fire. - -=Godstone.= A corruption of “Good Stone,” relative to the excellence of - the stone quarried here. - -=Goggles.= Shaded spectacles, so called in allusion to gig lamps. - -=Go in for Banting.= See “Banting.” - -=Gold Coast.= The coast of Guinea, West Africa, where gold was found. - -=Golden Cross.= The device of the Crusaders, extensively adopted as an - inn sign. - -=Golden Gate.= The entrance to San Francisco Harbour. This name had been - bestowed upon it by the Spaniards centuries before the outbreak of - the gold fever in 1847, from their own knowledge that this was the - gate to the Land of Gold. - -=Golden Lane.= A corruption of “Golding Lane,” after the builder. - -=Golden Square.= Properly “Gelding Square,” from an old inn of this - name. - -=Go Marooning.= A southern state American expression for a picnicking - party on the shore or up country which is to last for several days. - See “Maroons.” - -=Gone over to the Majority.= A Parliamentary phrase equally, if more - generally, applied to one who has passed from the scene of his - life’s labours to the spirit world. Ancient and modern authors - contain passages in the latter connection. The Rev. Robert Blair in - “The Grave” says: “’Tis long since Death had the majority.” - -=Gone to Pot.= Vanished possessions. The reference is to the - metalliferous melting pot. - -=Gone to Rack and Ruin.= A corruption of “wreck and ruin.” - -=Gone to Texas.= An American expression for one who has decamped leaving - debts behind him. It was (and is) no unusual thing for a man to - display this notice, perhaps only the initials “G.T.T.” on his door - for the information of callers after he has absconded. - -=Gone to the Devil.= From the twofold circumstance that money lost - through lawyers would surely be spent by them at their regular - resort, the celebrated “Devil Tavern,” hard by Temple Bar, and the - not unusual answer tendered by a subordinate to a caller at a place - of business in Fleet Street that his master had “gone to the - ‘Devil.’” - -=Gone to the Dogs.= Money that has been squandered uselessly, as the - remains of a feast in Eastern countries are thrown to the dogs - instead of being given to the poor. A vicious man is said to have - gone to the dogs because in the East social outcasts are often - worried by ravenous dogs that prowl about the streets by night. - -=Gone under.= One who has sunk in the social scale; never recovered from - financial embarrassments; who found it impossible to “keep his head - above water.” The allusion is, of course, to drowning. - -=Gone up the Country.= An expression implying that a person is - insolvent; originally introduced into England from the Colonies. - When a man could not make ends meet in the coast cities he went - prospecting up the country. - -=Gong Punch.= The American term for the bell ticket punch used by - conductors on tramcars. - -=Gonville College.= The original name of Caius College, Cambridge, - founded by Edmund Gonville in 1348. - -=Good enough Morgan.= An American phrase for an imposition, or any - person or thing likely to pass muster for the reality. This - originated during the Anti-Masonic riots in the state of New York, - when it was alleged that the Freemasons had drowned a man called - Morgan for having betrayed their secrets. A body was actually found - in the river near Fort Niagara, and identified by Morgan’s wife - chiefly on account of a missing tooth. It was, however, proved that - the whole story had been trumped up for political ends. A prominent - politician who had a hand in the affair indeed confessed that, when - reminded that the body would never pass for Morgan’s, he declared: - “It’s a good enough Morgan.” Hence the phrase. - -=Goodge Street.= After the name of the builder. - -=Goodman’s Fields.= After the owner of the lands upon a portion of whose - farm the Prioresses or Nuns of St Clare built their priory. This - name recurs in the “Life of David Garrick,” who established his fame - at the old Goodman’s Fields Theatre before he migrated to Drury - Lane. - -=Good Old Town of Hull.= A name originally bestowed upon the “Third - Port” by tramps and beggars, who, in common with the deserving poor, - fared exceeding well out of the bounty of the Dominican and - Carmelite Friars. The streets Blackfriargate and Whitefriargate fix - the locality of these conventual establishments. - -=Good Time.= An Americanism for a very pleasurable or festive time. See - “High Time.” - -=Good Wine needs no Bush.= An ivy bush was in former times displayed at - the end of a stake wherever wine was sold, the ivy being sacred to - Bacchus. Travellers who had once tasted good wine took careful stock - of the place before leaving it; consequently they needed no bush to - direct them when next they visited the neighbourhood. - -=Goodwin Sands.= At the time of the Norman Conquest this comprised the - estate of Earl Godwin, from whom it was filched and bestowed upon - the Abbey of St Augustine at Canterbury. Neglect of the repair of - the sea-wall caused the waves to rush in and overwhelm the land. - -=Go off the Handle.= To lose one’s head or go insane. The allusion is to - the head of an axe flying off the handle. - -=Go one better.= Originally a sporting expression, meaning that by - jumping farther a contestant would make a scratch on the ground - beyond the one just scored. - -=Goose.= The tailor’s smoothing iron, from the resemblance of its handle - to the neck of a goose. - -=Gooseberry.= A corruption of _Gorseberry_, rough or coarse, on account - of the hairs or diminutive prickles which distinguish this berry. - -=Gordon Hotels.= Established by the late Frederick Gordon, a solicitor - of Bloomsbury. These middle-class hotels have supplied a long-felt - want in London and elsewhere. - -=Gordon Square.= In compliment to Lady Georgina Gordon, wife of the - sixth Duke of Bedford, the ground landlord. - -=Gospel.= From the Anglo-Saxon _God-spell_, “good news.” - -=Gospel Oak.= From the oak-tree marking the juncture of St Pancras and - Hampstead parishes, beneath which the Gospel was annually read. - -=Goswell Road.= From an ancient spring, styled “God’s Well,” discovered - in this neighbourhood. - -=Gotham.= The city of New York. Washington Irving first gave it this - name in his “Salmagundi.” Its people in his time were anything but - fools, yet he may not have appreciated the singular wisdom - attributed to them. By referring to the city as Gotham he made a - playful allusion to Gotham in Nottinghamshire, England, which for - centuries had merited a reputation for being a town whose - inhabitants did and said the most foolish things. - -=Go the whole Hog.= An expression derived from Cowper’s poem entitled - “Of the Love of the World reproved,” in which he discusses the - eating of pork by the Turks: - - “But for one piece they thought it hard - From the whole hog to be debarred.” - -=Got my Back up.= In allusion to cats, which set up their backs on being - confronted by their own species or by a ferocious dog. - -=Got my Dander up.= The word _dander_ here is a corruption of dandruff, - which, though it means only the scurf on the head, has come to be - curiously applied to the hair itself; as when the fur of enraged - animals is raised. - -=Got the Bullet.= Suddenly discharged from one’s occupation; “fired - out,” as it were. - -=Got the Push.= Ousted from one’s place of employment. Metaphorically to - have been pushed off the premises. - -=Got the Sack.= An expression derived from the sack in which mechanics - and artisans generally carried their own tools. When engaged to work - the tools were assigned to a proper place in the workshop, while the - master took possession of the sack. On discharging his men he - returned them the sack. - -=Go to.= An Old English expression which leaves something to the - imagination. Originally it must have implied a place where there is - much caloric. In its popular acceptation it meant simply “Get along - with you!” - -=Go to Bath.= An expression signifying that a person is talking - nonsense. When the west of England was the fashionable health resort - silly and slightly demented folk were recommended to “Go to Bath, - and get your head shaved.” - -=Go to Bungay.= The curt answer received by persons who asked where they - could get the once fashionable leather breeches. Bungay, in Suffolk, - was the only place where they were made. This expression travelled - over to New England with the first emigrants, and is still common in - that portion of the United States. - -=Go to Jericho.= Jericho was the name given by Henry VIII. to the Manor - of Blackmore, near Chelmsford, whither he often retired quite - suddenly from affairs of State. At such times his courtiers - suspected some fresh freak of gallantry, and said he had “gone to - Jericho.” Moreover, when in a testy mood, his Queen would tell him - to “go to Jericho!” - -=Go to Putney.= A very old expression, tantamount to consigning a person - beyond the pale of London society or civilisation. - -=Got out of Bed the wrong Way.= From the old superstition that planting - the left foot on the ground first on rising in the morning was a - harbinger of ill luck for the day. - -=Government Stock.= The origin of the word Stock is interesting. Down to - the year 1782, when the practice was abolished, public money - invested in Government securities was acknowledged on the two - opposite ends of a piece of wood called a stock, from the - Anglo-Saxon _stocc_, a trunk. The stock was then cut in two, one - portion being handed to the investor and the other consigned to the - Tally Office. - -=Gower Street.= After the name of the builder on this portion of the - Bedford estate. - -=Gowk.= The Scottish equivalent for an “April Fool,” signifying a - foolish person. - -=Gracechurch Street.= From the herb market anciently held around the - Church of St Benet, called the Grass Church. This edifice has in - modern times been pulled down, and the money realised for the site - devoted to the erection of a new St Benet’s in the Mile End Road. - -=Gramercy.= From _grand merci_, “great thanks,” a phrase introduced when - French was the language of the Court. - -=Granby Street.= In honour of John Manners, Marquis of Granby, whose - name is also perpetuated by many a tavern sign. - -=Grand Hotel.= Not in the sense of magnificence, but true to the French - meaning of the word “great”; hence Grand Theatre, the Grand Tour, - and the Grand Canal at Venice. - -=Grand Old Man.= The name applied by Mr Labouchere to Mr W. E. Gladstone - on the occasion of Mr Bradlaugh’s expulsion from the House after his - election for Northampton because he refused to take the oath in the - prescribed manner. Referring to a conversation in the tea-room Mr - Labouchere said: “I told some friends that before I left Mr - Gladstone came to me, and that grand old man, with tears in his - eyes, took me by the hands, and said: ‘Mr Labouchere, bring me Mr - Bradlaugh back again.’” - -=Grand Tour.= More than a hundred years ago each of the sons of - gentlemen in their turn made the Grand or Extended Tour through - France, Germany, and Italy, just as nowadays daughters are presented - at Court as a preliminary to moving in fashionable society. - -=Grange Road.= Marks the situation of an old mansion called “The - Grange.” The word Grange expresses the French for a barn or granary. - -=Granite State.= New Hampshire, from its staple product. - -=Grapes.= An inn or public sign, denoting that the house contained a - vinery. - -=Grass Widow.= A married woman separated from her husband, but not - divorced. In the eyes of the world she passes for a widow by grace - of courtesy. The correct description is, therefore, a “Grace Widow.” - The corruption came about quite easily. - -=Grays.= Anciently the estate of the noble family who gave their name to - Gray’s Inn, their town mansion. Lady Jane Grey came of this stock. - -=Gray’s Inn.= The Inn or mansion of the Earls Gray, made over to the law - students, _temp._ Edward III. See “Inn.” - -=Gray’s Inn Road.= From Gray’s Inn, the eastern wall of which it skirts. - -=Great Bear Lake.= On account of its situation under the northern - constellation of the Great Bear. - -=Great Belt.= The great strait leading to the Baltic Sea. Both these - names are derived from the Norse _bält_, strait. - -=Great College Street.= At the southern extremity of this thoroughfare - in Camden Town stands the Royal Veterinary College. - -=Great Coram Street.= From the Foundling Hospital built and endowed by - Captain Thomas Coram in 1739. - -=Great Dover Street.= The London portion of the old Roman highway to - Dover. - -=Great George Street.= Stands on the site of the stable-yard of a famous - old coaching inn, “The George and Dragon.” - -=Great Marlborough Street.= In honour of the Duke of Marlborough, the - people’s idol after the victory of Blenheim. - -=Great Ormond Street.= After the British General, James Butler, second - Duke of Ormond. - -=Great Peter Street.= Contiguous to Westminster Abbey, dedicated to St - Peter. - -=Great Portland Street.= The business thoroughfare on the Duke of - Portland’s estate. - -=Great Queen Street.= First laid out across the fields in the time of - Queen Elizabeth, and named after her. - -=Great Russell Street.= In honour of the ill-fated Lord William Russell, - whose wife, Rachel, was the daughter of the Duke of Bedford, the - great ground landlord. - -=Great St Helen’s.= Occupies the site of the ancient priory of St - Helen’s, of which the church remains. - -=Great St Thomas Apostle.= Marks the site of a vanished church of this - name. - -=Great Stanhope Street.= From the mansion of Philip Stanhope, Earl of - Chesterfield. - -=Great Suffolk Street.= After Suffolk House, in which resided George - Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. - -=Great Sutton Street.= Perpetuates the memory of Thomas Sutton, the - founder of the Charter House. - -=Great Titchfield Street.= After the Duke of Grafton and Marquis of - Titchfield, father of the Earl of Euston, the ground landlord. - -=Great Winchester Street.= From Winchester House, the residence of the - first Earl of Winchester. - -=Great Windmill Street.= A couple of centuries ago, when this district - was open fields, a large windmill stood hereabouts. - -=Greece.= Called _Græcia_ by the Romans, after the _Graikoi_, a tribe of - settlers in Epiros. - -=Greek Street.= At one time a colony of Greek merchants who contributed - to the erection of a Greek church here. - -=Greenaway Gardens.= After the late Miss Kate Greenaway, the lady - artist, who resided in its vicinity. - -=Greenbacks.= The paper currency of the United States, printed in green - and with a device of the same colour on the back. Mr Chase, - Secretary of the Treasury in 1862, claimed the honour of having - added this word to the American vocabulary. - -=Green Dragon.= An inn sign anciently depicting the combat of St George - with the dragon. - -=Greengage.= The greenish plum introduced to England by Lord Gage from - the monastery of La Chartreuse in France. - -=Greengrocer.= See “Grocer.” - -=Greenhorn.= A raw, inexperienced youth. The allusion here is to the - undeveloped horns of a young ox. - -=Green Horse.= The nickname of the 5th Dragoon Guards, from their green - facings. - -=Greenland.= From the moss which grows abundantly in this otherwise - sterile region. Iceland or Greenland moss is said to be very - efficacious in the treatment of consumption. - -=Green Man.= An inn sign denoting that the house was kept by a retired - gamekeeper of the lord of the manor. Mediæval gamekeepers always - dressed in green. See “Inn.” - -=Green Man and Still.= A tavern sign pointing to the existence on the - premises of a still where cordials were distilled from green herbs. - In this case the house was not kept by a gamekeeper, but by a - herbalist. It may, however, have belonged to an innkeeper or a - “Green Man” further afield on the same estate. - -=Green Mountain State.= Vermont, as its name implies. - -=Green Park.= On account of its delightful grassy surface. - -=Green-room.= From the green-coloured walls of the room set apart by - David Garrick behind the scenes of Drury Lane Theatre for members of - the company in the intervals of playing their parts. This colour was - chosen as a relief to the eye after the glare of the stage lights. - -=Green Sea.= From the aspect of its waters looking towards the shores of - Arabia. - -=Greenwich.= Expresses the Saxon for “green village.” - -=Grenadiers.= Anciently a company of soldiers who marched in front of - every regiment of foot, it being their function to throw - hand-grenades into the ranks of the enemy. - -=Gresham Street.= After Sir Thomas Gresham, founder of the Royal - Exchange. His residence in Old Broad Street, on the site of the - present Gresham House, was converted by him into a college, which in - 1843 was removed into Gresham Street. The word Gresham comes from - the German _Grassheim_, “grass home”; hence the grasshopper on the - summit of the Royal Exchange. - -=Greville Street.= Marks the site of the mansion of Fulke Greville, Lord - Brooke, one of the ministers of James I. - -=Grey Friars.= See “Franciscans.” - -=Greyhound.= An inn sign derived from the badge of Henry VII. The dog of - this name originally came from Greece, and was accordingly styled a - _graihund_, after the _Graikoi_, the people of that country. - -=Gripsack.= An Americanism for a travellers’ hand-bag, corresponding to - an English carpet bag. - -=Grisette.= A generic name for a Parisian shop or work girl, from the - _gris_, or grey cloth, which was at one time generally worn by the - inferior classes in France. - -=Grocer.= A term derived from the same root as _Gross_, “the great - hundred,” and applied to a provision dealer who in former times was - the only trader rejoicing in the monopoly of dealing in large - quantities. - -=Grocery.= An Americanism for a grocer’s store or shop. Also used in the - plural sense for commodities dealt in by a grocer; corresponding to - our “groceries.” - -=Grog.= The name originally given by the sailors under Admiral Edward - Vernon to the rum diluted with water he served out to them on board - ship. They called him “Old Grog” because he always appeared on deck - in a long grogram cloak when the weather was “dirty.” - -=Groggery.= An Americanism for a “grog shop” where spirituous liquors - only are purveyed; answering to our “Gin Palace.” - -=Grosvenor Square.= The centre of the London estate of the Grosvenor - family. Sir Richard Grosvenor was Grand Cup-bearer to George II. The - word Grosvenor is Norman-French--_i.e._ _Le Gros Veneur_, “the chief - hunter.” - -=Groundlings.= The common spectators at the plays referred to by Hamlet - in his “Advice to the Players.” The earliest London playhouses were - the inn-yards, whose galleries corresponded to our box tiers, while - the yard itself was given up to the audience generally. - -=Growler.= A four-wheeled cab, so called from the surly manners of the - driver. Since the advent of the “Hansom” his vehicle is rarely in - request, save when the “fare” has much luggage to convey to a - railway station or when a patient is being driven to the hospital. - -=Guadalquiver.= From the Arabic _Wad-al-Kebir_, “great river.” - -=Guildford Street.= After Francis North, Lord Keeper, who resided in it. - -=Guildhall.= The Hall of the City Guilds. The old word Guild expressed - the fee paid for membership in an association of artisans; from the - Anglo-Saxon _gild_, money, _gildan_, to pay. - -=Guinea.= A West African term for “abounding in gold.” The English coin - of this name was first struck in 1663 out of gold brought from the - coast of Guinea. - -=Guinea Fowl.= Originally brought from Guinea, West Africa. - -=Guinea Pig.= A South American rodent, somewhat resembling a pig. Its - name is a corruption of _Guiana pig_. - -=Gulf of Carpentaria.= Discovered by Captain Carpenter, a Dutch - navigator, in 1606. - -=Gulf States.= Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas--all - bordering on the Gulf of Mexico. - -=Gulf Stream.= The warm equatorial waters of the Amazon River, which, - after coursing round the coasts of South America and the Gulf of - Mexico, make their way across the Atlantic, direct for the British - Isles and Norway. This ocean stream, never less than forty miles in - breadth, is distinguished by a deep indigo colour. - -=Gunnersbury.= The name of a Saxon village, after the Lady Gunylda, a - niece of King Canute, who took up her residence here while England - was under the sway of the Danes. - -=Gutta-percha.= A Malay term, _gutta_, gum, and _percha_, the tree which - provides it. - -=Gutter Lane.= A corruption of “Gutheron Lane,” from a Danish burgher - who resided in it. - -=Guy’s Hospital.= The generous benefaction of Thomas Guy, a wealthy - Lombard Street bookseller, in 1722. His large fortune was chiefly - due to the buying up, at a large discount, of seamen’s prize-money - tickets, and investing the proceeds in South-Sea Stock. - -=Gyp.= The college servitor at Cambridge, so called because he subsists - on the perquisites of those whom he waits upon. _Gyp_ expresses the - Greek for a vulture. - - - H - - -=Haberdasher.= Anciently one who sold Hapertas cloth, a mixture of silk - and wool. In modern times a haberdasher is a vendor of smallwares, - such as handkerchiefs, neckties, tapes, etc. The origin of the word - Hapertas has been traced to the Anglo-Saxon _Habihr das_: “Will you - buy this?” a trader’s exclamation similar to that of the London - ’prentice of a later period: “What do you lack?” However this may - be, the German _tauschen_ stands for sale, exchange, barter. - -=Hack Author.= See “Hackney Coach.” - -=Hackney.= The whole of this district originally belonged to a Danish - Chief named Hacon. The suffix _ey_ expresses an island--_i.e._ land - intersected by rivulets (in this case of the Lea)--or low, marshy - ground. The suggestion that coaches were first let out for hire in - this neighbourhood is not correct. See “Hackney Coach.” - -=Hackney Coach.= One let out for hire. In France a _coche-a-haquenée_ - expresses a coach drawn by a hired horse. Originally the word - _haquenée_ meant any kind of horse but a thoroughbred. The Dutch - _hakkenei_ means hack horse, an ambling nag. From the French - _haquenée_ we have derived the term hack author, or literary hack, - one whose services are hired for poor pay by a bookseller. - -=Haggerston.= A Saxon village called “_Hergotstein_,” “Our God’s Stone.” - The stone is believed to have had relation to a miraculous well, - beside which an altar was set up. - -=Hague.= Properly, according to the Dutch name of the place, - _Gravenhaag_, the ancient seat of the _Gravs_ or Counts of Holland. - -=Hail.= An exclamation of greeting derived from the Anglo-Saxon _hæl_, - “health.” The Scandinavian _heill_ expressed the same sentiment. See - “Wassail.” - -=Halberd.= From two Teutonic words, _hild_, battle, and _bard_, axe. - -=Halcyon Days.= Days of peace and tranquillity. This was the name - anciently given to the seven days before and after the shortest day, - because, according to fable, there were always calms at sea during - this period while the halcyon or kingfisher birds were breeding. - -=Half-and-half.= Originally a mixture in equal proportions of strong ale - and small beer. In modern days it consists of half ale and half - porter. See “Entire” and “Porter.” - -=Half Moon Street.= After an ancient tavern, “The Half Moon,” which - stood in this neighbourhood. This sign was derived from the crescent - or ensign of the Turks. - -=Halfpenny.= The original penny pieces were deeply indented crosswise, - so that halfpennies and farthings (or fourthlings) could easily be - broken off, as occasion demanded. - -=Half Seas Over.= A nautical phrase applied to a drunken man staggering - along, who is in danger of falling to the ground at any moment. When - a ship has all her sails spread a sudden change in the direction of - the wind often threatens to lay her on her side. - -=Halifax.= A corruption of the Saxon “Haligfock,” from _halig_, holy, - and _fock_, people. For what reason the inhabitants of this place - were considered more saintly than people elsewhere local tradition - does not say. Halifax in Nova Scotia was named, on the foundation of - the city in 1749, by the Hon. Edward Cornwallis, after the Earl of - Halifax. - -=Halifax Gibbet Law.= An ancient enactment for the protection of the - local woollen manufacture. Owing to the systematic theft by the - employées in the trade of material supplied to them, it was found - that the fabric lacked body and weight. To put a stop to this - pilfering a law was passed, making the theft of anything whatsoever, - to the value to thirteen pence halfpenny, subject to the death - penalty. On conviction before a magistrate the thief was publicly - executed on the next market day. The mode of execution was not by - hanging, but by beheading, the instrument used being a kind of - guillotine. Taylor, the Water Poet, speaks of this - - “Jyn that wondrous quick and well, - Sends thieves all headless into heaven or hell.” - -=Hallelujah.= From the Hebrew _halelu_, “praise ye,” and _Iah_, - “Jehovah.” - -=Hallelujah Victory.= That gained by the newly baptised Bretons under - Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, in 429. As they marched to the attack - they cried “Hallelujah!” - -=Hall Mark.= The test mark of Goldsmiths’ Hall stamped upon gold and - silver plate as a guarantee of its purity. - -=Hamiltonian System.= A novel method of teaching languages, invented by - James Hamilton, a merchant, whose death took place at Dublin, 1831. - The peculiarity of this system was that it dispensed with the - initiatory grammatical stages. - -=Hamilton Place.= After Colonel James Hamilton, Ranger of Hyde Park, - _temp._ Charles II. - -=Hammer and Scourge of England.= The sobriquet of Sir William Wallace, - the Scottish warrior patriot. - -=Hammer and Tongs.= A corruption of “Hammer and Tongues.” A wordy - warfare is well described as a hammering of tongues; hence the - saying: “They went at it hammer and tongs” (tongues). - -=Hammer-cloth.= It has been suggested that this is the covering for the - box-seat of a coach that contained the hammer, bolts, nails, etc., - useful to remedy a breakdown on a journey. The true meaning of the - term is, however, that it is properly “Hammock-cloth,” the driver’s - seat being formed of stout straps or webbing stretched upon - crutches, after the fashion of a sailor’s hammock. - -=Hammered.= A stockbroker is said to be “hammered” when he is driven out - of the Stock Exchange on account of his failure to meet his - liabilities. - -=Hammersmith.= Originally _Hammerschmiede_, literally Saxon for - blacksmith’s shop. In the early periods of its history this village - had a great number of smithies. - -=Hampshire= (or =Hants=). The shire of the Hamptune, Hantone, or Anton, - which river gives its name to the county town and “Southampton - Water.” - -=Hampstead.= From “Homestead,” signifying the enclosed property--_i.e._ - farm buildings--of a rural mansion. - -=Hampton.= From the Saxon _heim_, home, to which _ton_ or town was - added. “Hampton Wick” expresses the village home on a creek. - -=Hampton Court.= In the thirteenth century the manor of Hampton belonged - to the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. Cardinal Wolsey built - himself a sumptuous palace here, and lived in luxurious style. - Eventually he presented it to Henry VIII., since whose time Hampton - Court has remained Crown property. The last monarch who resided here - was George II. - -=Hand in your Checks.= An Americanism for dying, giving up the ghost; - meaning properly to make your will and settle your earthly affairs. - All over the United States it is the custom at German restaurants to - give a certain amount of credit to known regular patrons, who now - and again are asked to hand in their checks or vouchers for - settlement. - -=Handkerchief.= Anciently a kerchief, which term was a corruption of - “Coverchef,” from the French _couvrir_, to cover, and _chef_, the - head, reserved for hand use in wiping the face, and carried in the - left sleeve of the garment. At a later period, until the reign of - Elizabeth, when pockets came into vogue, the handkerchief found a - place in the pouch worn on the left side of the girdle. - -=Handsel Monday.= The first Monday in the New Year, when _handsels_ or - gifts were bestowed upon servants. The word “Handsel” is - Anglo-Saxon, meaning the delivery of something into another’s hands; - also the first instalment of a series of payments as an earnest of - good faith. - -=Handyman.= The modern designation of a bluejacket or man-of-war’s-man. - Since 1882, when, after the bombardment of Alexandria, he was sent - ashore to cooperate with our troops in Egypt, he has proved himself - not only an expert fighting man with the cutlass and musket, but an - agile auxiliary to the artillery--in short, a handy man in all - respects. - -=Hangbird.= The Baltimore oriole, which suspends its nest from a tree - branch. - -=Hanged, Drawn, and Quartered.= The former capital sentence for treason. - The criminal was drawn to the place of execution upon a hurdle, - hanged, and his body was hewn into four quarters, each being spiked - in a public place as an example to the multitude. This quartering - was substituted, in the fifty-fourth year of the reign of George - III., for the disembowelling of the hanged criminal while he was yet - alive. - -=Hang of the Thing.= An Americanism for the mechanism or the - understanding of a thing--_e.g._ “I can’t get the hang of the thing - nohow.” - -=Hanover Square.= In honour of the Hanoverian Succession, because laid - out and built upon in the reign of George I. - -=Hansards.= Parliamentary debates and papers, so called because they - were printed by Luke Hansard and his successors from the year 1752 - until comparatively recent days. - -=Hanse Towns.= Those towns of Northern Germany embraced by the Hansa or - Hanseatic League, as long ago as the thirteenth century, for the - protection of commerce against pirates at sea and marauders on land. - The word _Hansa_ is Gothic for a league, society, federation. - -=Hans Place.= After Sir Hans Sloane, the original ground landlord. See - “Sloane Square.” - -=Hansom Cab.= The “Safety Cab” patented in 1883 by Joseph Aloysius - Hansom. This was not so much an improvement upon the Four-Wheeler as - a horse-drawn adaptation of the invalids’ chair introduced at - Brighton at the commencement of the century. See “Fly.” - -=Hants.= See “Hampshire.” - -=Hanway Street.= Here resided Jonas Hanway, the founder of Magdalen - Hospital, who, newly arrived in England from Persia, and in delicate - health, excited much ridicule because he was the first male - pedestrian to carry an umbrella through the London streets as a - protection against the rain. Hackney coachmen were especially wrath - at this innovation, foreseeing that their business would be ruined - if it caught on with the public. - -=Happify.= An Americanism for to make happy--_e.g._ “One ought to try to - happify mankind.” - -=Hapsburg.= The name of the Imperial family of Austria, derived from - _Habichtsburg_, or “Hawk’s Castle,” built by Werner, Bishop of - Strasburg, on the right bank of the Aar, in the Swiss canton of the - Aargau--_i.e._ country of the Aar River. - -=Hard pushed.= See “Hard up.” - -=Hard-shell Baptists.= The American term for the hard and strait-laced - sect of Baptists; corresponding to that which in England is - designated the “Particular Baptists.” - -=Hard up.= The allusion is to being pushed hard by circumstances into a - tight corner. - -=Harem.= Expresses the Arabic for “Sacred Spot.” - -=Harewood Square.= From the town house of the Earls of Harewood. - -=Harlequin.= From the Italian _arlechino_, a satirist, a jester. - -=Harlequinade.= The comic scenes of a pantomime. In the original form of - this entertainment the Harlequinade was by far the longer portion, - and the principal character was Harlequin, the lover of Columbine. - To his ingenuity in evading the clown and pantaloon, and confusing - them by wondrous changeful tricks brought about by his magic wand, - the success of the good old English pantomime was due. Speaking - clowns did not come into existence before the days of Grimaldi. - -=Harley Street.= After Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, the - ground landlord. - -=Harmonium.= From the sustained harmonies produced on this wind - instrument by means of the keys and finger-board. - -=Harold Harefoot.= Harold I., the Saxon King of England, surnamed - “Harefoot” because he was fleet of foot as a hare. - -=Harpsichord.= An old form of pianoforte, so called because it was a - harp encased longitudinally, and its chords were produced by the - player on a key or finger board. - -=Harpur Street.= After Sir William Harpur, Lord Mayor in 1562, the owner - of a considerable estate in this neighbourhood. - -=Harrier.= A dog specially suited for hunting the hare owing to his keen - scent; also one who engages in a foot race according to the rule - that each individual contestant makes for the goal by a different - route. - -=Harringay.= Expresses a neighbourhood or district abounding in hares. - -=Harrington Square.= The property of one of the Earls of Harrington, - whose daughter married the seventh Duke of Bedford. - -=Hart Street.= Both these thoroughfares, in Bloomsbury and off Drury - Lane, received their names from an adjacent inn sign, “The White - Hart.” - -=Harum-scarum.= One who is such a fright that he scares all beholders, - causing them to fly from him with the swiftness of a hare. - -=Harvard University.= The foundation and endowment of the Rev. John - Harvard at Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1638. - -=Harvest Festival.= This distinctly religious observance by way of - thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth really originated in or - grew out of the Harvest Supper which landlords were accustomed to - give their tenants after the harvest had been gathered in, because - what was the ancient “Lammas Day” fell into abeyance at the - Reformation. - -=Harz Mountains.= Both these mountain ranges are for the most part - forest clad. _Harz_ is Old Saxon for wood, forest. - -=Hasn’t a Leg to stand on.= A figurative expression applied to one whose - argument has no support or firm basis. - -=Has the true Ring.= A phrase generally applied to poetry, in allusion - to the common test of genuine or debased coin by “ringing” it on a - board or table. - -=Hatton Garden.= Laid out across the extensive grounds attached to - Hatton House, in which resided Sir Christopher Hatton, the - Chancellor of Queen Elizabeth. - -=Hauled over the Coals.= An expression dating back to the Ordeal by - Fire, where persons accused of a crime were made to walk barefooted - over red-hot iron shares or glowing embers. If they did so unharmed - that was considered a proof of their innocence. - -=Hautboy.= From the French _hautbois_, literally “high wood,” being a - high-toned reed instrument. - -=Havelock.= The white cloth forming part of the military cap as a - protection against the scorching rays of the sun, introduced by - General Havelock during the Indian Mutiny. - -=Haversack.= Provincial English for Oatsack, derived from the German - _habersack_. The word _hafre_, oats, is Scandinavian. - -=Haverstock Hill.= From a stockaded dwelling among the oats. See - “Haversack.” - -=Havre.= Originally “Le Havre de Notre Dame de Grace,” the Harbour of - Our Lady of Mercy, afterwards shortened into “Havre de Grace.” - -=Hawker.= From the German _hoken_, to carry on the back. A pedlar who - carried his wares in a sack over his shoulder. - -=Hawkeye State.= Iowa, owing to the sanguinary conflicts with the savage - tribe led by the chief “Hawkeye.” Its people are called “Hawkeyes.” - -=Hawthorn.= Expresses the Anglo-Saxon for “hedge thorn.” - -=Haydon Square.= After the ground landlord, John Heydon, Alderman of the - city of London towards the close of the sixteenth century. - -=Hay Hill.= Marks the situation, together with Hill Street and Farm - Street, of an old farm on the lands of John, Lord Berkeley of - Stratton, _temp._ Charles I. - -=Haymarket.= Where hay was sold in open market prior to January 1831. - -=Hayti.= West Indian for “mountainous country.” - -=Hazing.= An Americanism for a mad sport or frolic. Specifically it - expresses the tricks played upon, and the ignominious treatment - meted out to, an unpopular comrade in the army and the Military - Schools; what in our own country is called “Ragging.” Like most - other Americanisms, the word cannot be explained on etymological - grounds. - -=Hear, Hear.= A modern form of the ancient parliamentary exclamation - “Hear him!” to enjoin silence while a Member was addressing the - House. - -=Hearse.= From the French _herse_ and German _hirsch_. Both these terms - expressed a harrow or triangular candlestick set at the head of a - coffin at a funeral service in church. At a later period they - implied a sepulchral mound temporarily distinguished by a triangular - stake setting forth a number or other identification mark. The - modern application of the term to a vehicle specially designed for - the conveyance of a body to the grave was an easy transition. - -=Heart-breakers.= Artificial ringlets formerly worn by ladies to enhance - their beauty. It is said that the most inveterate woman-hater was - not proof against the attraction of these Heart-breakers. - -=Heathen.= Literally a dweller on a heath in the open country. The - Romans applied the term to those who, having no communion with the - dwellers in cities, were cut off from all knowledge of their - complicated system of mythology. When Rome became converted to - Christianity the untutored inhabitants of the country at large were - the last to receive the Gospel. A heathen nation therefore, in a - religious sense, is one far removed from civilisation, which offers - a fruitful field for missionary work. - -=Heaven-sent Minister.= William Pitt, first Earl of Chatham, one of the - most eminent statesmen that England has ever possessed. His intense - love of his own country prompted him to measures which made the - success of British arms pre-eminent. Had his colleagues during the - later portion of his career been actuated by the same patriotism as - himself, and heeded his warnings, our American colonies might never - have separated from the Mother Country. - -=Heavy Hill.= Holborn Hill, because the hearts of those riding in the - fatal cart to the place of execution at Tyburn were heavily laden. - -=“He” Bible.= The first edition of the Authorised Version, containing a - typographical error in Ruth iii. 15: “And _he_ went into the city.” - The subsequent edition, published in the same year, in which the - passage was rectified, became known as “The ‘She’ Bible.” - -=Hebrews.= Said to be descendants of Eber, the great-grandson of Shem, - one of the ancestors of Abraham. The greater probability, however, - is that the term has been derived from the native _ebher_, the - region on the other side--_i.e._ of the Euphrates. - -=Hebrides.= Expresses the “Western Isles” of the Norwegians. - -=Hector.= To swagger, bully, treat with insolence, after Hector, the - celebrated Trojan warrior. From the known character of this hero of - antiquity it is not easy to conceive that he could ever have been a - braggart. The inference is rather that this word in its accepted - sense was derived from the brutal manner in which Achilles treated - the body of Hector after he had slain him in single combat. - -=Hedge Priest.= Specifically in Ireland an itinerant cleric unattached - to any mission; one admitted to Holy Orders without having studied - theology. - -=Hedge School.= An open-air school in the poor rural districts of - Ireland beside a hedge. - -=Heel of Achilles.= When Thetis, the mother of Achilles, dipped her son - in the River Styx to make him invulnerable the water laved every - portion of his body save that by which she held him. It was - accordingly in the heel that he received his mortal wound. - -=Heir Apparent.= The rightful heir to the crown, whose succession is - beyond a doubt provided he survives the reigning monarch. - -=Heir-Presumptive.= The presumed heir to the crown provided no child in - the direct line of succession is born to supersede his claim. - -=Heligoland.= Danish for “Holy Land,” which name was bestowed upon it - after the conversion of its people by St Willibrod in the seventh - century. A great many conventual establishments sprang up on the - soil, but the encroachments of the sea had swept them away by the - seventeenth century. Prior to their conversion the _Anglii_ were - wont to repair to this isle from the opposite mainland for the - worship of the goddess Hertha, also known as Foseta, of whose temple - it is said some ruins yet remain. - -=Heliotrope.= From the Greek _helios_, sun, and _tropos_, to turn. The - flowers of this plant are said always to turn towards the sun. - -=Hello Girls.= A nickname popularly bestowed upon the telephone girls in - the Post Office Department at St Martin’s-le-Grand. - -=Hellespont.= The older name of the “Dardanelles,” where Helle in - fleeing from her stepmother was drowned. This occurred at the point - where Xerxes with his army had crossed the strait on a temporary - bridge. - -=Hell Kettles.= Three very deep pits full of water at Oxenhall, Durham. - The people of the neighbourhood declare them to be bottomless. They - are really disused coal pits, the water in which cannot be drained - off. - -=Helmuth the Taciturn.= The sobriquet of Count Von Moltke, Field Marshal - of the German Empire, on account of his habitual reserve. - -=Helot.= The name given by the Spartans to a slave from the Greek town - of _Helos_, whose inhabitants they reduced to slavery. - -=Henbane.= A plant which is poisonous to poultry. - -=Henchman.= A corruption of “Haunchman,” the groom or servant who out of - doors was in constant attendance upon his master at the flank or - haunches of his horse. See “Flunkey.” - -=Heneage Lane.= After the residence of Sir Thomas Heneage, Chancellor of - the Duchy of Lancaster in the sixteenth century. - -=Henrietta Street.= In Covent Garden, after Henrietta Maria, Queen of - Charles I. On the north side of Oxford Street, after Henrietta - Cavendish, who, by her marriage, carried not only a goodly portion - of the Cavendish estate, but also that of her father, Lord Holles, - into the Harley family. - -=Henry Irving.= See “Irving.” - -=Heptarchy.= The Saxon division of England comprising Kent, Sussex, - Wessex, Essex, East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria, each having - originally its own ruler. - -=Herculaneum.= The foundation of this buried city was by the Romans - traditionally ascribed to Hercules. - -=Hereford.= Expresses the Saxon for “army ford” over the River Wye. - During the Heptarchy this was the military headquarters of Mercia. - -=Heroic Verse.= That usually selected for epic poetry, since the - exploits of Achilles at the siege of Troy were set forth by Homer in - hexameters. - -=Hertford.= Originally “Hartford,” being the ford of the River Lea - crossed by harts. - -=He’s a Brick.= This expression, if not quite as old as the hills, - carries us back to the time of Plutarch, who in his “Lives” gives - the following account of its origin:--“On a certain occasion, an - ambassador from Epirus paid a visit to Argesilaus, King of Sparta, - on a mission of diplomatic importance. By that monarch he was shown - over the capital. But the ambassador failed to see any massive walls - reared to defend the city, and openly expressed his astonishment to - the King. ‘Sire!’ he said, ‘I have visited most of your principal - towns, and find no walls reared for defence. Why is this?’ ‘Indeed, - Sir Ambassador,’ Argesilaus replied, ‘thou canst not have looked - carefully. Come with me to-morrow, and I will show thee the walls of - Sparta.’ On the following morning the King conducted his guest out - upon the plains, where his army was drawn up in full battle array, - and, proudly pointing to the serried host, he exclaimed: ‘There, Sir - Ambassador, thou beholdest the walls of Sparta--ten thousand men, - and every man a brick!’” - -=He’s joined the Majority.= See “Gone over to the Majority.” - -=Hessel Street.= The recent change from Morgan Street to Hessel Street - in Stepney is accounted for by the discovery that here a celebrated - character, in the person of Phœbe Hessel, was born. For many - years she served as a private soldier in the Fifth Regiment of Foot, - and fought at the Battle of Fontenoy, in which engagement she was - wounded. A long inscription on her tombstone in Brighton churchyard - would have us believe that she was at the time of her death, 21st - December 1821, no less than one hundred and eight years of age. - -=Hessian.= An Americanism for a hireling, a fighter for pay, a mercenary - politician. The Hessian soldiers have always been ready to enlist in - a foreign service for pay. - -=Hessian Fly.= An insect which has caused the utmost destruction among - young wheat in North America, so called because it was said to have - been introduced by the Hessian troops in their horse straw during - the Revolution. - -=Hetman.= The Russian title of the general or headman of the Cossacks, - derived from the Tartar _Ataman_. This too supplies the origin of - the German _Hauptmann_, captain, chief, or headman of a village. - -=Hibernia.= See “Ireland.” - -=Hickory.= See “Old Hickory.” - -=Hicksite Friends.= An American offshoot of the Society of Friends or - Quakers under Elias Hicks in 1827. - -=Highbury.= From the _bury_ or enclosed land belonging to the Knights of - St John of Jerusalem in Clerkenwell. In 1271 they built a priory - here, of which the barn remained standing until modern days. - Compared with the low-lying district round about, this was elevated - ground. - -=Highbury Barn.= Originally a cake and ale house contiguous to the - ancient barn of the Clerkenwell Priory. This place of public resort - developed into a theatre in 1865; subsequently it degenerated into a - dancing saloon, and was finally abolished in 1875. - -=Highfalutin.= A corruption of “high-flighting.” This word originated in - the western states of North America. - -=Highgate.= The village that sprang up around the ancient toll gate on - the road from London to Barnet. The tolls levied here were for the - benefit of the Bishop of London. Even in our time this elevated - situation commands a good view of London. The absurd ceremony of - “swearing on the horns” was formerly imposed on all travellers - passing through the gate. - -=High Seas.= The great ocean highways out of sight of land and common to - mariners of all nations. - -=High Tea.= A substantial meat tea towards the close of the day in place - of the fashionable set dinner. This is the invariable custom in - Germany. In English it is usual to designate such a meal as a “Knife - and Fork Tea.” See “High Time.” - -=High Time.= A phrase employed in the same sense as High Street, High - Seas, Highway, etc.--_i.e._ great. The German word for wedding is - _Hochzeit_, literally a “high time.” In America the expression for a - festive occasion or a pleasurable trip is “a good time.” - -=Hilary Term.= In law the sittings of the Courts from 11th to 13th - January, so called from the festival of St Hilary, Bishop of - Poitiers, on the latter date. - -=Hill Street.= See “Hay Hill.” - -=Himalaya Mountains.= From the Sanskrit _hima_, snow, and _alaya_, - abode. - -=Hinde Street.= After James Hinde, a speculative builder, who more than - a century ago laid out many of the streets now covering what was the - estate of Marylebone Park. - -=Hindustan.= Agreeably to the Persian _stan_, the country traversed by - the Hindu or Indus; both terms are derived from the Sanskrit - _Sindhu_, “great river.” - -=Hippodrome.= Expresses the Greek for a race-course, from _hippos_, a - horse, and _dromos_, a course. - -=Hippocras.= A cordial of spiced wine, so called by the apothecaries - because it was supposed to have been made from the prescription of - Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine. - -=His Nibs.= A corruption of “His Nobs”; used ironically for “His - Highness” in reference to a parvenu or a conceited upstart. - -=Hispania.= See “Spain.” - -=Hoboken.= Indian for the “smoke pipe,” or pipe of peace. This was the - place where the chiefs first met the white settlers, and while - passing round the calumet entered into a friendly treaty. - -=Hobson’s Choice.= In the seventeenth century Tobias Hobson kept a - livery stable at Cambridge. When the students at the University - wished to hire a horse for the day he led out the occupant of the - first stall. If they demurred, he said abruptly: “It’s this one or - none.” So Hobson’s choice settled the question. - -=Hock.= The general name for Rhenish wines, but properly that made at - Hockheim on the Maine. - -=Hockey.= Expresses the diminutive of _hook_, the club used in this game - being only slightly hooked at the end. - -=Hocking.= See “Hock Tuesday.” - -=Hockley.= Anglo-Saxon for a miry field. Clerkenwell was at one time - called “Hockley-in-the-Hole,” after a bear garden dating from the - Restoration period. - -=Hock Tuesday.= Anciently a high festival throughout England, in - commemoration for the final expulsion of the Danes, who had ravaged - the eastern portions of our country for more than two centuries. - This occurred on Easter Tuesday 1074. Most of the Danes were - slaughtered off-hand by first hamstringing, or cutting their hams or - houghs, which prevented them from making for their boats; hence the - term _Hock_ for the festival. The English landlords levied what was - called “Hock Money” on this day from their tenants, in return for - which they treated them to a good supper. In modern times people - stopped pedestrians in the streets with ropes, and declined to - release them until they had parted with hock money. - -=Hocus-pocus.= The gibberish of a conjurer when performing his tricks; - said to have been derived from one Ochus Bochus, a celebrated wizard - of Northern Europe, three centuries ago. The early conjurers were - thought to use these words as an invocation to this magician. - Nowadays our sleight-of-hand professors dispense with words, and - fire off a pistol, doubtless to prove that they can do the trick in - a crack. - -=Hodge.= The generic name for a farm labourer; a corruption of _Hedger_. - -=Hoist with his own Petard.= Caught in his own trap, blown up with his - own engine of destruction. The petard was an ancient infernal engine - filled with gunpowder; he who fired it stood in great danger of - sacrificing his own life. - -=Holborn.= Anciently spelt “Holeburne,” the bourn or stream in a hollow. - This was the River Fleet, which had an outlet into the Thames. - Further north, in Clerkenwell, it was called “the River of Wells.” - -=Holborn Bars.= The western limits of the city of London. - -=Hold hard.= This exclamation, when the advice really means to stop or - “leave go,” sounds ridiculous. It originally meant, as it still does - in the Emerald Isle, to keep a firm hold with both hands on the back - rail of an Irish jaunting car lest the rider might be thrown out of - it. - -=Hole in the Wall.= A tavern sign, derived from the fact that this house - was originally approached either through an opening made in the - ancient city wall or else through another house that stood in front - of it. - -=Holiday.= The modern form of “Holy Day,” expressive of a great feast in - the Church calendar. - -=Holland.= From the Danish _ollant_, “marshy ground.” The linen cloth of - the same name was first made in Holland. - -=Holland Road.= From Holland House, the residence of Henry Rich, Earl of - Holland, _temp._ Charles I. By his marriage with the Dowager - Countess of Warwick, widow of Lord Holland, in 1710, Joseph Addison - became nominally master of this noble mansion, and here he died. - -=Hollands.= See “Gin.” - -=Holles Street.= In the West End, after John Holles, the last Duke of - Newcastle, whose only daughter by her marriage carried the entire - estate hereabouts into the possession of the Harleys. In Drury Lane, - the name given by Gilbert, Earl of Clare, whose house stood in what - became Clare Market, in honour of his uncle, Denzil, Lord Holles, - _temp._ Charles I. - -=Holloway.= At one time a miry highway in a hollow between Highbury and - Highgate. - -=Holloway College.= Founded in 1883 for the higher education of women at - Egham, Surrey, by Thomas Holloway, the pioneer of modern advertising - on a lavish scale. - -=Hollyhock.= A species of mallow, called by the Anglo-Saxon _hoc_, and - first brought to Europe from the Holy Land. Hence _holy-hoc_. - -=Holly Village.= A modern settlement at Highgate founded by the Baroness - Burdett Coutts-Bartlett but a short distance removed from her rural - retreat known as Holly Lodge. - -=Holy Boys.= The regimental nickname of the 9th Foot, because they - sacked monasteries and sold Bibles in the street during the - Peninsular War. - -=Holy Cross Day.= Otherwise the “Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross,” - 14th September, commemorates, the restoration of the Cross of Christ - to Jerusalem, A.D. 628. - -=Holy Land.= Palestine, the scene of the birth, life labours, and death - of the Redeemer. - -=Holy Maid of Kent.= The name given to Elizabeth Barton, a poor Kentish - servant girl, who, subject to trances, foretold events, and - afterwards entered a convent at Canterbury. Her fame as a religious - enthusiast increased, until, for pronouncing sentence against the - divorce of Queen Catherine of Aragon, she, in company with five - monks, was hanged at Tyburn. - -=Holyrood Palace.= This residence of the ancient kings of Scotland grew - out of the Abbey of the Holy Rood built by David I. as the permanent - abode of the Black Rood, brought to Scotland by St Margaret in 1070. - This precious relic was a piece of the true cross set in gold and - ebony. It fell into the hands of the English at the battle of - Neville’s Cross in 1344, after which all trace of it was lost. James - II. was born at Holyrood; here too he was buried. The foundations of - the new palace were laid by James IV. in 1500. - -=Holywell.= From the miraculous well of St Winifred in Flintshire, the - scene of her martyrdom. - -=Holywell Lane.= Here, in Shoreditch, stood an ancient Priory of Nuns of - St John the Baptist, in the grounds of which a “sweet, holy well” - was discovered. - -=Holywell Street.= This now vanished thoroughfare, east of the Strand, - received its name from a Holy Well close to the Church of St Clement - Danes. That in Westminster marks the site of the town house of the - Grosvenors, whose rural estates lay around “Holywell” in Flintshire. - -=Homely.= An Americanism for “plain,” “ugly;” applied to persons only. - -=Home Office.= The official department of the Secretary for - Home--_i.e._, internal, Affairs. - -=Homerton.= A corruption of “Heimathton,” which expressed the town that - grew out of the Saxon village styled _Heimath_, “home” or “native - country.” - -=Honduras.= Spanish for “deep water.” - -=Honey Lane.= In this lane stood an ancient market-house or hall for the - sale of honey. Owing to the dearness of sugar prior to the discovery - of America and the colonisation of the West Indies, honey was in - general request. - -=Honeymoon.= From the custom of the Scandinavians, who drank Hydromel, - or diluted honey, for thirty days after a marriage feast. - -=Honiton Lace.= A superior kind of “Pillow Lace” made at Honiton in - Devonshire. This industry was introduced into England by the - Lollards, _temp._ Elizabeth. - -=Honor Oak.= From the famous boundary oak beneath which Queen Elizabeth - once dined. Prior to that event it bore the name of Gospel Oak, - under whose shade, in common with all other parish boundary oaks, - the Gospel was read there once a year. - -=Hoodlum.= A street rough, originally a product of San Francisco, - but now common in New York and most cities of the American - Union. The origin of the term was thus accounted for by _The - Congregationalist_, 26th September 1877: “A newspaper man in San - Francisco, in attempting to coin a word to designate a gang of - young street Arabs under the beck of one named ‘Muldoon,’ hit - upon the idea of dubbing them _Noodlums_--that is, simply - reversing the leader’s name. In writing the word the strokes of - the _N_ did not correspond in height, and the compositor, taking - the _N_ for an _H_, printed it _Hoodlum_. ‘Hoodlum’ it is, and - probably ever will be.” - -=Hoodman Blind.= The ancient form of the game of “Blind Man’s Buff.” - Instead of being bandaged the Blind Man had the hood, which everyone - wore, drawn over his eyes. - -=Hook it.= A variant of “Sling your Hook.” - -=Hook of Holland.= From the Dutch _hoek_, a cape, a corner. The same - perverted designation obtained in all the early Dutch settlements of - New York State, notably “Sandy Hook.” - -=Hooligan.= A London rough. This term is of quite modern date, and - clearly an adaptation of that which has become common all over the - United States. See “Hoodlum.” - -=Hooter.= A United States corruption of _iota_. The people of New York - State in particular are addicted to the saying: “I don’t care a - hooter whether I do or not.” “This note isn’t worth a hooter,” etc. - -=Hoosier State.= Indiana, from the nickname given to its people. - “Hoosier” is really a corruption of _Husher_, touching the power of - a bully to silence a stranger. The Hoosiers are noted for their - brusque manners. The state is also called “Hoosierdom.” - -=Hopkinsians.= An American Calvinistic sect named after their founder, - Samuel Hopkins of Connecticut. - -=Hornbill.= A bird distinguished for a horny excrescence on its bill. - -=Horn Book.= A primitive text-book for children. It was really no book - at all, but a piece of paper containing the alphabet, the nine - digits, and at times the Lord’s Prayer, mounted on a small flat - board, over which was stretched a transparent sheet of horn; below - was a handle to hold it by. - -=Hornpipe.= A lively sailor’s dance, which had its origin in the west of - England to the accompaniment of a Welsh musical instrument of the - same name composed of a wooden pipe with a horn at each end. - -=Hornsey.= A corruption of “Harringsey,” a watered meadow of hares. - -=Horse Chestnut.= Some say this term is a corruption of “Coarse - Chestnut,” in contradistinction to the edible chestnut; others that - these chestnuts were formerly ground up and given to horses for - food. - -=Horseferry Road.= Where horses were conveyed across the Thames on a - ferry boat in bygone times. - -=Horse Latitudes.= A portion of the Atlantic distinguished for its - tedious calms, where old navigators were wont to throw overboard the - horses they had to transport to the West Indies in order to lighten - the ship. - -=Horsleydown.= A corruption of “Horsadown”; formerly a down or hilly - ground used for grazing horses. - -=Horse Marines.= There can be no Horse Marines; but the 17th Lancers - were at one time made to bear this opprobrious nickname from the - circumstance that two men of this regiment had originally served as - Marines on board the _Hermione_ in the West Indies. - -=Horse Shoe.= A large public-house at the Oxford Street end of Tottenham - Court Road, this sign being derived from the trade mark of Messrs - Meux’s brewery adjoining. - -=Hose.= From the Icelandic _hosa_, stocking. - -=Hosier Lane.= From the hosiers who congregated in it. - -=Hospice.= From the Latin _hospes_, a stranger, guest. This term is now - confined to an Alpine retreat for the reception of travellers. - Elsewhere the French word Hospital obtains for any establishment set - apart for the temporary accommodation of the poor. Formerly, - however, it implied a lazar-house or a refuge for fallen women; in - its modern sense a hospital is exclusively an institution for the - sick poor. - -=Hospice of St Bernard.= See “Bernardine Hospice.” - -=Hospital.= See “Hospice.” - -=Hostelry.= From the old French _hostellerie_, an inn, through the Latin - _hospes_, a stranger, a guest. The modern French form is “Hotel,” - which implies not only an establishment for the entertainment of - travellers, but also a superior house or palace. - -=Hotel.= See “Hostelry.” - -=Hotel des Invalides.= A magnificent establishment in Paris, originally - designed as an asylum for invalided and disabled soldiers by Henry - IV. in 1596. Prior to that time no provision existed for warriors - who had spent their best energies in their country’s service save - the charity of the monastic institutions. - -=Hotspur.= The surname of Harry Percy, on account of his mad courage - when mounted on his charger. A man of fiery, ungovernable temper is - said to be “a regular Hotspur.” - -=Houndsditch.= The dry ditch outside the city wall which was made the - receptacle for all kinds of refuse, and dead dogs in particular. - -=Houp la.= This exclamation on the part of a circus ringmaster as the - signal for an equestrienne to leap over horizontal barriers or - through paper hoops has been derived from the Californian stage - drivers’ ejaculation to their horses. - -=Housemaids’ Knee.= Housemaids are specially liable to this affection of - the sac under the knee-pan through kneeling on hard or damp floors. - -=House of Keys.= The Representative Council of the Isle of Man, so - called from the Manx _Kiare-as-feed_, four and twenty, this being - the number appointed by statute to form the “Court of Tynwald.” - Tynwald is an artificial mound in the centre of the island whence a - new law has from time immemorial been promulgated. - -=Housewarming.= The name given to a party or reception of guests on - taking possession of a newly built mansion. This was of old a winter - function, when the lighting of large fires in all the rooms for the - occasion proved serviceable in drying the plastered walls and - ceilings. - -=Howard Street.= From the town house and grounds of the Howards, Dukes - of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel and Surrey, that stood on the large - plot of ground now covered by the four streets bearing these names. - -=Howitzer.= A German cannon, properly called a _haubitze_, from the - Bohemian term _haufnice_, a sling. - -=Hoxton.= Little more than a hundred years ago this district bore the - name of _Hogsdon_ on account of the great number of pigs bred here. - Hog Lane still exists off the High Street. - -=Hub.= The proud pet name of the city of Boston, the social centre of - the United States, in the same sense as the hub is a centre for a - wheel. The origin of the term is ascribed to Dr Oliver Wendell - Holmes who, in one of his books spoke of the State House at Boston - as “the hub of the solar system.” - -=Hudibrastic Verse.= That which is in imitation of the measure and - doggerel style of Samuel Butler’s “Hudibras.” - -=Hudson River.= After Captain Henry Hudson, who discovered it in 1609. A - year later, when searching for a north-west passage, he navigated - the bay and the strait named in his honour. - -=Huggin Lane.= After Hugan, a wealthy citizen who resided here, _temp._ - Edward I. - -=Huguenots.= The name borne by the adherents of the Reformation in - France, after Hugh, a Genevese Calvinist, their leader, and the - German _eidgenossen_, confederates. - -=Hull.= From the river upon which it stands. Its ancient name was - Kingston-upon-Hull, a town founded by Edward I. in 1299. - -=Hull Cheese.= A strong ale for which the “Good Old Town of Hull” was at - one time famous. To “eat Hull cheese” was to get incontinently - drunk. - -=Hull, Hell, and Halifax.= In olden times, before Kingston-upon-Hull - could be approached direct from the Humber, the River Hull was - navigable, as now, only at high water, and even then it required - very skilful pilotage on account of the many sandbanks at its mouth; - it was therefore dreaded by seafaring men. Taylor, the Water Poet, - wrote: “From Hull, Hell, and Halifax, good Lord, deliver us!” The - reference to Halifax arose out of the knowledge that in his day a - man could be executed there for stealing property to the value of - thirteen pence halfpenny. See “Halifax Gibbet Law.” - -=Humanitarians.= Those who believe in the complete humanity of Christ, - namely--that He was capable of committing sin like any other mortal. - -=Humble Bee.= A corruption of “Humming Bee.” - -=Humbug.= The old mode of expressing approbation of a speech or at the - play was by humming, but since the sincerity of this form of - applause could not always be relied upon, intermingled as it may - have been with suppressed murmurs of disapproval, the word _Hum_ - came to be applied to mock admiration or flattery, intended only to - deceive. Hence the saying: “That’s all hum.” The added word _Bug_ is - very old, signifying a frightful object, a thing to be shunned. To - humbug is to deceive; to prefer candour to humbug is to be proof - against flattery. - -=Humming Bird.= So called from the sound caused by the rapid motion of - its wings in flight. - -=Hummums.= A hotel in Covent Garden built on the site of a Persian or - Turkish sweating bath so called in the seventeenth century. The name - is Arabic. - -=Hundred.= A Saxon subdivision of the English shires said to have been - introduced by Alfred the Great. Each hundred comprised a colony of - “ten times ten” families--that is to say, ten divisions of ten - freeholders and their dependents in each. In all then there were one - hundred champions to defend the common cause. In legal and - ecclesiastical documents relative to lands such property is still - said to be situate in a particular “hundred” as well as parish. - -=Hungary.= The country of the Huns, who swarmed over from Asia and - expelled the Goths from this portion of Europe in the fourth - century. When first heard of in China, about a hundred years - previous, the natives designated them _Hiong-nu_, signifying - “Giants.” These Huns were really the Mongolian race still known as - the _Kalmucks_. The suffix _gary_ is a Western modification of the - Teutonic _gau_, district or country. - -=Hungary Water.= A perfume, properly called “The Queen of Hungary’s - Water” from the circumstance that the recipe had been given by a - hermit to one of the queens of Hungary. - -=Hung on Wires.= An American expression for one suffering from “nerves,” - a nervous or fidgety person. - -=Huns.= See “Hungary.” - -=Huntingdon.= Expresses the shire most favoured for hunting, this being - anciently a vast deer forest. - -=Hurly-burly.= An expression derived from the tumult of ancient warfare, - with especial reference to the hurling of spears and battle-axes. - The witches in _Macbeth_ say: - - “When the hurly-burly’s done, - When the battle’s lost and won.” - -=Huron.= This lake was so called by the French settlers on account of - the profusion of hair of the Indian tribe, the Wyandots, whom they - encountered on its shores. _Hure_ is French for “head of hair.” - -=Hurrah.= This exclamation is from the Scandinavian _Hurra_, said to - have been originally _Thor-aie_, an invocation to the god Thor for - aid in battle, just as the battle cry of the Normans was _Ha-Rou_, - in honour of Rollo. - -=Hurricane.= From the West Indian _urican_, “a violent wind.” The word - was introduced to Europe by seamen, and so became incorporated in - various languages. - -=Hurry up.= An exclamation derived, both in England and America, from - the custom of eating-house keepers anxious to expedite the service - from the kitchens below stairs. - -=Husbands’ Boat.= The steamboat by which city men and others go down to - Margate for the week-end holiday in order to join their families who - are staying there for the season. - -=Hussar.= Expresses the Hungarian for a “twenty-paid soldier”--_husz_ - meaning twenty, and _ar_ the price of. When Matthias Corvinus - ascended the throne of the Magyars he decreed that, in order to - provide a regular cavalry, each twenty families must enrol and equip - one mounted soldier free of all cost to the State. An interesting - point in connection with the uniform of the Hussar regiments - everywhere was that they always allowed the right sleeve of the - upper jacket to hang loose on their backs. This was only in keeping - with the general custom of the Magyar peasantry, who had the right - arm free on all occasions. - -=Hussites.= The Protestants of Bohemia, after John Huss, the Reformer. - -=Hussy.= A corruption of “housewife.” The epithet now implies a - slatternly sort of woman. - -=Hustings.= The ancient name for the Court of Aldermen in the city of - London. In modern days it came to imply the platform from which - candidates for election delivered their addresses to the populace. - The word _Husting_ expressed the Anglo-Saxon for a council-house: - from the Scandinavian _hus_, house, and _thing_, an assembly. - -=Hustler.= An Americanism for a smart, energetic tradesman, more - especially a caterer or restaurateur, who hustles about and never - keeps his customers waiting. The word “Hustle” comes from the Dutch - _hutselen_, to shake together or to and fro. - -=Hyacinth.= According to the Greek fable this flower sprang from the - blood of the beautiful youth Hyacinthus, who, having aroused the - jealousy of Zephyr, received his death-blow at her hands by casting - Apollo’s quoit at his head. - -=Hyde Park.= Anciently described as the Hyde Manor belonging to the - Abbots of St Peter’s, Westminster. - -=Hyde Park Corner.= Of old the western extremity of London, defined by a - toll gate. - -=Hydro.= Short for a hydropathic establishment. - -=Hythe.= From the Anglo-Saxon _hithe_, a haven. - - - I - - -=Iambic Verse.= Poetical satires written in _Iambics_, or two-syllable - foot measure, were originally so called after Iambe, an attendant - upon one of the queens of Sparta, who kept a commonplace book of - lively, free, and satirical pieces. - -=Iberia.= The ancient name of Spain, from the _Iberi_, its original - inhabitants. These were maritime adventurers from Phœnicia who - penetrated the country by way of the River Ebro. When in course of - time the Celts descended upon them from the Pyrenees, they spread - themselves to the south and west. On reaching the sea at the - farthest limit of their wanderings they imagined themselves at the - end of the world, and so gave the name of _Iber_, a Phœnician - word of that import, to the country. Its principal eastern river, - the Ebro, retains the original name. - -=Iceland.= So called because its north and west coasts are generally - blocked with ice that has drifted down from Greenland. - -=Iceland Moss.= A lichen indigenous to Iceland and Greenland which is - said to be very efficacious in the treatment of consumption. - -=Ice Plant.= Found in South Africa, and so called on account of its - glittering, watery vesicles which give it the appearance of being - covered with ice. - -=Ich Dien.= German for “I serve.” The motto assumed by Edward the Black - Prince after he found it under the plume of John, King of Bohemia, - slain by him at the battle of Cressy. - -=Iconoclast.= An image breaker, from the Greek _eikon_, image, and - _klazo_, I break. - -=Idolater.= From the Greek _eidolon_, a figure, and _latres_, - worshipper. The root of this word, _eidein_, to see, furnishes the - key to its true meaning. An idolater is one who worships that which - he sees, not on account of its intrinsic worth, but because it is a - visible representation, or it may be merely a symbol, of the deity - that he is taught to venerate. - -=Idol Lane.= Said to be a corruption of Idle Lane, because this was - perhaps the only thoroughfare in the neighbourhood not given up to - business--_i.e._ either as a market or a hive of industrious - artisans. - -=Il Bassano.= See “Bassano.” - -=Il Furioso.= The sobriquet of Jacopo Robusti, better known as - “Tintoretto,” owing to the rapidity with which he turned out his - wonderful paintings. - -=Iliad.= The title of Homer’s epic treating of the destruction of Troy; - originally called _Illium_, after _Ilos_, the founder of the city. - -=I’ll be through directly.= An Americanism for “I’ll be ready very - soon,” or “I’ll have it finished directly.” - -=Illinois.= The Indian _illini_, men, with the French suffix _oix_, a - tribe. - -=I’ll take my Davy on it.= The word “Davy” is a corruption of - “affidavit.” - -=Il Perugino.= The better-known name of the celebrated Italian artist - Pietro Vanucci, who, born at Citta della Pieve in Umbria, - established himself and remained all his life in the neighbouring - city of Perugia. - -=Il Tintoretto.= See “Tintoretto.” - -=Imperial.= The name given to the once fashionable chin tuft, after - Napoleon III., who was the first to wear his beard in this - diminutive fashion. - -=In a Crack.= Done instantly, in no more time than it takes for a gun to - go off. - -=In a Jiffy.= The word “jiffy” is a corruption of the now obsolete - _gliff_--_i.e._ a mere glance. - -=Inch of Candle.= In some parts of the country land is still disposed of - at auction by inch of candle. This was the ancient form of - auctioneering. Candles of inch length were provided, and when the - candle went out the bidding was closed. - -=Inchcolm.= Expresses the _inch_ or isle of St Columba, who dwelt here - while labouring to convert the Picts to Christianity. - -=In Clover.= In a contented frame of mind because provided with - everything necessary for the time being. Cattle always make for the - clover when turned out to graze. - -=Incog.= Short for _Incognito_, an Italian word signifying “not known.” - Royal personages desirous of avoiding ceremony often travel - _incog._, or under an assumed title. - -=Independence Day.= The fourth of July, in commemoration of the American - Declaration of Independence, 1776. - -=Independents.= The same as “Congregationalists.” - -=India.= From the Indus or Hindus, a Persian corruption of the Sanskrit - _Sindhu_, “great river.” By the Greeks this river was known as the - _Hindus_, which with the Persian suffix _stan_ gave the name - “Hindustan” to the whole country. In the time of Columbus, and long - afterwards, the Asiatic continent east of the Ganges was generally - styled India. This accounts for such names as “Indian Ink,” etc., - products really of the Far East. - -=Indiana.= From the great number of Indians that overran this state in - the early days of its history. - -=Indianapolis.= The capital of the state of Indiana. _Polis_ is Greek - for city. - -=Indian Corn.= Maize, brought from the West Indies. - -=Indian File.= A march in single file, as is the custom of the North - American Indians. - -=Indian Gift.= A reclaimed present. When a North American Indian gives - anything he expects a gift equivalent in value, or else his own back - again. - -=Indian Ink.= Originally brought from China, but now made from - lamp-black and animal glue in England. See “India.” - -=Indian Liquor.= See “Indian Whisky.” - -=Indian Reservation.= A considerable tract of land on the plains - reserved for the Indian tribes. - -=Indians of North America.= When Columbus discovered the “New World” he - was under the impression that he had happened on that vast tract of - country east of the Ganges vaguely known as India. This shows that, - sailing westward as he did, he must have regarded the earth as a - globe. - -=Indian Summer.= The equivalent of what is called St Martin’s Summer in - England. The North American Indians always avail themselves of the - pleasant weather during the early part of November for harvesting - their corn; they say there is an unfailing nine days’ second summer - just before the winter sets in. - -=Indian Whisky.= The name given to specially adulterated whisky for sale - to the Indians of North America. - -=India Paper.= A special kind of paper, made of vegetable fibre in China - and Japan, on which the first impressions, called India proof, of - engravings are taken. See “India.” - -=India Proof.= See “India Paper.” - -=India-rubber.= Caoutchouc, first imported from China, but now found - elsewhere. See “India.” - -=India-rubber Railway Sandwich.= The typical refreshment-room sandwich, - the bread slices of which are as a rule so stale that they defy - hasty mastication. - -=Indigo.= A blue dye prepared from the _Indicus_, or Indian plant. - -=Industrial Schools.= Also known as Ragged Schools, of which the - scholars are waifs and strays brought together for the acquirement - of some useful industry. - -=Infra.= Latin for below, beneath. A word very generally met with in - library catalogues: “See _Infra_.” It is the antithesis of _Supra_, - above. - -=Infra Dig.= Short for _Infra Dignitatem_, which expresses the Latin for - “beneath one’s dignity.” - -=Infant.= In law, any person under the age of twenty-one. - -=Infanta.= The title of princesses of the royal blood in Spain and - Portugal, except the heiress-apparent. - -=Infante.= The corresponding title of the sons of the kings of Spain and - Portugal. - -=Infant Roscius.= William Henry Betty, the celebrated boy actor, named - after the greatest historian of antiquity. His public career was - brief--viz. five years only, 1803-1808--but during that period he - became the rage; so much so, that while at Covent Garden, where he - received a salary of fifty guineas a night, the military had to be - called out to maintain order. - -=Infantry.= Foot soldiers, so called, not because, like children, they - have to be trained to walk, but for the reason that one of the - _Infantes_ of Spain collected a body of armed men, unmounted, to - rescue his father, the King, from captivity at the hands of the - Moors. Afterwards foot soldiers in Spain and Italy received the name - of _Enfanteria_. - -=Infirmary.= The older and more correct description of an institution - for the sick and infirm. See “Hospice.” - -=Inn.= The Anglo-Saxon word _Inne_ expressed a mansion. The Inns of - Court were originally the town houses of noble families, whose name - they still bear--_e.g._ Gray’s Inn. Our first inns set apart for the - entertainment of travellers were in all cases the mansions of the - nobility left in charge of the trusted servant, the gamekeeper, - during the prolonged absence, either in the wars at home or in the - Crusades abroad, of their owners. The family arms served as a sign. - After the return of his master the servant, now an innkeeper, set up - an inn of his own contiguous to the original, and adopted the same - sign. Here we have an explanation of such grotesque inn signs--now - that their names have taken the place of the painted device--as the - Blue Boar, the Red Lion, etc. At times the innkeeper preferred the - sign of the “Green Man.” - -=Innocents’ Day.= December 28th, commemorating the massacre of the Holy - Innocents by Herod. Anciently children were soundly whipped in their - beds before rising on this day. Being undeserving of such - punishment, they were taught to suffer pain for Christ’s sake. - -=Inns of Court.= See “Inn.” - -=In Quad.= This is not altogether thieves’ slang, though the gipsy word - for prison is _quaid_. Boys at our public schools say they are “in - quad” when they are confined to their own quadrangle. The phrase - became popular in connection with a prison when debtors were - confined in the Fleet, the Marshalsea, and Whitecross Street, - because they were free to receive visitors in the exercise court or - quadrangle. - -=Insect.= From the root _seco_, to cut, because this tiny species of the - animal world is, as it were, cut deeply into three distinct parts: - the head, thorax, and abdomen. - -=Interlaken.= The Swiss village situated “between the lakes” Brienz and - Thun. - -=In the Jug.= Slang for “in prison.” The term is derived from the - Scottish _joug_, a kind of iron yoke or pillory for the head - designed for the punishment of rogues and vagabonds. When at a later - period a round house of stone was set up in the market-place for - such offenders, this earliest prison was popularly called “The Stone - Jug.” - -=In the Nick of Time.= This expression originated in the nicks or - notches made in a piece of wood called a Tally, both as an - acknowledgment of money paid and by way of registering a person’s - arrival at a place of assembly. If, in the latter case, he arrived - late, his tally would not be nicked, as evidence of having put in an - appearance. - -=In the Odour of Sanctity.= The ancient idea was that the bodies of - saints after death emitted a peculiar fragrant odour. This - originated in the profuse employment of incense at the - administration of the last solemn rites of the Viaticum. - -=In the Soup.= An Americanism for “out of the running.” This had - reference originally to the hunting field when a rider was pitched - into a ditch of foul water after leaping a hedge. - -=In the Stone Jug.= See “In the Jug.” - -=In the Straw.= An expression denoting that a woman has been brought to - bed with a child. Straw was the usual stuffing of a bed formerly - among the poorer orders of the people. - -=In the Suds.= An Americanism for being unprepared to receive visitors. - The allusion is to a washerwoman with her hands in the soapsuds. - -=In the Swim.= To be admitted to a certain professional or financial - clique. River fish generally keep together, and an angler’s object - is to get what he calls “in the swim.” By so doing he may hook fish - after fish without difficulty. - -=In the wrong Box.= The origin of this expression is simply this: When - Vauxhall, Cremorne, Ranelagh, Highbury Barn, and similar alfresco - resorts were in existence, they had rows of cosy hutches or boxes - all around for the benefit of those who wished to do their courting - in private, while they could at the same time listen to the music - and see the illuminations. It was no easy matter for anyone to find - his own box again among the many if he left it; consequently on - returning to his partner after sallying forth, he rendered his - presence obnoxious to strangers by suddenly finding himself in the - wrong box. - -=Intrepid Fox.= A historic tavern in Soho named after Charles James Fox, - the great Whig Minister. At the time of the famous election of 1784 - the redoubtable Sammy House, the landlord, served all customers - free, and also entertained several notable Whigs. - -=Invention of the Cross.= The name of this Church festival, 3rd May, - commemorative of the finding of the True Cross by those sent in - quest of it by St Helena, sounds peculiar, but the word “invent” is - really from the Latin _invenire_, to find, discover, come upon. - -=Inverary.= The county town of Argyleshire, “at the mouth of” the River - Aray. - -=Inverness.= Situate at the mouth of the River Ness. - -=Invincibles.= See “Irish Invincibles.” - -=Ionia.= The ancient name of Asia Minor, settled by the _Ionians_, so - called after Ion, the son of Apollo according to Greek fable. - -=Ionic.= The style of architecture so called was peculiar to Ionia in - Greece. The earliest of the Greek philosophers so called too were - all natives of Ionia. - -=Iota.= From the name of the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet. - “Jot” is a softened form of this word. - -=Iowa.= Indian for “the sleepy-ones”; applied by the Sioux to the Pahoja - or Graysnow tribe. - -=Ireland.= From _Ierne_, Gaelic for “western isle.” The Greeks, who - heard of it through the Milesians, called this remote land of the - west _Iernis_, and the Romans _Hibernia_. - -=Ireland Yard.= This property in Blackfriars was made over by its owner, - William Ireland, to Shakespeare, as appears in the deed of - conveyance now preserved in the Guildhall Library. - -=Irish Invincibles.= A secret society whose members made it their boast - that they defied extermination. Carey, the informer, openly declared - that their mission was “the making of history by killing tyrants.” - The Phœnix Park murders were the work of the “Invincibles.” - -=Irishman’s Crossing.= An Americanism for the mode of many people - anxious to cut off corners by crossing and recrossing the street, by - which process one’s way is actually made longer. - -=Irish Stew.= So called because among the Irish peasantry the beef is - generally absent, the stew consisting wholly of onions and potatoes. - -=Iron Chancellor.= The sobriquet of Prince Bismarck, Chancellor of the - German Empire, on account of his iron will. - -=Iron City.= Pittsburg, world renowned for its ironworks. - -=Iron Devil.= An inn sign corrupted from “The Hirondelle,” or swallow. - -=Iron Duke.= The Duke of Wellington, distinguished for his unbending - will. - -=Ironmonger Lane.= Where the artificers in iron congregated during the - reign of Edward I. Later they removed into Thames Street. - -=Ironside.= The surname of the Anglo-Saxon king, Edmund II., on account - of the iron armour that he wore as a preservative against - assassination. - -=Ironsides.= The name given to the Cromwellian soldiers on account of - their heavy armour and iron resolution. - -=Irrawaddy.= Hindoo for “the father of waters.” - -=Irving.= The patronymic of the late Sir Henry Irving was Brodribb. When - he went on the stage he took the name of Irving, out of his - admiration of the writings of the American author, Washington - Irving. Half-a-century ago no one ever thought of entering the - dramatic profession under his own name. Now that the stage has - become fashionable actors need no longer be actuated to select a - _nom de theatre_ out of regard to family pride. - -=Irvingites.= The followers of the Rev. Edward Irving, who maintained - the sinfulness of Christ’s nature in common with that of ordinary - mankind. Deposed from his living by the Presbytery of the Church of - Scotland in 1830, he founded the “Apostolic Catholic Church.” - -=Isabel.= The name given to a yellowish brown colour from the - circumstance that at the memorable siege of Ostend in 1601 Isabella, - the wife of the Duke of Austria, vowed she would not change her - linen until the town was taken. Unhappily for her, it held out - nearly three years. Rash vows are always followed by leisurely - repentance. - -=Isis.= From the Celtic _uisg_, water. The word enters into many English - river names, notably the “Thames.” The University of Oxford is - called _Isis_ from the river upon which it stands. - -=Islam.= From the Arabic _islama_, to bend. This term expressed an - entire submission or resignation to the will of God. By the - Mohammedans “Islam” is described as the true faith. - -=Isle of Bourbon.= A French settlement named in compliment to the House - of Bourbon. - -=Isle of Desolation.= When discovered by Captain Cook this island was - utterly devoid of animal life. - -=Isle of Dogs.= A corruption of “Isle of Ducks,” owing to the great - numbers of water-fowl settled on the marshes. In our time it might - well be described as the “Isle of Docks.” - -=Isle of Man.= Properly “Mona Isle,” from the Celtic _mæn_, a stone; - hence “Isle of Rocks.” - -=Isle of St Helena.= Discovered on the Feast of St Helena, 1502. - -=Isleworth.= Expresses a manorial dwelling beside the river. Sion House, - in which Lady Jane Grey resided for a time, was built upon the ruins - of an ancient nunnery. It is now the property of the Duke of - Northumberland, who removed thither the famous lion on the top of - the demolished Northumberland House at Charing Cross. The popular - belief that when this lion heard the clock of St Martin’s Church - strike it would wag its tail and turn round was on a par with that - of the washing of the Tower lions on the first of April. - -=Islington.= The family settlement of the Islings. - -=Is the Ghost walking?= See “Ghost walking.” - -=Italics.= Thin sloping types, altogether different from the older - Roman, first used in an edition of Virgil by Aldo Manuzio, the - celebrated printer of Venice, in 1207. - -=Italy.= The modern form of the Roman description of the country, - _Latium_, or “broad plain.” This resulted in the designation of all - the tribes of the conquered districts as _Latini_, or the _Latins_. - -=Ivan the Terrible.= Ivan IV., son of the founder of the Russian Empire, - who rose to power from the position of Grand Duke of Moscow. This - second Ivan, at the age of fourteen, during the regency of his - mother, had the triumvirate put to death; whereupon he assumed the - title of Czar. His reputation for cruelty soon began to assert - itself. In the space of six weeks he caused to be put to death no - less than 25,000 (some authorities say 60,000) persons at Novogorod, - from the idea that they were plotting to deliver up that city to the - King of Poland. To crown all, in a fit of passion he killed his own - son. - -=Ivory Black.= A pigment originally obtained from calcined ivory, but - now from bone. - -=Ivy Lane.= From the ivy-covered houses of the prebendaries attached to - St Paul’s Cathedral. - - - J - - -=Jackanapes.= Properly “Jack-of-apes,” an impudent fellow who apes the - manners of his social superiors. - -=Jackass.= The male ass. - -=Jack-boots.= When first worn by cavalry these high leather boots were - covered with metal plates as a protection for the leg. The term Jack - is derived from the Norman-French _jacque_, a leathern jerkin worn - over a coat of mail. At a later period the _jacque_ itself was made - sword-proof by metal plates on its under side. - -=Jacket.= Expressed originally the diminutive of the _jacque_--viz. a - short or sleeveless coat of leather. See “Jack-boots.” - -=Jack Ketch.= The name formerly given to the common hangman, after - Richard Jacquett, who owned the manor of Tyburn, where malefactors - were executed previous to 1783. - -=Jack-knife.= The name formerly given to a large folding pocket-knife, - and now used by sailors, in contradistinction to a “Penknife.” See - “Jack Tar.” - -=Jackson.= The name of a river and several towns of the United States, - after General Andrew Jackson, the seventh President. - -=Jack Straw’s Castle.= A noted hostelry at Hampstead, said to have been - built on the spot where Jack Straw, one of the leaders in Wat - Tyler’s insurrection, made his habitation on the hillside. - -=Jack Tar.= A sailor, because he wears tarpaulins in “dirty weather.” - Jack is a generic name for a man or servant. - -=Jacobins.= The French designation of the Black Friars or Dominicans, - from the situation of their earliest convent in the Rue St Jacques, - Paris, 1219. - -=Jacobites.= The Catholic adherents of James II. and his lineal - descendants after the accession to the English throne of William - III. _Jacobus_ was the Latinised form of the King’s name. - -=Jacobus.= The Scottish sovereign, valued at 25s., which became current - in England also at the union of the two crowns in the person of King - James I. - -=Jacquard Loom.= After its inventor, Marie J. Jacquard of Lyons, who - died in 1834. - -=Jacquerie.= The name given to an insurrection of French peasants in - 1358. _Jacques_ is the generic name for a member of the artisan - class in France, owing to the _jacque_, or sleeveless white cotton - jacket, worn by them. The leader of this insurrection called himself - Jacques Bonhomme, being of the artisan class himself. - -=Jag.= An Americanism for drunkenness. The word is employed in a variety - of ways: “He’s got a jag on”--“He’s on a drinking bout”; “He’s on - his jags”--“He knows how it is to have the jags”; “He has the jags - just now,” etc. etc. - -=Jail Bird.= So called because the earliest kind of prison in this - country was an alfresco iron cage. - -=Jailed.= An Americanism for being put in jail, sent to prison. - -=Jalap.= From _Jalapa_ in Mexico, whence the root of this plant was - first brought to Europe for medicinal purposes in 1610. - -=Jamaica.= From the West Indian _Caymaca_, signifying “a country - abounding in springs.” - -=Jamaica Road.= See “Cherry Gardens Pier.” - -=James Bay.= After James I., in whose reign this arm of Hudson’s Bay was - completely explored. - -=James River.= After James I., in the fourth year of whose reign it was - navigated, and the English settlement called Jamestown, thirty-two - miles inland, formed. - -=James Street.= In Covent Garden, in compliment to the Duke of York, - afterwards James II. That on the south side of the Strand received - the Christian name of one of the Brothers Adam, builders of the - Adelphi. - -=Jamestown.= See “James River.” - -=Jamie Duff.= The Scottish designation for a mourner or weeper at a - funeral. So called after an Edinburgh eccentric of this name; - nothing pleased him better than to attend a funeral, perhaps because - he enjoyed the ride in the coach. - -=Jane Hading.= This famous French actress was christened Jeanne, but, - appearing on the stage while she was quite a child, her parents - habitually called her Jane, because, as she has herself explained, - being shorter, it would admit of the family name appearing in larger - letters on the playbill. - -=Janissaries.= A militia of Turkish footguards originally composed of - the sons of Christian subjects, this being the tribute levied upon - the parents for allowing them to live in peace and safety. The - native term is _Jeniaskari_, new soldier. - -=Janitor.= The American description of a caretaker or doorkeeper. This - term has long been obsolete in England; it was derived from the - Latin _janua_, door. - -=Jansenists.= A religious sect headed by Cornelius Jansen, Bishop of - Ypres, France, early in the seventeenth century. - -=January.= Called by the Romans _Januarius_, after Janus, the sun god, - who presided over the beginnings of things. In the temple of Janus - the figure of this god had two faces: one supposed to look on the - past, the other on the future. - -=Japan.= A Western corruption, through the Portuguese _Gepuen_, of the - native name _Niphon_, or “land of the rising sun.” The brilliant - black varnish called “Japan” was first made by the people of the Far - East. - -=Jarvey.= A cabman or car driver, so called after the name of a hackney - coach driver who was hanged. - -=Jaunting Car.= The characteristic light vehicle in Ireland in which the - people enjoy a jaunt or excursion. English folk newly arrived in the - Emerald Isle do not always appreciate it. See “Hold hard.” - -=Java.= A Malay word meaning “the land of nutmegs.” - -=Jayhawker State.= Kansas, from the nickname borne by the soldiers of - Colonel Jennison of New York, who, being a jovial fellow, was called - a “Gay Yorker,” afterwards corrupted into “Jayhawker.” The people of - this state in process of time came to be styled “Jayhawkers.” - -=Jedburgh.= A royal burgh situate at the confluence of the Rivers Tefy - and Jed. The ancient form of justice meted out here of hanging a man - first and trying him afterwards is frequently alluded to as - “Jedwood” or “Jeddart” justice. - -=Jefferson.= The name of a river, a city, and a mount in the United - States, after Thomas Jefferson, the third President. - -=Jeffreys Street.= After one of the family names of the Earl of - Brecknock, Marquis of Camden, the ground landlord. - -=Jehu.= A cabman, in allusion to Jehu, the son of Nimshi, who, we are - told in 2 Kings ix. 20, drove furiously. - -=Jeremiad.= A tale of woe, a doleful story. So called after the Prophet - Jeremiah, who wrote the “Book of Lamentations.” - -=Jerked Meat.= Dried meat, more particularly beef dried in the open air. - The term is derived from the Chilian _charqui_, applied to dried - beef throughout Spanish America. - -=Jerkin.= Expresses the diminutive of the Dutch _jurk_, coat, frock; - hence a short coat or jacket. - -=Jermyn Street.= From the town house of Henry Jermyn, Earl of St Albans. - -=Jerry Builder.= A speculative builder who runs up whole streets of - houses as cheaply as possible in order to sell them. The word - “Jerry,” derived from the French _jour_, day, is a corruption of - _joury_, meaning temporary, unsubstantial. - -=Jersey.= From Czar’s-ey, or “Cæsar’s Isle,” so called by the Romans in - honour of Julius Cæsar. The close-fitting rowing shirt and female - bodice received the name of a Jersey because it was first worn by - the inhabitants of this isle. - -=Jersey Lily.= The punning pet name of Mrs Langtry, when, as a society - star, she first adopted the stage as a profession. Her Christian - name is Lillie, and she was born in Jersey. - -=Jerusalem.= Expresses the Hebrew for “habitation of peace.” - -=Jerusalem Artichoke.= A corruption of “Girasole Artichoke,” from the - resemblance of the leaf and stem of this flower to the “Girasole,” - or sunflower. - -=Jerusalem Chamber.= This apartment of Westminster Abbey, in which Henry - IV. died, received its name from the pictures of the Holy Land, in - connection with the Crusades, that adorned its walls. - -=Jesuits.= The members of a powerful missionary order styled “The - Society of Jesus” which was founded in 1534 by Ignatius Loyola, on a - military basis, having himself been a soldier. - -=Jesuits’ Bark.= Another name for the Peruvian or Cinchona Bark, because - discovered by the Jesuit missionaries in Peru. - -=Jewin Street.= The ancient burying ground of the Jews while they were - permitted to reside within the city walls--viz. in the Old Jewry. - The suffix _in_ is a corrupt form of the Anglo-Saxon _en_, - expressing the plural, as in Clerken or clerks’ well. - -=Jewry Street.= All that remains of the old name given collectively to - the Jewish quarter of London after this oppressed race had been - driven eastward of the city proper. This street was the Jews’ later - burial ground. The suffix _ry_ denotes a place or district. - -=Jews’ Harp.= A corruption of “Jaws’ Harp,” because it is held between - the teeth. - -=Jezebel.= A daring, vicious woman, so called after the wife of Ahab, - King of Israel. - -=Jig.= From the French _gigue_, a lively dance, and the Italian _giga_, - a romp. - -=Jilt.= From the Scottish _gillet_, a giddy young woman. This word - expressed the diminutive of Jill or Julia, a name used in a - contemptuous sense after Julia, the daughter of Augustus Cæsar, who - disgraced herself by her dissolute conduct. - -=Jimmy.= A crowbar used by house burglars. The word is not so much - thieves’ slang as a corruption of _Jenny_, expressing the diminutive - of gin or engine, the general term formerly for a machine or - mechanical appliance. - -=Jimpson Weed.= Properly “Jamestown Weed,” from the place in Virginia - where it was introduced. - -=Jingo.= See “By Jingo.” - -=Jingoes.= The British war party during the Russo-Turkish struggle of - 1877-8, when there was grave likelihood of this country interfering. - The term became popular through the refrain in G. H. Macdermott’s - famous song: - - “We don’t want to fight, but, by Jingo, if we do, - We’ve got the ships, we’ve got the men, we’ve got the money too.” - - For a time the Jingo Party was in the ascendant. - -=Joachims-Thaler.= See “Thaler.” - -=Jockey.= The diminutive of Jock, which is the Scottish form of Jack or - John, expressive of a servant. The first jockeys engaged in horse - racing were boys, on account of their light weight; hence the term. - -=Joe Miller.= A stale joke, corresponding to the modern “Chestnut.” Joe - Miller was a witty comedian whose sayings were compiled by John - Mottley in the reign of James II. Until about a hundred years ago - this was the only book of jests extant, and everyone who wished to - “set the table in a roar” freely drew upon it. - -=Joey.= The popular nickname of Mr Joseph Chamberlain, of Fiscal Policy - fame. - -=Johannis.= From Johannisberg, near Wiesbaden. This name is literally - “John’s Rock,” on which stands the famous castle. - -=John Audley.= An old showman’s phrase, which still obtains in what is - called a portable theatre. As soon as a sufficient crowd for another - “house” has collected outside, the money-taker, or the showman - himself, calls out at the door “John Audley!” (originally it was the - question “Is John Audley here?”) as a hint to the performers to - finish quickly and dismiss the audience. This, it is said, was the - invention of Shorter, the comedian, while he was playing in booths - at country fairs. - -=John Bull.= The Representative Englishman, bluff, long-suffering, and - open-hearted. This national nickname was derived from a satire of - the same title published by Dr John Arbuthnot in 1721. - -=John Carpenter Street.= After the founder of the City of London School, - which occupies one side of this modern thoroughfare, having been - removed hither from Bow Lane in 1882. John Carpenter was town clerk - of the city of London in the reigns of Henry V. and VI. - -=John Chinaman.= Ever since the outbreak of the gold fever in California - a Chinaman in that part of the United States has been addressed as - “John,” the Transatlantic generic name for a man-servant, - corresponding to the old English Jack. - -=John Doe and Richard Roe.= Fictitious names, which prior to 1852, when - they were abolished, appeared in every legal process of ejectment in - place of the names of the real parties. - -=John Dory.= The name of this fish is a corruption of the French - _Jaune-dorée_, yellow, golden, relative to the colour. - -=Johnnies.= Overdressed, empty-pated scions of good families who spent - their surplus cash upon burlesque actresses, and hung about for them - at the stage door when the “sacred lamp of burlesque” burned - brightly at the Gaiety Theatre. Since “Jack” was the generic name - for a man or servant, so one distinguished for the possession of - more money than brains was, and is still, dubbed a “Johnnie.” - -=John of Gaunt.= Properly of Ghent, his birthplace, in Flanders. - -=John o’ Groat’s House.= Formerly the most northern habitation on the - mainland of Scotland, said to have been that of Johnny Groat, for - the accommodation of travellers who wished to cross the ferry to the - Orkney Isles. Its site may now be recognised by a green knoll. - -=Johnson’s Court.= Although the great lexocographer, Dr Johnson, spent - ten years of his life in this Fleet Street court, it was not named - after him, but after another Johnson, whose property it was, and who - also resided in it. - -=John Street.= In the Adelphi, after the Christian name of one of the - brothers Adam. In Piccadilly, after one of the family names of the - Berkeleys, the ground landlords. - -=Joiner.= The provincial term for one who in London is called a - “Carpenter.” Literally a joiner of wooden building materials. - -=Joint Ring.= Another name for a “Gimnal Ring.” - -=Joint-Stock Company.= So called because the stock is vested jointly in - many persons. - -=Jonathan’s.= The original name of the Stock Exchange, after a - coffee-house keeper whose house was the rendezvous of the earliest - dealers in stock. - -=Jollies.= The sailors’ nickname for the Marines, because they are about - as useful to a ship as the “Jolly Boat” which floats behind it. - -=Jolly Boat.= A corruption of “Jawl boat,” from the Danish _jolle_, a - small boat. - -=Jordan.= Expresses the Hebrew for “the flowing.” - -=Journeyman.= An artisan who hires himself out to labour, conformly to - the French _jour_, day, a day labourer. - -=Juan Fernandez.= After the navigator, who discovered it in 1567. On - this isle Alexander Selkirk was the sole inhabitant from September - 1704 until February 1707. Daniel Defoe made this adventurer the hero - of his celebrated story “Robinson Crusoe.” - -=Jubilee Plunger.= The sobriquet of Ernest Benzon, who lost £250,000 on - the turf in two years after embarking upon his betting career in - 1887, the Jubilee year of Queen Victoria’s reign. - -=Judd Street.= The property of Sir Andrew Judd, Lord Mayor of London in - 1551. By his will he bequeathed it to the endowment of a school at - Tonbridge, his native place. - -=Judges’ Walk.= So called because a number of judges and barristers of - the King’s Bench made themselves temporary habitations in tents on - this breezy height of Hampstead during the Great Plague. - -=Jug.= Thieves’ slang for prison. See “In the Jug.” - -=Juggins.= A fool, a reckless fellow, so called after a noted character - of this name, who about twenty years ago squandered his whole - fortune by reckless betting on the turf. - -=Juggler.= From the French _jougleur_, a jester or miscellaneous - entertainer who was the invariable companion of a troubadour during - the Middle Ages. - -=Julep.= An American spirituous beverage, also a preparation to make - medicines less nauseous. The word is derived from the Arabic - _julab_, rose-water. - -=July.= In honour of Julius Cæsar, who was born in this month. - -=Jump a Claim.= A Far West expression meaning to deprive another of his - lawful claim; literally to jump into his diggings and take - possession. - -=Jump on it with both Feet.= The Transatlantic mode of saying “I’ll - denounce it to the utmost of my power.” - -=Jump the Game.= An Americanism for running away from one’s creditors. - -=June.= The sixth month of the year; that of growth, agreeably to the - Latin _juvenis_, young. The Romans dedicated it to the “Juniores,” - or young soldiers of the State. - -=Jungfrau.= Two reasons are assigned for the name (German, “The Maiden”) - given to this, one of the highest peaks of the Bernese Alps. - Firstly, because of the unsullied purity and dazzling whiteness of - the snow with which it is eternally clad; secondly, owing to the - fact that, its summit being inaccessible, no man has ever conquered - or ravished this mountain maiden. - -=Junk.= A seaman’s term for rope ends and also the salt beef served out - on board ship. The word is derived from the Latin _Juncus_, a - bulrush, out of which ropes were anciently made. In the second sense - of the term the toughness of the meat is sarcastically implied. - -=Jury.= From the Latin _jurare_, to swear. - -=Jury Mast.= Properly “Joury Mast,” from the French _jour_, day, because - it is only a temporary mast put up to replace one carried away by - stress of weather. - -=Justice is Blind.= An expression derived from the allegorical - representation of Justice, who, holding the scales, is blindfolded. - See “Scales of Justice.” This really had its origin in the custom of - the ancient Egyptians, who conducted their trials in a darkened - chamber, in order that the prisoner, the pleader, and the witnesses - being alike unseen, the judges could not be moved to undue sympathy, - and their judgment might be the more impartial. - -=Justice Walk.= In this portion of Chelsea resided a London magistrate - whose name has not been handed down to posterity. - -=Juteopolis.= The name given to Dundee on account of its staple - industry. - -=Jutland.= The land of the Jutes. - -=Juveniles.= In theatrical parlance the lovers’ parts. The principal - stage lover’s part, such as _Romeo_, is called the “juvenile lead.” - Other young men’s parts, that do not call for love making on the - stage, are styled “walking gentlemen.” - - - K - - -=Kaaba.= The stone building inside the great Mosque at Mecca; said to - have been erected over the spot where Adam first worshipped after - his expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The name is Arabic for - “square house.” - -=Kaffraria.= The country of the Kaffirs or “unbelievers,” from the - Mohammedan standpoint. This term was applied not only to the natives - south of Abyssinia and the desert regions of Africa, but also to the - people of a country in Central Asia east of the Hindu Cush known - accordingly as Kafiristan. _Kaifer_ is Arabic for “infidel,” and the - suffix _stan_ expresses the Persian for “country.” - -=Kailyard.= Scottish for cabbage garden. - -=Kaisar.= The German form of the title of the Roman Emperors, “Cæsar.” - -=Kalmucks.= A Western corruption of the native _Khalmick_, or - “Apostates,” the name given to this large family of the Mongolian - race because they rejected the doctrines of Buddha. It was these - Kalmucks who, under the name of “Huns,” descended upon Europe in the - fourth century. - -=Kamptulicon.= From the Greek _Kampto_, to bend. - -=Kansas.= The Indian name for the river, signifying “smoky water”; - afterwards applied also to the state. - -=Keble College.= A memorial college at Oxford of the Rev. John Keble, - author of “The Christian Year,” whose death took place in 1866. - -=Keelhaul.= To haul under the keel of a vessel from stem to stern by - means of ropes on either side. This was the most dreaded, because - the most dangerous, punishment meted out to seamen or apprentices by - tyrannical captains in former times. Readers of Captain Marryat’s - “Snarleyyow, or the Dog Fiend” will recollect what that meant to the - hapless victim. - -=Keeping Crispin.= An old phrase for the shoemakers’ annual holiday on - the Feast of St Crispin, their patron saint, 25th October. In some - parts of the country we hear of it in connection with what passes - elsewhere under the name of “Cobblers’ Monday.” - -=Keep it Dark.= The reference was originally to treasure kept in a place - of concealment. - -=Keep on Pegging at it.= See “Peg Away.” - -=Keep the Ball Rolling.= An expression derived from the game of Bandy, - in which the two sets of players, armed with hooked sticks, - continually sent the ball rolling to opposite goals. - -=Keep the Pot Boiling.= The antithesis of a hand-to-mouth existence; - meaning the command not only of something for the stock pot but also - needful fuel. - -=Keep the Wolf from the Door.= By paying one’s way others will prosper - likewise, and ravenous creditors clamouring at the door for their - just demands will be non-existent. The wolf is represented by a - greedy landlord hungering for his rent, or, failing that, the - household goods. - -=Keep your Nose to the Grindstone.= To continue hard at work without - cessation. If a tool is not held close to the grindstone the stone - will go round all the same, but the tool does not get sharpened. So - a man may loiter over his work, but the actual accomplishment is - nil. - -=Keep your Pecker up.= Have courage, and hold your head erect. _Pecker_ - is slang for the mouth, in allusion to fowls which peck their - food--in other words, they strike at it with the _beak_. - -=Keep your Weather Eye open.= Be on a sharp look-out in the right - direction. A sailor looks towards the wind in order to forecast the - weather. - -=Kendal.= Expresses the dale of the River Ken. - -=Kendal Green.= Green cloth made at Kendal in Westmoreland, for which - this town was long famous. The cloths produced here still bear the - name of “Kendals.” - -=Kennington.= The town which grew up in the king’s meadow. Henry VIII. - had a rural retreat erected here. - -=Kensington.= Described in Anglo-Saxon records as _Kynsington_, or - king’s meadow town. - -=Kensington Gore.= After Gore House, the residence of the Countess of - Blessington, that occupied part of the site of the Royal Albert - Hall. - -=Kent.= Called by the Romans Cæsar Cantium after the _Cantii_, who - peopled this _Kenn_, headland or corner, of Albion’s Isle. - -=Kentish Fire.= The name given to rapturous volleys of cheers, such as - that which distinguished the Kentish men when they applauded the “No - Popery” orators in 1828-9. - -=Kentish Man.= A native of the county of Kent, west of the Medway. - -=Kentish Town.= A corruption of “Kantelowes Town,” built upon the manor - of the same name. The modern spelling of this family name is - “Cantlowes,” which is that given to a street on the south side of - Camden Road. - -=Kent Street.= Leads out of London to the great Kentish highway to - Dover. At one time the landlords in this street took away the front - doors of tenants who were more than a fortnight in arrears of paying - their rent. This, styled a “Kent Street Ejectment,” was found - effectual in getting rid of unprofitable tenants. - -=Kentucky.= Indian for “long river.” - -=Keppel Street.= From the “Admiral Keppel” at the corner of this street - and Fulham Road. - -=Kerchief.= See “Handkerchief.” - -=Kersey.= From Kersey, in Suffolk, once famed for its woollen - manufacture. - -=Kettledrum.= A rounded drum, so called from its shape; also the name - given to a tea party, both on account of the noise made by the - guests, and because the hostess metaphorically beats them up at the - time of sending out her invitations. See “Drum.” - -=Kettle of Fish.= See “Pretty Kettle of Fish.” - -=Kew.= Styled in ancient documents Kay-hoo, meaning a quay on a _hoo_ or - _oe_, which expressed the Danish for an island; also a spit of land - at the mouth of a river or creek. - -=Keystone State.= Pennsylvania, geographically considered as seventh - among the thirteen original states of the Union. - -=Khaki.= Expresses the Hindoo for “colour of cow dung.” This term came - into prominence during the South African War, when all British - uniforms were made of materials of this hue, so as to make our - troops less conspicuous to the enemy. - -=Khan.= Expresses the Persian, from a Tartar word, for a lord or prince. - -=Khedive.= From the Persian _khidiw_, a king. In the Turkish _khadiv_ - the title expresses a ruler one grade removed from a Sultan. - -=Kicker.= An Americanism for one who at a public meeting objects to a - proposal. - -=Kick the Bucket.= An expression derived from the primitive mode of a - man hanging himself by standing on a bucket, and then kicking it - aside. The “drop” in this case could not have been a long one. - -=Kidnap.= Not only is this word accepted English in the absence of a - more refined equivalent, but it is also made to do service in the - case of an adult taken away against his will. Kid, of course, - expresses a young goat, and is slang for a child. The second portion - of the term is likewise slang, from _nab_, to steal. - -=Kidney Bean.= The coarse bean shaped like a kidney. - -=Kiel.= From the Danish _keol_, a ship. - -=Kilbride.= The church of St Bride or Bridget. - -=Kilburn.= Expresses the _kil_, or cell, of “one Godwynne, a holy - hermit,” beside the _bourn_, or brook. - -=Kildare.= From the Celtic _kildara_, the cell or hermitage among the - oaks. A monastery was founded here by St Bridget towards the close - of the fifth century. - -=Kilkenny.= The _kil_, or church, of St Kenny or Canice in connection - with the ancient abbey dedicated to St John. - -=Killarney.= A corruption of “Killeaney,” from the church of the - Dominican monastery on the banks of the River Leane. - -=Kindergarten.= Expresses the German for a children’s garden or - playground. The system of juvenile education so called aims at - self-tuition by means of toys and games. - -=Kinetoscope.= The name originally given to our modern “living - pictures,” from the Greek _kinetikos_, “putting in motion.” See - “Mutoscope.” - -=King Charles Spaniel.= The small species of “Spaniel” which was such a - favourite with Charles I. - -=King Edward’s Grammar School.= A superior academical institution - founded and endowed for the tuition of Latin and Greek grammar by - Edward VI. - -=King Edward Street.= After Edward VI., the “Boy King,” founder of - Christ’s Hospital, or Blue Coat Grammar School, hard by. - -=Kingfisher.= The king of fisher birds that dive into water for their - prey, so called on account of its gay plumage. - -=King James’s Bible.= The Authorised Version ordered to be prepared and - given to the people by James I. - -=King-maker.= Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, so called because he was - instrumental in placing both Edward IV. on the Yorkist and Henry VI. - on the Lancastrian side on the throne after espousing their - individual cause. - -=King of Bath.= The sobriquet of Richard Nash, also known as Beau Nash, - who for more than half-a-century was Master of Ceremonies at the - fashionable Assembly Rooms of Bath. - -=King’s Arms.= An inn sign, originally representing the counterfeit - presentment or royal arms of an individual sovereign, but now a mere - name, which must have done duty alike in honouring a long line of - monarchs. - -=King’s Bench.= Anciently the superior Court of Law presided over by the - King in person, when he sat on an oaken bench. Wherever he went in - state this Court followed him. Judges and magistrates are still said - to occupy the Bench. - -=King’s College.= At Cambridge, founded in 1441 by Henry VI. In London, - the foundation by a royal charter of George IV. in 1828. - -=King’s County.= In honour of Philip of Spain, the husband of Queen - Mary. The original name was Ossaly. - -=King’s Cross.= So called from a statue of George IV. set up here at the - accession of that monarch, and taken down in 1842 to make way for - the Great Northern Railway terminus. It is highly probable that an - ancient cross stood on the same spot, since, quite apart from the - fact that Queen Boadicea was defeated by the Romans at Battle Bridge - hereabouts, it was in this neighbourhood too that King Alfred waged - a sanguinary conflict with the Danes. - -=King’s Evil.= The name given to scrofula, from the old superstitious - idea that it could be cured by the touch of a king or queen. - -=Kingsgate Street.= So called from the gate through which James I. - passed across the meadows to Theobalds in Hertfordshire, his - favourite hunting seat. - -=King’s Head.= See “King’s Arms.” - -=Kingsland.= This district marked the southern limits of the ancient - royal domain of Enfield Chase. - -=King’s Lynn.= Anciently called “Lynn Episcopi,” being the property of - the Bishop of Norwich. At the dissolution of the monasteries Henry - VIII. sequestered this estate, and gave the town the name of Lynn - Regis, or King’s Lynn. The word _Lynn_ is Celtic for “pool.” - -=King’s Own Men.= The 78th Foot, so called from their Gaelic motto: - “Cuidichr Rhi” (Help the King). - -=King’s Road.= In compliment to Charles II., who caused this highway - between Chelsea and Fulham Palace to be made passable. - -=Kingston.= The capital of Jamaica, after William III., in whose reign - (1693) it was founded. - -=Kingston-on-Thames.= From the ancient stone on which seven of the - Anglo-Saxon kings were crowned. This interesting relic is now - enclosed with iron railings near the Town Hall. - -=Kingstown.= Originally “Dunleary,” the name was changed in honour of - the visit of George IV. in September 1821. - -=King Street.= That in Covent Garden, after Charles I., in whose reign - it was laid out. In St James’s, after James I. In Cheapside, in - honour of Henry IV., who passed down it to open the new Guildhall. - At Westminster, because this was the direct road between the Court - and the Abbey. - -=Kingsway.= The name given by the London County Council to the new - thoroughfare from Holborn to the Strand opened by King Edward VII. - in 1905. - -=King William Street.= In the city, after William IV., who performed the - inaugural ceremony of declaring the London Bridge open for traffic, - 1st August 1831. The street of the same name west of the Strand was - newly laid out in his reign as a direct thoroughfare to Leicester - Square. - -=Kirkcudbright.= Expresses the Celtic for “the Church of St Cuthbert.” - -=Kirkdale.= The church in the dale or vale of Pickering. - -=Kirke’s Lambs.= The nickname bestowed upon the 2nd Foot, under the - command of Captain Kirke, during the “Bloody Assizes,” and having - for their badge the Paschal Lamb. - -=Kirschwasser.= German for “Cherry Water,” this beverage being distilled - from the juice of the black cherry. - -=Kiss-me-Quick.= The name of a small bonnet popular in England midway - during the last century. Though of the “coal scuttle” pattern it did - not extend beyond the face, and was chiefly worn by ladies going to - parties or the play. - -=Kiss the Place and make it better.= The expression, commonly employed - by mothers and nurses to pacify children when they have hurt - themselves, is a survival of the days of the sorcerers, who - pretended to cure a disease by sucking the affected part. - -=Kiss the Scavenger’s Daughter.= See “Scavenger’s Daughter.” - -=Kit.= A soldier’s outfit, which he carries on his person when on the - march. The name is derived from the Dutch _kitte_, a wooden beer-can - strapped on the soldier’s belt. - -=Kit-Cat.= The name given by artists to a three-quarter length portrait, - and also to a canvas measuring 28 by 36 inches, in allusion to the - portraits of uniform size, and all painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller, - to suit the dimensions of the apartments occupied by the famous - Kit-Cat Club. This club was long held at the house of a pastrycook - called Christopher Cat in Shire Lane, Fleet Street (now Serle’s - Place), after whom, familiarly styled “Kit-Cat,” it took its name. - His own mutton pies were the staple refreshment, from which - circumstance such pies were until quite modern times also called - “Kit-Cats.” - -=Kleptomania.= The name given to an impulsive desire to steal or - appropriate that which is ready to hand; so called from the Greek - _kleptes_, thief, and _mania_, madness. - -=Knacker.= From the Icelandic _knakkr_, a saddle; hence a dealer in and - slaughterer of old horses. - -=Knapsack.= From the Dutch and German _knappen_, to bite or chew, and - _zak_, a sack. Like the original German and Dutch forms of this - receptacle for a soldier’s necessaries on the march, the Swiss still - carry a bag made of goatskin. - -=Knave.= From the German _knabe_, a boy. The tricks peculiar to a boy no - doubt caused this term to be applied to a deceitful or otherwise - reprehensible fellow. The knave in a pack of cards represents, of - course, the knight or servant to the king and queen. - -=Knife-board.= The advertisement-board on either side of an omnibus - roof, so called on account of its fancied resemblance to the - domestic knife-sharpener. On the old-fashioned omnibuses the roof - passengers sat back to back, with their feet touching the - “knife-board,” and it was facetiously said they thereon sharpened - their wits. - -=Knife and Fork Tea.= See “High Tea.” - -=Knight.= From the Saxon _knicht_, a servant, which is the origin also - of the modern German _knecht_, a man-servant. - -=Knight Bachelor.= One who in the days of chivalry forswore marriage - until he had performed some feat of valour, and so merited renown. - -=Knight Banneret.= A knight hastily created on the field of battle in - recognition of signal bravery. This was done by tearing off a - streamer from a banner and handing it to him as a token of - investiture. - -=Knight Errant.= One who went forth in quest of adventures, more - particularly to win the admiration of fair ladies, by rescuing them, - in common with the weak and oppressed, from the feudal lords whose - rapacity in those barbarous ages knew no bounds. The word _errant_, - like its modern equivalent _errand_, was derived from the Latin - _errare_, to wander. It was in ridicule of this system of - knight-errantry that Cervantes wrote his immortal romance “Don - Quixote.” - -=Knight of the Yard Stick.= An Americanism for a draper’s assistant or a - retail dry-goods salesman; what in England people often style a - “Counter Jumper.” - -=Knightrider Street.= The place of assembling of the knights of old on - their way in procession to the Smithfield tournaments. - -=Knightsbridge.= Tradition has it that two knights who went to receive a - blessing from the Bishop of London at Fulham Palace suddenly - quarrelled, and fought a deadly combat on the bridge which anciently - spanned the Westbourne where now stands Albert Gate. A public-house - close by, demolished within the last three years, bore the sign of - “The Fulham Bridge.” - -=Knights Hospitallers.= The Second Order of Knights of the Crusades, who - founded and protected the hospital at Jerusalem for the - accommodation of pilgrims to the Holy Places. When at a later period - they erected a larger hospital in connection with the church - dedicated to St John the Baptist, they assumed the title of “Knights - of St John of Jerusalem.” - -=Knights of Malta.= The Knights Hospitallers who, having taken Rhode - Island, were at length expelled therefrom by the Turks, and took up - their establishment permanently at Malta. - -=Knights of St John of Jerusalem.= See “Knights Hospitallers.” - -=Knights of the Road.= Highwaymen, who were always good horsemen. - -=Knights Templars.= The military Order of Knights of the Crusades, - styled “Soldiers of the Temple.” Their aim was to wrest the Holy - Sepulchre from the hands of the Saracens, and maintain it through - futurity. - -=Knights Teutonic.= An independent Order of Knights of the Crusades - composed of nobles from the cities of Bremen and Lubeck for the - protection of German pilgrims to the Holy Land. - -=Knickerbockers.= The people of the city of New York. When Washington - Irving wrote his “History of New York” he assumed the name of - Diedrich Knickerbocker, in allusion to the wide breeches worn by the - early settlers of the colony, then called by them New Amsterdam; - hence the application of the term “Knickerbockers” to knee-breeches - generally. New York is known as “The Knickerbocker City.” - -=Knocked into a Cocked Hat.= Prostrated or completely flattened out like - a cocked hat, which, as its name implies, could be cocked or carried - under the arm. - -=Know-nothings.= A secret society in the United States pledged to the - checking of foreign immigration and political influence by - foreigners which came into existence about the year 1848, and - finally split upon the slavery question in 1860. When asked what its - party or political aims were, all the members merely replied: “I - don’t know; I know nothing.” - -=Knows the Ropes.= Said of one who thoroughly understands his calling. A - naval phrase, since a sailor must know all the ropes belonging to - his ship. - -=K’nucks.= In Canada the name given to French Canadians; elsewhere to - Canadians generally. It has been stated on the authority of an - intelligent French Canadian, by way of accounting for the origin of - this term, that “the word ‘Cannuck’ is a corruption of ‘Connaught,’ - the name we usually apply to the Irish, who are mostly emigrants - from that province of Ireland.” - -=Kohinoor.= A famous diamond which came into the possession of Queen - Victoria on the annexation of the Punjaub in 1849. Its name - expresses the Hindoo for “Mountain of Light.” - -=Kolis.= The nickname of the 51st King’s Own Light Infantry, from the - initials of their regimental name. - -=Koordistan.= Pursuant to the Persian _stan_, the country of the Koords, - “fierce, strong.” - -=Kopeck.= A Russian copper coin of the value of three-eights of an - English penny. So called from _kopye_, the native term for a lance, - because this coin originally had upon it the representation of a - lancer on horseback. - -=Kops Ale.= A non-alcoholic ale brewed from the best Kentish hops, and - not to be distinguished by appearances from the intoxicant. The name - was chosen as a near approach to Hops Ale. - -=Koran.= Properly _Al Koran_, Arabic for “the book,” “the reading,” or - “the thing to be read.” - -=Koumiss.= A Mongolian term for an intoxicating beverage made by the - Kalmucks from camels’ or mares’ milk by fermentation and - distillation. “Koumiss” is the popular Russian beverage. - -=Kraal.= The Kaffir term for a collection of huts shaped like a beehive - and arranged in circular form, a native South African village. - -=Kremlin.= The citadel of Moscow, so called from the Russian _krem_, a - fortress. - -=Krems White.= A pigment extensively produced at Krems in Austria. - -=Kreuzer.= A copper coin of Germany conspicuous for a _kreuz_, or cross, - on its reverse side. Its value was the sixtieth part of a gulden or - florin. - -=Krupp Gun.= After its inventor, and made at the famous Krupp Steel - works at Essen in Germany. - -=Kümmel.= The German name for a beverage, expressive of “Carraway,” from - the seeds of which it is made. - -=Kummerbund.= A Hindoo term for waistband. It became current in England - two or three years ago during the excessively hot weather, when - waistcoats were discarded, and the trouser tops concealed by a - brilliant blue or scarlet sash. - -=Kurdistan.= See “Koordistan.” - -=Kursaal.= A place of entertainment at Southend-on-Sea. The name is - German, literally “Cure-hall,” expressive of the public - assembly-room at a “Kurhaus,” or hydropathic establishment, - corresponding to the pump-room at a west of England health resort. - -=Kyrle Society.= A modern society having for its aims the improvement of - the homes of the poorer orders. It originated with the Misses M. and - O. Hill in 1875, and was formally inaugurated by Prince Leopold a - couple of years later. The title of the society was derived from - John Kyrle of Ross, Herefordshire, whose artistic tastes and - benevolent disposition contributed to the happiness and well-being - of the people on his estate and all the country round about. - - - L - - -=Labadists.= A sect of Protestant mystics founded in the seventeenth - century by Jean Labadic of Bourg, Germany. - -=La Belle Sauvage Yard.= The yard of the famous coaching inn of the same - name. The history of this sign was curious. Kept by Isabelle Savage, - it bore the name of “The Bel Savage”; but its sign was a bell - suspended within an iron hoop at the top of the usual “Ale Stake.” - Hence its proper name was “The Bell in the Hoop.” When in the year - 1616 John Rolfe brought his Virginian bride Pocohontas to London, - the story of his remarkable adventures had anticipated his arrival, - and people spoke of this Indian heroine as “La Belle Sauvage.” It - was odd that these strangers within our gates should put up at the - “Bell Savage,” and the association resulted in the change of title - on their account. - -=Labrador.= Called by the Portuguese navigators _Tierra Labrador_, - “cultivatable land.” - -=Lackland.= The surname of King John, who, owing to his thriftlessness, - was left entirely without provision at the death of his father, - Henry II. - -=Laconics.= Terse and pithy replies, so called from the Lacons, which - was the name applied to the Spartans, from the country whence they - came. When Philip of Macedon sent this message to the Spartan - magistrates: “If I enter Laconia I will level Lacedæmon to the - ground,” the reply was briefly: “If.” - -=Lacrosse.= This name was given to the game by Charlevoix, who, seeing - it played by some Alonquin Indians with a stick between Quebec and - Three Rivers, called it _le jeu de la Crosse_. - -=Ladbroke Grove.= This, with the square of the same name, was built upon - by the Ladbroke family, who acquired the lease of the land for the - purpose. - -=Lad Lane.= A name frequently met with in connection with the old - coaching inn, “The Swan with Two Necks.” It was a corruption of “Our - Lady Lane,” so called from a statue of the Virgin. - -=Ladrones.= Expresses the Spanish for “thieves,” the name given to those - islands by Magellan because the natives made off with the stores he - had landed. - -=Ladybird.= A pretty species of beetle resembling a bug, and anciently - called “Our Lady’s Bug.” _Bug_ is the accepted American term for a - beetle. - -=Lady Day.= The Feast of Our Lady, otherwise of the Annunciation to the - Virgin (25th March). Prior to 1752 this was also the first day of - the New Year; now it figures as Quarter Day, when rents and taxes - have to be paid. - -=Lady Freemason.= The Hon. Elizabeth St Leger, niece of Sir Anthony St - Leger, who founded the stakes named after him at Doncaster Races, - and daughter of Lord Doneraile of Dublin. Chancing to overhear the - proceedings at a Lodge held at her father’s mansion she was - discovered, and, as the only way out of an unprecedented dilemma, - initiated to the craft. No other female has ever been made a - “Freemason.” - -=Lager Beer.= The German “lager bier” is simply stock beer, the liquor - being kept in a _lager_, or cellar, until it is sufficiently ripened - for consumption. All over the United States the demand for “Lager” - is enormous. - -=Laid on the Shelf.= A phrase implying that one’s period of usefulness - has been passed. The allusion is to books read and clothes laid - aside as of no further use. - -=Laid up in Lavender.= Something put away very carefully, as a good - housewife preserves linen strewn with lavender in a press against - moths. At times we hear the expression allusive to an article put in - pawn. - -=Lake Erie.= See “Erie.” - -=Lake Huron.= See “Huron.” - -=Lake Ontario.= See “Ontario.” - -=Lake School of Poets.= A term applied by _The Edinburgh Review_ to the - imitators of Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Southey, who communed with - Nature in the Lake District of Cumberland and Westmoreland. - -=Lake Superior.= The uppermost and principal of the five great lakes of - North America. - -=Lake Winnipeg.= See “Winnipeg.” - -=La Marseillaise.= See “Marseillaise.” - -=Lambeth.= A corruption of “Lamhithe,” the Anglo-Saxon for mud haven, or - a muddy landing-place. - -=Lambeth Palace.= The historic residence of the Archbishops of - Canterbury. - -=Lamb’s Conduit Street.= After William Lambe, a wealthy clothworker, who - at his own cost built “a faire conduit and standard” in the fields - here off Holborn in 1577. - -=Lamb’s Wool.= A rural beverage of roasted apple juice and spiced ale. - It received its name from the Saxon _La Mæs Ubhal_, or “Feast of the - Apple Gathering.” From _lammas ool_ its further corruption was easy. - -=Lame Duck.= The name given to a member of the Stock Exchange who cannot - meet his liabilities on settling day. Instead of walking erect, like - a man of strict integrity, he ducks his head, and waddles off, well - knowing that he has been black-boarded and struck off the list of - members. - -=Lammas Day.= The ancient name for the first of August, when every - parishioner brought to church a loaf made of new wheat. The name - expresses the Anglo-Saxon for “loaf mass,” and the bread was a gift - of first-fruits to the clergy. Its modern equivalent is the “Harvest - Festival.” - -=Lamp-black.= So called because this pigment was at first obtained by - burning resinous matter over the flame of a lamp. - -=Lancaster.= The Roman _Lunecastra_, or fortified camp on the Lune. - -=Lancaster Gun.= After the name of its inventor. - -=Lancastrians.= During the Wars of the Roses the partisans of the House - of Lancaster in the contest for the crown of England as opposed to - the House of York. - -=Lancers.= This dance received its name from a company of Lancers who - went through the evolutions of a quadrille on horseback about the - year 1836. - -=Landau.= After Landau in Germany, where it was first made. - -=Landes.= Expresses the French for heaths. The people of this marshy - and, in parts sandy, district walk on long stilts. - -=Landgrave.= The Anglicised form of the German _landgraf_, count, a - ground landlord. - -=Land o’ Cakes.= Scotland, which has always been celebrated for its - oatmeal cakes. - -=Land of Green Ginger.= A square at Hull where, as popularly thought, - green ginger was anciently landed from the river and sold in open - market. The name is, however, a corruption of “Greenhinger,” being - the land owned by Moses Greenhinger, a boat builder, who lived in - Whitefriargate in the seventeenth century. This is proved by a - letter of Sir Willoughby Hickman, a candidate for the borough in - 1685. Therein he states that a coach took him from the waterside to - the George Inn, “at the corner of the land of Moses Greenhinger.” - -=Land of Promise.= The name of a short street in Hoxton, so called, - sarcastically no doubt, because it leads to the workhouse. - -=Land of Steady Habits.= Connecticut, so called on account of the - excellent moral character of the people. - -=Land of Sundown Seas.= Alaska. “Sundown” is an Americanism for sunset, - just as “Sun-up” is for sunrise. - -=Land o’ the Leal.= The Scottish heaven, or “Dixie’s Land”; according to - the Baroness Nairne’s ballad the word _Leal_ means faithful. - -=Land of the Midnight Sun.= Norway. - -=Landscaper.= Local slang in the eastern counties for a tramp, vagrant, - or “Loafer.” - -=Land Shark.= The name given by sailors to a boarding-house keeper in a - seaport town who preys upon them by systematic overcharges. - -=Landwehr.= The German equivalent for our volunteers, or soldiers for - land defence. The term _wehr_ means bulwark, defence. - -=Lane.= Actors refer to the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, as “The Lane,” - the playhouse of London _par excellence_ since the palmy days of the - Drama. - -=Langbourn Ward.= From the long bourn or stream, of which now no trace - remains. - -=Langholm Place.= After the mansion and grounds of Sir James Langham, - which occupied what is now the street of the same name. - -=Laodicea.= This ancient city was so called after Laodice, the queen of - Antiochus Theos, who founded it. - -=Lap Dog.= One literally nursed in the lap of luxury. Mothers of - families are strangers to such pets. - -=Lapsus Linguæ.= Latin for “a slip of the tongue.” - -=Largess.= From the Latin _largitso_, to give freely, through the French - _largesse_. This word meant originally a fee or present bestowed - upon a butler or head servant by a departing guest. In its modern - acceptation it is a distribution of money amongst a number rather as - a matter of policy or necessity than from choice. - -=Lascar.= The generic name for an East Indian seaman, though it really - expresses the Persian for a soldier, from _lashkari_, a - camp-follower. Lascars were first employed by the East Indiamen - homeward bound. Nowadays all Asiatic sailors, of whatever - nationality, are called Lascars. - -=Lasso.= From the Spanish _lazo_, a noose. - -=Latakia.= A Turkish tobacco, so called from the place (the ancient - Laodicea) where it is produced. - -=Latch-string is always out.= An Americanism for a hearty welcome at all - times, without need for a formal invitation. The allusion to the - latch-string means: “You have only to walk in, like any member of - the family.” - -=Lath.= A subdivision of land while certain portions of Eastern England - were held by the Danes, so called from the Norse “Lathing,” a law - assembly. - -=Latins.= See “Italy.” - -=Latin Vulgate.= The Roman Catholic Bible authorised by the Council of - Trent in 1546. This translation of the Scriptures was made by St - Jerome from the Greek into the Latin or vulgar tongue A.D. 405. - -=Latitudinarians.= The opposers of the High Church party, and also of - the Puritans, during the Restoration period. Modern Latitudinarians - are those who hold very broad views in regard to orthodox doctrine. - -=Laugh and grow Fat.= In allusion to Democritus, “The Laughing - Philosopher,” who waxed fat, and lived to be 109 years old. - -=Laughing Philosopher.= Democritus of Abdera, from his habit of - humorously exposing the absurdities of his countrymen, whose - stupidity, he declared, was proverbial; the feeble powers of - mankind, contrasted with the forces of nature, likewise aroused his - contempt. - -=Laugh in your Sleeve.= Anciently the sleeves of all outer garments were - very wide, and when a person covered his face with his hand there - was always a suspicion that he was making merry at someone else’s - discomfiture. - -=Laugh on the wrong Side of your Face.= A person may preserve a grave - countenance while listening to a story, and at the same time wink - significantly to a bystander on the opposite side of the speaker. - The expression means that if, for his insolence, he received a - castigation, both his eyes would be made to wink or blink. - -=Laundress.= The exclusive designation of a housekeeper or caretaker of - bachelor chambers in the Temple. This is because during the Crusades - a great many women of the town followed in the train of the Knights - Templars to the Holy Land for the purpose of washing their linen. It - afterwards transpired that, as a rule, they acted also as mistresses - to the Knights, and had tents set apart for them even within sight - of Jerusalem. Historians tell us too that, though a religious Order, - the Templars did not scruple to introduce these women into their - London house after their return from the seat of warfare, and this - irregularity, in fact, led to their suppression by Edward II. in - 1313. - -=Laundried.= An Americanism for “washed,” in relation to household or - personal linen. This, when one comes to look into the word, is - correct English, meaning _lawn dried_. - -=Lavender.= From the Latin verb _lavare_, to wash, because this shrub - yields an essential oil employed in medicine and perfumery. - Laundresses also use it for preserving newly washed linen against - moths. - -=Lavender Water.= A scent produced from the essential oil of lavender, - spirits of wine, and ambergris. - -=Lawing.= An Americanism for “going to law.” - -=Lawless Parliament.= See “Parliament of Dunces.” - -=Lawn.= The finest linen, which has been bleached on a lawn instead of - the usual drying ground. The greensward called a lawn received its - name from the Celtic _allawnt_, a smooth, rising ground. - -=Lawrence Lane.= From the Church of St Lawrence, at its foot, in Gresham - Street. - -=Law Sakes.= An American corruption of the phrase “For the Lord’s sake!” - which, current among the Puritans of New England, found its way in - this new form into neighbouring states. - -=Laws, Laws-a-me.= A corruption of “Lord, have mercy on me.” - -=Lawyer.= From the old English _Lawwer_, literally “lawman”; the suffix - is allied to the Latin _vir_, man. - -=Lawyer’s Treat.= A phrase implying that each shall pay for his own - drinks. A lawyer never treats his clients at a refreshment bar; they - defray the cost between them. - -=Lay-by.= The name given to an article, generally clothing, purchased on - the weekly instalment system, and laid by on a shelf until the whole - amount has been paid off. - -=Lazar-house.= The old name for a poor-house, in allusion to Lazarus, - who picked up the crumbs under the table at the mansion of Dives. On - the Continent such an institution is styled a “Lazaretto.” - -=Lazarists.= An Order of missionaries founded by St Vincent de Paul, so - called from their headquarters in Paris, the Priory of St Lazare, - between 1632 and 1792. - -=Lazzaroni.= The beggars of Naples, and originally all the poorest - people of that city who had no regular habitation save the streets. - Their name was derived from the common refuge, the Hospital of St - Lazarus. - -=Leadenhall Street.= After the edifice known as the Leadenhall, the - first in London ever roofed with lead, built in 1419 by Sir Simon - Eyre, and presented to the city for the purposes of a granary in - time of scarcity. - -=Leading Article= (or =Leader=). There are three reasons for this term - applied to a large-type newspaper article. It is supposed to be - written by the chief of the literary staff, the editor; it leads off - the foreign and all other important news on the inside pages of the - paper; and it is intended to lead public opinion according to the - party views maintained by the journal in question. - -=League of the Cross.= The title of a modern crusade among the Roman - Catholics for the total suppression of drunkenness. - -=Leamington.= The town in the meadow on the banks of the Leam. - -=Leap Year.= That which every fourth year leaps to the total of 366 days - by adding a day to the month of February. - -=Leather Lane.= From “The Old Leather Bottle,” now modernised, at the - corner of this lane and Charles Street. - -=Leave some for Manners.= A dinner-table phrase, which had its origin in - the ancient custom of making an offering of a portion of the viands - to the gods. - -=Lebanon.= From the Hebrew _laban_, white; expresses “the white - mountain.” - -=Lee.= A variant of the Anglo-Saxon _lea_ and _ley_, “meadow” or - “pasture land.” This word enters into many river and place-names. - -=Leech.= The old name for a medical man in the days when bleeding the - patient, no matter what his ailment might be, was the common - practice. - -=L. E. L.= The literary pseudonym, formed from the initials of Letitia - Elizabeth Landon, the poetess. - -=Leg and Star.= A corruption of “The Star and Garter.” This, of course, - arose when a painted device, instead of a mere title, served as an - inn and tavern sign. - -=Legend.= An Americanism for a written or printed notice. The term has - latterly come into use in England relative to a tradesman’s shop - announcement. - -=Legitimate Drama.= That which is dependent upon its intrinsic literary - and constructive merits, quite apart from scenic effects. - -=Leg Stretcher.= A Far Western expression for a drink. This arose from - the common travellers’ exclamation while the stage coach was waiting - for the mails: “I’ll get off a bit, and stretch my legs.” - -=Leicester.= The _Leirecastra_ of the Romans, being the fortified camp - on the Leire, now called the Soar. - -=Leicester Square.= Originally Leicester Fields, from the town mansion - built on its east side by Robert Sidney, Earl of Leicester, in 1636. - -=Leipsic.= Expresses the Slavonic for linden or lime tree town, from - _lipa_, lime-tree. - -=Leman Street.= Properly “Lemon Street,” from a wharf at the Thames - side, where, before the construction of the docks, lemons were - landed and sold. - -=Lemon Sole.= The species of sole found on the south coast of England; - really a mud sole, from the Latin _lima_, mud. - -=Lent.= From the Anglo-Saxon _lencten_, the spring. The word has the - same origin as “lengthen,” since at this season of the year the - lengthening of the days becomes perceptible. - -=Lent Crocking.= A popular old-time diversion of the schoolboys on - Shrove Tuesday. The ringleader, having knocked at a house door and - recited a garbled set of verses, to the effect that he had come - _a-shroving_, his companions kept up an incessant din with old - saucepans and kettles until they were paid to go away. - -=Leonine Verses.= Those which rhyme both in the middle and at the end of - each line, so called after Leoninus, a canon of St Victor in Paris - midway in the twelfth century. - -=Let the Cat out of the Bag.= To disclose a trick unwittingly. The - illusion is to a very old device at country fairs of selling a cat - for a sucking pig. One pig only was exposed to view; all the others - were supposed to be ready tied up for carrying away. If, on - occasion, a purchaser insisted on untying the sack before paying for - it, the cat leapt out, and the fraud was discovered. As to the other - victims who had taken away theirs on trust, they were forced to - admit, because their sack contained no sucking pig, that they had - been “sucked in.” - -=Levant.= An Italian term for the Orient or East--_i.e._ all those parts - of the Mediterranean eastward of Italy. The word is also used in the - sense of to depart, and a defaulter was said to have _levanted_, or - gone to the Levant. This was in allusion to the “Grand Tour” which - all scions of the nobility were expected to make on reaching their - majority. - -=Levee.= A French word applied to a royal reception, from _lever_, - arising, because in former times such a function took place in the - King’s bed-chamber at the hour of rising. - -=Levellers.= The primitive Radicals or Socialists of the time of Charles - I. and long afterwards; their plea was that all men should be on a - common level in regard to office-seeking. Also the original name of - the “White Boys” in Ireland, who commenced their agrarian outrages - by levelling the hedges and fences on enclosed lands. - -=Leviticus.= That book of the Old Testament which sets forth the laws - pertaining to the priests or Levites, the descendants of Levi, the - third son of Jacob and Leah. - -=Lewisham.= From _Leesham_, the home or family settlement in the meadow. - See “Lee.” - -=Leyden.= Originally _Lugdunum_, the Latinised form of the Celtic - _llwch_, a morass, and _dun_, a hill, fortress. - -=Leyton.= The town in the lea or meadow. - -=Leytonstone.= A corruption of “Leytonstowe,” the stock or wooded place - in the vicinity of a meadow. - -=Lhassa.= A Tibetan word for “full of gods.” - -=Liberal.= The modern designation of the Progressive or “Whig” Party. - This arose out of Lord Byron’s political magazine, _The Liberal_, in - 1828, though the name was not formally assumed until the agitation - for the Reform Bill in 1831. - -=Liberator.= The surname of Simon Bolivar, who established the - independence of Peru. - -=Liberia.= An independent republic of free Negroes on the west coast of - Africa. The word is derived from the Latin _liber_, free, and the - Celtic suffix _ia_, country. - -=Library.= From the Latin _librarium_, a bookcase, through _liber_, a - book. - -=Lifting.= This technical term in the printing trade, because type is - lifted out of the columns prior to distribution, or, as may happen - in a newspaper, to be held over until the next issue for want of - space, has come to be applied by journalists to literary theft. - Facts, anecdotes, or jokes stolen from a contribution submitted to - an editor on approval are said to have been “lifted.” One newspaper, - too, often “lifts” matter from another without acknowledgment. - -=Light.= A journeyman printer’s term for “credit.” Derived from the old - saying: “He stands in a good light with his neighbours.” The boast: - “My light is good,” has about it little to find fault with. - -=Liguorians.= Another name for the Redemptorists or Preachers of the - Redemption, an Order founded by St Francis Liguori in 1732. - -=Like a Thousand of Brick.= An Americanism for very heavily, as if a - waggon-load of bricks had been dumped down on one. - -=Lille.= Properly _L’Isle_, the island. - -=Lima.= A Spanish corruption of the Peruvian Rima, the name of the river - on which it is situated. - -=Limavady.= From the Irish _Leim-a-madha_, “The Dog’s Leap.” - -=Limehouse.= A corruption of _Limehurst_, or wood of lime-trees. - -=Lime Street.= Where lime was sold in ancient times. - -=Limoges.= Anciently called “Lemovica,” from the _Lemovices_, the people - who settled in this portion of Gaul. - -=Lincoln.= Originally _Llyn-dun_, the Celtic for “Pool hill,” or the - town built on the eminence overlooking the Swanpool, which was not - drained until the eighteenth century. When the Romans established - themselves here they called it _Lindum Colonia_, or the colony - beside the pool. Of this name, therefore, Lincoln is a softened - abbreviation. - -=Lincoln College.= Founded at Oxford by Richard Fleming, Bishop of - Lincoln, in 1427. - -=Lincoln’s Inn.= Anciently the town mansion of the Earls of Lincoln, - built by Henry de Lacey, Earl of Lincoln, in the fourteenth century. - -=Line of Business.= A theatrical phrase for the special kind of parts in - which an actor is experienced. One who plays the “Juveniles” would - not be entrusted with an “Old Man’s” part, and so forth. - -=Liner.= A steamship belonging to a regular line or service of fast - sailers--_e.g._ the Cunard Line. - -=Lingo.= Slang for language, derived from the Latin _lingua_, the - tongue. - -=Lingua Franca.= A common language along the Mediterranean shores, being - a mixture of French and Italian. See “Lingo.” - -=Linoleum.= A floorcloth, into the manufacture of which linseed oil - enters largely. - -=Linseed Lancers.= The nickname of the Army Medical Corps. - -=Lion.= An ancient inn sign derived from the heraldic device of a - particular monarch, or it might be, the Lord of the Manor. According - to the colour of the animal in that device, so the name of the inn, - after a mere name was substituted for the painted representation, - came to be designated. Hence “Red Lion,” “Black Lion,” etc. - -=Lion and Key.= A corruption of “The Lion on the Quay,” by way of - distinguishing an inn or tavern from other Lions in the same - seaport. - -=Lion Comique.= The name bestowed upon George Leybourne and other - music-hall vocalists of his class in days when comic singing was - very different to what it is now. The modern type of vocal comedians - is, happily, not “lionised” in the strict sense of the word. - -=Lionise.= See “Lion of the Season.” - -=Lion of the Season.= A distinguished musical executant or other - celebrity, generally a foreigner, at whose shrine society - metaphorically worships while his fame is at its zenith. The - expression is the outcome of the anxiety of the country folk in - former days to see the “London Lion” at the Tower. Hence to - “lionise,” make the most of a “stranger within our gates.” - -=Lion Sermon.= This is delivered once a year at the Church of St - Katherine Cree in commemoration of Sir John Gayer’s miraculous - escape from death by a lion when he found himself separated from his - companions in the African desert. He bequeathed the sum of £200 a - year to the poor on condition of this sermon being annually - preached. - -=Lisbon.= Anciently _Olisipo_ or _Ulyssippo_, after Ulysses, who, - visiting Portugal with Lucus, is traditionally stated to have laid - the foundations of the city. - -=Lisson Grove.= Formerly Lidstone Green, a corruption of “Ossulton - Green,” the name of a Hundred cited in Domesday Book. Ossulton - Street in the Euston Road preserves the name in the original form. - -=Litany.= See “Rogation Days.” - -=Little Bit of All Right.= A popular expression meaning “Just the thing - I wanted,” or “It couldn’t have happened better.” - -=Little Britain.= From the ancient residence of the Dukes of Brittany. - -=Little Corporal.= The name bestowed upon Napoleon I., at the - commencement of his military career, from his rank and low stature. - -=Little John.= The real name of this Sherwood forester was John Little, - but Robin Hood playfully inverted it because its owner was a tall, - strapping fellow. - -=Little Man.= The affectionate sobriquet of the late Mr Alfred Beit, the - “Diamond King,” on account of his diminutive stature. - -=Little Mary.= A modern euphonism for the stomach, popularised by J. M. - Barrie’s successful comedy of this title. - -=Little too Thick.= The antithesis of a “thin” story; one so crowded - with extraordinary statements that it is hard to grasp or credit. - -=Little Turnstile.= The lesser turnstile on the north side of Lincoln’s - Inn Fields, set up to prevent sheep from straying into Holborn. - -=Live like Fighting Cocks.= From the days of the Greeks down to - comparatively modern times game-cocks were fed luxuriantly, so as to - increase their pugnacity; hence the application of the phrase to - good living. - -=Live Man.= An Americanism for an energetic agent or canvasser. - -=Liverpool.= From an extinct bird, somewhat resembling the heron, and - called the _liver_, that made the _pool_ on which this city was - built its home. - -=Liverpool Landseer.= The sobriquet of William Huggins, who acquired an - equal celebrity for animal painting in his native place, as Sir - Edwin Landseer in the country at large. - -=Liverpool Street.= After Lord Liverpool, one of the most popular - members of the Ministry at the accession of George IV. There is - another Liverpool Street named after him at King’s Cross. - -=Liverymen.= Freemen of the city of London who on great special - occasions wear the distinctive livery of the companies to which they - belong. - -=Llandaff.= Properly _Llan Taff_, the church on the Taff. - -=Lloyd’s.= After Edward Lloyd, a coffee-house keeper in Abchurch Lane, - whose premises were first used by merchants and shippers as a sort - of club. - -=LL Whisky.= That distilled by Messrs Kinahan of Dublin. When the Duke - of Richmond was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland between 1807 and 1813 he - in the former year sent to various distilleries for samples of good - whisky, and preferring that tendered by Messrs Kinahan, he ordered a - large vat of the same quality to be exclusively reserved for him. - This vat had LL painted on it, denoting “Lord-Lieutenant Whisky.” - -=Lo.= An American term for an Indian. This originated in Pope’s “Essay - on Man,” a couplet of which reads: - - “Lo, the poor Indian! whose untutored mind - Sees God in clouds or hears Him in the wind.” - -=Loaded.= An Americanism for intoxicated or “primed.” - -=Loafer.= This word is neither Dutch nor German, as generally stated; it - is distinctly Spanish-American. The early settlers of Mexico and - Texas gave the name of _gallofo_ to a vagrant, who, like the - _lazzaroni_ of Naples, hung about the churches begging for alms. - From the western states this word travelled to New York, and in the - process became changed into “Loafer.” - -=Loan.= An Americanism for “lend.” - -=Lock-out.= When artisans have struck for an advance of wages, and - afterwards decide to return to work on the former scale, the masters - retaliate by shutting them out of the works altogether and employing - fresh hands from elsewhere. - -=Lock, Stock, and Barrel.= A sportsman’s phrase for the whole of a - thing, in allusion to the three parts of a gun. In the modern sense - it is used to imply the complete discomfiture of an adversary in - argument or of one utterly outwitted in his schemes. - -=Loco-Focos.= The American term for lucifer matches. By a patent dated - 16th April 1834 John Marck, a storekeeper of Park Row, New York, - brought out a self-lighting or friction cigar, which he called a - Loco-Foco. The first portion of this name was taken from the newly - introduced locomotive, which people generally thought to mean - self-moving; the latter half was a euphonism of his own. When - friction or self-firing matches came in they received the same - designation. The Democratic Party of the United States received the - name of “Loco-Focos” from the circumstance that at a great general - meeting held in Tammany Hall to confirm the nomination of Gideon Lee - as the Democratic candidate for Congress, a tumult arose, and the - lights were turned out; whereupon the adherents of the candidate, - who had provided themselves with loco-focos and candles, relighted - the hall in a moment. - -=Loft.= An Americanism for storey. In the United States it is usual to - say a house contains so many “lofts” instead of storeys. - -=Logger.= One employed in the North American forests cutting down trees - and sawing them into logs. - -=Loggerhead.= A dull, stupid fellow with no more sense in his head than - a “logger” or lumberman. These loggers often quarrel for no visible - cause; hence the expression to be “at loggerheads.” - -=Log-rolling.= Primarily a political term descriptive of mutual - co-operation on the part of individuals for the furtherance of a - general cause. It means: “You help me and I’ll help you”; “If your - party further my Bill through Congress I’ll pledge my party to push - yours along too.” The expression obtains also in a social and - journalistic sense: “If I propose a testimonial for you I expect you - to do the same for me”; “I’ll write you up in the Press if you - engage to return the compliment.” For the origin of the term we must - look to the lumber regions of the state of Maine, where the loggers - of different camps assist one another by turns to roll their logs - down to the river. - -=Lollards.= Originally an association of pious people in Germany at the - commencement of the thirteenth century banded together for the - purpose of burying the dead. They were so called on account of the - solemn dirges they sang, from the Low German _lollen_, to sing - softly. After a time the same title was assumed by the followers of - one Walter Goilard, a dissolute priest, who was burned for heresy at - Cologne in 1322. The Wycliffites assumed this name still later, and - some of these it must have been who were imprisoned in the - “Lollards’ Tower,” Lambeth Palace. - -=Lombard Street.= From the Jews of Lombardy, who here set up banks and - money-lending establishments, at the instance of Pope Gregory IX., - as a means of assisting the people of England to raise money for the - payment of their taxes early in the thirteenth century. - -=Lombardy.= Called by the Romans _Longobardi_ after its people, whom - they subdued. This name was not derived from their long beards, as - generally stated, but from the _longis bardis_, or long battle-axes, - with which they were armed. - -=London.= This name claims the same origin as “Lincoln,” the first rude - habitations beside the Thames being situated on the rising ground - now known as Tower Hill. - -=London Bridge was built on Woolpacks.= This expression had its origin - in the fact that, when the construction of Old London Bridge was - stopped for want of funds, Henry II. expedited its completion by - imposing a tax upon wool. - -=Londonderry.= The town built by a company of London adventurers, to - whom it, with the county of the same name, was granted by a royal - charter of James I. _Derry_ is Celtic for a grove or oak forest. - -=London Lion.= An expression derived from the Royal Menagerie at the - Tower of London ere the metropolis rejoiced in a Zoological Gardens, - and when travelling menageries were unheard of. Country visitors up - in town for a few days never failed at that period to feast their - eyes upon a real live lion, and on returning to their homes boasted - of having seen the London Lion. - -=London Stone.= Marked the centre of Roman London, from which all the - great roads through the country radiated. - -=London Wall.= From the Roman wall which here defined the northern - limits of the city. A portion of this old wall may yet be seen in - Cripplegate Churchyard. - -=Lone Star State.= Texas, from the single star in her flag. - -=Long Acre.= The Anglo-Saxon _acer_, like the modern German _acker_, - expresses a field. This was anciently a path across the fields - between Lincoln’s Inn and “Lomesbury Village,” or the manor now - known as Bloomsbury in the parish of St Giles’s-in-the-Fields. - -=Long Friday.= The old name for Good Friday, both on account of the - length of the Church service and the long fast imposed on all good - Catholics. - -=Longford.= The long ford on the River Camlin. - -=Long Island.= So called from its shape. - -=Long Lane.= This was a long, narrow lane extending from Barbican to - Farringdon Road before the greater portion of its one side was - cleared for the Smithfield Market. - -=Long Lane that has no Turning.= An expression meaning that sooner or - later a turn of fortune must come, since no lane, however long, - exists that has no turning. - -=Long Peter.= This name was merited by the celebrated Flemish painter, - Peter Aartsen, by reason of his abnormal stature. - -=Long Parliament.= That which was dissolved by Oliver Cromwell after it - had lasted more than twelve years. - -=Longshanks.= The surname of Edward I. on account of his spindle legs. - -=Longshoreman.= Properly “Along-shoreman”--namely, a wharfinger, or one - employed in loading and unloading vessels. - -=Look Daggers.= A phrase used when two persons look fixedly at each - other as if their eyes were dagger points ready to make a fatal - thrust. - -=Loosen your Purse Strings.= See “Purse Strings.” - -=Lord Bobs.= The later nickname of Lord Roberts since the close of the - South African War. - -=Lord’s Cricket Ground.= After Thomas Lord, the founder of the earliest - private Cricket Club in London, in 1780. First in Dorset Square, and - eventually on its present site--his own landed property--he set up a - private pitch for genteel folk far from the haunts of the city - apprentices and other enthusiasts of the game. - -=Lord’s Day.= The name given to Sunday by the Quakers. - -=Lordship Lane.= From the Lord of the Manor of Dulwich. - -=Loretto.= Called by the Romans _Lauretana_ after Laureta, the lady to - whom the country villa, and a large tract of land on which the town - was afterwards built, belonged. - -=Lorraine.= Anciently Lotharingia, the duchy of Lotharius II., grandson - of the Emperor Lewis I. - -=Los Angeles.= Originally called by the Spaniards “Pueblo de los - Angeles,” the city of the angels, on account of its delightful - situation and climate. - -=Lo Spagnoletto.= The surname of Guiseppe Ribera, the celebrated Spanish - painter. It means “Little Spaniard.” - -=Lothbury.= A corruption of “Lattenbury,” where the workers in _latten_ - ware, a species of bronze, had their shops in the Middle Ages. In - the modern sense latten is a kind of sheet brass. - -=Loudoun Road.= After the name of the builder on the estate. - -=Louis d’Or.= A gold coin first struck in the reign of Louis XIII. of - France. The name means a “Louis of gold.” - -=Louisiana.= The name bestowed upon this State by M. de la Sale in 1682 - in compliment to Louis XIV. of France. - -=Louvre.= An adapted French word, from _l’ouvert_, “the opening,” which - expressed a kind of turret on the roof of a building by way of a - chimney to let out the smoke. A rude contrivance of this kind - distinguished the ancient hunting seat of Dagobert, on the site of - which Francis I. commenced the famous Parisian palace of this name - in 1528, completed twenty years later by Henry II. A _louvre_ window - partakes of the same character. - -=Lower Berkeley Street.= See “Berkeley Street.” - -=Lower Thames Street.= The eastern portion of Thames Street, from London - Bridge to the Tower. - -=Lowndes Square.= After the ground landlord, lineally descended from - William Loundes, secretary to the Treasury, _temp._ Queen Anne. - -=Low Sunday.= Not only was this Sunday at the bottom of the Lenten or - Easter Calendar, but prior to the alteration of New Year’s Day it - was frequently also the last Sunday of the year. - -=Luciferians.= A sect of Christians in the fourth century, under - Lucifer, Bishop of Cagliari in Sardinia, who separated from the - Orthodox Church on the ground that the reconverted “Arians” should - not again be admitted to the fold. - -=Lucifer Matches.= Early friction matches, so called from the Latin - _lucis_, light, and _ferre_, to bring. - -=Lucullus Feast.= A sumptuous banquet, so called after Licinius - Lucullus, a famous Roman general, who in the days of his retirement - was no less distinguished for the costly suppers he gave to the - greatest men of the Empire. The sums expended on those - entertainments were enormous. As an epicure he was unrivalled; he - could also be a glutton on occasion. There is a story told that - after the feast had been prepared no guests arrived. “Lucullus will - sup to-night with Lucullus” was the explanation of the host. - -=Lud-a-massy.= A corruption of the old exclamation “Lord, have mercy!” - -=Luddites.= A name borne by the wilful destroyers of machinery in the - manufacturing districts; said to have been adopted from Ned Lud, an - imbecile of Leicester, who being, chased by boys, took refuge in a - house, and there broke a couple of stocking frames. These rioters - caused great havoc during the second decade of the last century. - -=Ludgate Hill.= The testimony of Old Stow notwithstanding, there is - grave doubt whether King Lud, the reputed builder of the western - gate of the city, ever existed. In much greater likelihood this gate - received its name from its situation near the River Fleet, and meant - simply _Flood Gate_. See “Fleet Street.” - -=Lug.= Northern and Scottish for “ear.” In England generally this word - is regarded as slang except when employed in connection with - “Lugger” and “Luggage.” - -=Luggage.= So called because it is lugged about in transit by the - handles, as a Lancashire man would pull another by the _lug_ or ear. - -=Lugger.= A small craft having _lugs_, or drooping sails, like a dog’s - ear. - -=Lumber.= An Americanism for timber sawn into logs and sent floating - down the rivers for eventual shipment. - -=Lumber-room.= One set apart for odds and ends of no practical utility. - The name is derived from “Lombard Room,” in which the Lombards, who - were the first goldsmiths and money-lenders in England, stored the - articles pledged with them. - -=Lunatic.= From the Latin _luna_, the moon. The Romans persistently - cherished the idea that a person’s mind was affected at the several - changes of the moon. - -=Lupercalia.= A Roman festival in honour of _Lupercus_, the god of - fertility. This occurred on the 15th of February. - -=Lupus Street.= This keeps alive the name of Henry Lupus, first Earl of - Chester, from whom the Grosvenors, the ground landlords, are - descended. - -=Lurid Waistcoat Banquet.= The latest style of “Freak Dinner” in - America, each guest disporting himself in a waistcoat of startling - hue and design. - -=Lutherans.= After Martin Luther, the German Reformer. - -=Luxembourg.= This celebrated palace of the French capital stands on the - site of that purchased and enlarged in 1583 by the Duke of d’Epinay, - Luxembourg. The title of the Dukes of Luxembourg is very ancient, - having been derived from a beautiful chateau called _Luici burgum_, - which was acquired by Siegfried, Count of Ardennes, in 963. - -=Lyceum Theatre.= Opened in 1834 as the English Opera House. This was - originally a lyceum or academical establishment connected with the - Society of Arts. The word _Lyceum_ was correctly applied in this - case from the academy formed by Aristotle in the temple of Apollo - Lyceus, near the River Illissus. - -=Lych-Gate.= A large gateway at the entrance to the churchyard where the - coffin can be set down while the mourners await the arrival of the - clergyman to lead the funeral service. The word comes from the - Gothic _leik_, and German _leiche_, a corpse. - -=Lyddite.= So called because experiments with this explosive were first - made at Lydd in Kent. - -=Lying around Loose.= An Americanism for being out of a situation, - lounging about the town. - -=Lyme Regis.= This little Dorsetshire seaport on the River Lym was - honoured with a royal charter and the title of _Regis_ because it - furnished Edward III. with three ships to aid in the siege of Calais - in 1346. - -=Lynch Law.= The summary justice meted out to public offenders in the - western states of North America. This term was derived from James - Lynch, a farmer of Piedmont on the western frontier of Virginia. - There being no Court of Law for many miles around he was always - appealed to in cases requiring a legal decision, and his judgments - were so sound and impartial that the people gave him the name of - Judge Lynch. The death sentence was by hanging at the nearest tree. - To “lynch a man,” however, in the modern sense is to dispense with - legal formalities altogether. - -=Lynn Regis.= See “King’s Lynn.” - -=Lyon King at Arms.= The principal at Heralds’ College in Scotland, so - called from the lion rampant on the armorial bearings of the - Scottish kings. - -=Lyre Bird.= So called from the resemblance of the sixteen feathers of - its tail when spread erect to a lyre. - - - M - - -=Ma’am.= An Americanism for mother. See “Madam.” - -=Ma’am School.= The American term for a young ladies’ seminary, or an - infants’ school kept by a woman. - -=Macadamised Road.= This system of road-making by means of broken stones - pressed down by a heavy roller was introduced by John Loudon - Macadam, a Scotsman, appointed Surveyor of Public Roads in 1827. - -=Macaroni.= From the Italian _macare_, to crush, to bruise, through - _Macarone_, a mixture, a medley. This confection originally - consisted of cheese and bread paste squeezed into balls. - -=Macaronies.= Fashionable dandies first heard of in London after the - accession of George III. Their leaders hailed from France and Italy, - where Macaroni Clubs abounded. These clubs arose out of Dilettante - Societies, formed for the cultivation of what was styled Macaronic - Verse, after a poetical rhapsody entitled “Liber Macaronicorum,” a - jumble of Latin and other languages published by a monk of Mantua in - 1520. Subsequently everything in dress or taste received the name of - Macaroni. - -=Macaroon.= A biscuit the name of which has the same etymology as - “Macaroni.” - -=Macassar Oil.= So called because it was first exported from Macassar, - the Dutch capital of Celebes Island. - -=Macclesfield Street.= After the Earl of Macclesfield, the landlord of - the estate when it was laid out in 1697. - -=Macedonians.= A fourth century sect of Christians founded by - Macedonius, Patriarch of Constantinople. - -=Machinaw.= A heavy blanket worn by Indians, and also nowadays in the - western states used as a travelling rug and bed pallet. The term is - derived from Machinac (pronounced _Machinaw_), the chief trading - station with the Indians formerly. Western settlers also describe an - overcoat as a Machinaw. - -=Machine.= A bicycle is called a machine because it is a more or less - complicated piece of mechanism made up of many parts. In the United - States the term machine is applied both to a locomotive and a fire - engine. - -=Mackenzie River.= After Alexander Mackenzie, by whom it was first - navigated in 1789. - -=Mackerel.= From the Danish _mackreel_, “spots.” - -=Mackintosh.= After the Scotsman who invented water-proofing material - for over-garments. - -=Macklin Street.= After Charles Macklin, the celebrated actor of Drury - Lane Theatre. His name was really Maclaughlin shortened into - Macklin. - -=Macmillanites.= An offshoot of the Presbyterians under John Macmillan; - also styled the “Reformed Presbytery.” - -=Madagascar.= A corruption of the native name _Malagasay_, the island of - the Malagese or Malays. - -=Madam.= In New England the term applied to the deceased wife of a - person of local distinction, such as the parson, doctor, etc. In the - southern states it expresses the mistress or master’s wife - universally among the Negroes. Elsewhere it is either _Madam_ or - _Ma’am_ for a mother. - -=Mad Cavalier.= Prince Rupert, so called on account of his rash courage - and lack of self-control. - -=Mad Dog.= A skull cap, from the old idea that keeping the head - impervious to air was a remedy against the bite of a dog. - -=Mad Poet.= Nathaniel Lee, who wrote some of his finest pieces while - confined during four years at Bethlehem Hospital. - -=Mad as a Hatter.= A corruption of “Mad as an atter.” _Atter_ expressed - the Saxon for a viper or adder. The word “Mad” was anciently used in - the sense of venomous; hence this expression really meant “venomous - as a viper.” - -=Mad as a March Hare.= Being their rutting season, hares are very wild - in March. - -=Made a bad Break.= An Americanism for having made a silly slip of the - tongue, a sad mistake, or a great blunder. The expression is, of - course, derived from a game of billiards. - -=Made his Pile.= Although a Californian phrase for having amassed a - fortune, this originated at the gaming-tables throughout the States - generally. - -=Madeira.= Expresses the Portuguese for “timber.” This island was at the - time of its discovery covered with forests. Also the name of a rich - wine imported therefrom. - -=Madeleine.= The church at Paris dedicated to Mary Magdalen or Mary of - Magdala. - -=Maddox Street.= After the name of the builder upon the land in 1720. - -=Madras.= From the Arabic _Madrasa_, “university.” Originally Madrasa - Pattan, the name expressed “University town.” _Pattan_ is Sanscrit - for town. - -=Madrid.= In the tenth century this was simply a Moorish fortified - outpost of Toledo, as expressed by its Arabic name, _Majerit_. - -=Maelstrom.= Expresses the Norwegian for an eddy or whirlpool; literally - “whirling stream.” - -=Maffiking.= A word used to denote the madness which may seize upon an - entire community on an occasion of great public rejoicing, as - happened when news of the relief of Mafeking, during the South - African War, reached England. Staid citizens--bankers, stockbrokers, - and others--assembled in front of the Mansion House, cheering - wildly, and losing all control over themselves to such a degree that - they threw their hats high in the air. For the remainder of that day - and far into the night all London went mad with joy. - -=Magazine.= From the Arabic _Makhzan_, a depository for stores. In a - literary sense this originally expressed a periodical whose contents - were made up of elegant extracts from the best authors. - -=Magdalen Hospital.= The old name of a penitentiary for fallen women, so - called after Mary Magdalen. The French form of this name is - Madeleine. - -=Magdalen Smith.= The famous Dutch portrait painter, Gaspar Smitz, is - usually known by this name on account of his many “Magdalens,” in - which he excelled. - -=Magdeburg.= German for “town on the plain.” - -=Magenta.= This colour was so called because first produced after the - battle of Magenta in 1859. - -=Magic City of the South.= Birmingham in the state of Alabama. Since its - foundation by the Elyton Land Company in 1871 it has bidden fair to - rival Pittsburg as the Birmingham of America. - -=Magnolia.= In honour of the eminent French botanist, Pierre Magnol. - -=Mahala.= The Californian term for an Indian squaw, derived from the - Spanish _muger_ (pronounced _muher_), a woman. - -=Mahatma.= A Hindoo term for a Buddhist gifted with what appear to be - supernatural powers, as the result of the very highest intellectual - development. - -=Mahogany.= A vulgar term very frequently heard in the Midland counties - for a man’s wife. This arose from the fact that the wood of the - Mahogany-tree (West Indian _Mahogan_, but botanically _Swietenia - Mahogani_) was for many years at first used exclusively for the - manufacture of domestic dining-tables; hence a man would say: “I’ll - discuss it with my wife over the Mahogany.” Eventually the phrase - was corrupted into “I’ll talk to the Mahogany about it,” and so the - term came to denote the man’s wife. - -=Mahrattas.= The Hindoo term for “outcasts.” Although devout worshippers - of Buddha, this powerful Hindoo family does not recognise that fine - distinction of caste which obtains elsewhere. - -=Maida Vale.= After the victory of Maida, 4th July 1806. - -=Maiden.= An ancient instrument of capital punishment made in the form - of a woman, the front of which opened like a door, and, the victim - being imprisoned, sharp steel spikes pierced his body on every side. - This name was also given to an early species of guillotine in - Scotland. To be executed by its means was to “Kiss the Maiden,” - because she clasped him in a death embrace. - -=Maidenland.= A Virginian term for the land which comes to a man by - marriage on his wife’s side, and which passes from him at her - decease. - -=Maiden Assize.= So called when there are no charges for the jury, which - in the event of conviction merit capital punishment or the death - sentence. On such an occasion the sheriffs present a pair of white - gloves to the judges as the emblems of innocence. - -=Maiden Lane.= Anciently skirting the garden of the Convent. This - thoroughfare had at its western corner a statue of “Our Lady” let - into the wall. - -=Maid Marian.= So far from having any connection with Robin Hood and his - merry men in Sherwood Forest, this term is derived from the “Morris - Dance,” in which five men and a boy took part. On account of his - antics and the ill-fitting _morione_, or helmet, that this boy wore, - he came to be styled as the “Mad Morion,” of which Maid Marian was - an easy corruption. - -=Maid of Orleans.= Joan of Arc, who led her countrymen against the - English, and effected the capture of the city of Orleans, 29th April - 1429. - -=Maid of Saragossa.= Augustina Zaragossa, who distinguished herself in - the heroic defence of the city of Saragossa during its eight months’ - siege by the French in 1808-9. - -=Maidstone.= From the Anglo-Saxon _Medwægeston_, the town on the - _Medwæge_, or Medway, which river runs through the middle of the - county of Kent. - -=Mail.= The American term for “post”--_i.e._ a letter. This word is, of - course, derived from the mail bag in which letters are transmitted. - -=Mail Stage.= The American form of “Stage-coach.” - -=Maine.= The name given to the French settlement in the New World after - the city so called in the Mother Country. Maine, from the Celtic - _man_, expresses a district or region. - -=Majorca.= Expresses the Latin for Greater, relative to the “Balearic - Islands.” - -=Make Bricks without Straw.= To make something without the needful - materials. In the East bricks are made out of straw and mud dried in - the sun. The expression comes from the burdens laid upon the - Israelites in Egypt as related in Exodus v.: “Go therefore now, and - work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver - the tale of bricks.” - -=Make Money out of a Shoe-string.= An Americanism for a capacity to make - money out of nothing--that is, without working capital. - -=Make the Raise.= An Americanism for to “raise the loan.” - -=Make the Sneak.= An Americanism for to sneak or run away. - -=Make Tracks.= Originally a Far West expression when a squatter deserted - his claim and set out to explore an unknown region. - -=Make Trade hum.= An Americanism for whipping up business by advertising - or extraordinary energy. - -=Malaga.= From the Phœnician _malaca_, salt. The wine of the same - name is imported from this city of Spain. - -=Malmsey.= Wine from Malvasia, an island in the Mediterranean - historically famous for its vineyards. - -=Malta.= From the Phœnician _Melita_, “a place of refuge.” - -=Mamelukes.= From the Arabic _mamluc_, a slave. The original standing - army of Egypt, composed of boy slaves purchased by the Sultan from - the Tartar Khan in the Caucasus in the thirteenth century. - -=Mamma.= Latin for “breast”; hence all animals that are suckled by the - mother belong to the class of “Mammals.” - -=Mammon.= From the Syriac _mamona_, “riches.” - -=Manchester.= Expresses the Anglo-Saxon for a common on the site of a - Roman camp. The Friesic _man_ in this sense enters into many place - names also on the Continent. - -=Manchester Square.= After the Duke of Manchester, the owner of the - estate. - -=Manchuria.= The territory of the Manchus, the founders of the present - ruling dynasty of China. - -=Mandarin.= Although this title is borne by officers of every grade in - China the word is really Portuguese, _mandar_, to command. It was - applied by the early settlers of Macao to the Chinese officials of - that colony, and has remained a European designation for a Chinaman - of rank ever since. - -=Manhattan.= From the Indian _munnohatan_, “the town on the island.” - -=Manicure.= The American mode of “Manicurist,” which, from the Latin - _manus_, hand, literally means one who undertakes the care of the - finger-nails. - -=Manitoba.= After _Manitou_, the “Great Spirit” of the Alonquin Indians. - This name is pronounced Manito_bar_ not Mani_to_bar. - -=Man in the Street.= A metaphorical expression for the average man, with - no more than a superficial knowledge of matters in general. Not - belonging to a club, he has small means of adding to his own store - of knowledge by daily communion with those better informed than - himself. - -=Manlius Torquatus.= The Roman Consul Manlius received his surname - “Torquatus” through having wrested the golden torque or collar from - his adversary on the field of war. - -=Mannheim.= German for “the home of men.” Until the Elector Palatine - Frederick IV. built a castle here, and a town grew up around it in - the seventeenth century, this was a village of refugees from - religious persecution in the Netherlands. - -=Man of Kent.= A native of the county of Kent east of the Medway. - -=Man of Ross.= The name given by Pope to John Kyrle of Ross, - Herefordshire. See “Kyrle Society.” - -=Man of Straw.= One who, having nothing to lose, descends to mean - practices for gain, well knowing that his victims rarely go to the - expense of entering a prosecution against him, since they cannot - obtain damages. This term was derived from the hangers-on at the - Westminster Law Courts, who were ready to swear anything at the - instruction of counsel for a bribe. They were known by displaying a - wisp of straw in their shoes. If another witness was required while - a case was being heard, counsel generally sent out to look for “a - pair of straw shoes.” - -=Man-of-War.= This term is a popular abbreviation of man-of-war - ship--_i.e._ the floating home of a man-of-war’s-man. Our national - prestige has from time immemorial been dependent on the supremacy of - the seas, therefore an English sailor, more than a soldier, was - regarded by our ancestors as a fighting man. Since the introduction - of ironclads, however, it has become the custom to speak of a - floating battery as a war vessel or battleship, and a sailor as a - bluejacket. - -=Mansard Roof.= After its inventor, François Mansard, the French - architect of the seventeenth century. - -=Mansfield Street.= From the town mansion of the Earls of Mansfield, - which stood here. - -=Mansion House.= Expresses the “house of houses,” the official residence - of the Lord Mayor of London, the representative in the city of the - King, whose flag proudly waves in the breeze from the roof. - -=Mantua.= A lady’s cloak or mantle, originally introduced from the - Italian city of this name. - -=Maoris.= The aborigines of New Zealand. In the native tongue this means - “indigenous.” - -=Maraboo Feathers.= Those plucked from the underside of the wings of the - stork of the same name. The stork being held sacred by the - Mohammedans, as it was by the ancient Egyptians, its name has the - same meaning as that of the “Marabuts.” - -=Marabuts.= The priestly order of the Arabs in North Africa; those who - attend the mosques and call the people to prayers. Their name is - derived from the Arabic _Marabath_, sacred or devoted to God. - -=Maraschino.= A liqueur distilled from delicate and finely flavoured - cherries, called _Marazques_, cultivated at Zara in Dalmatia. - -=March.= In honour of Mars, the Roman god of war. - -=Marconigram.= A wireless telegram, so called after Marconi, the - inventor of the system. - -=Margate.= From the Anglo-Saxon _Mære_, the sea; expresses the road or - entrance to the Thames estuary from the sea. See “Gate.” - -=Margaret Street.= After Lady Margaret Cavendish, wife of the second - Duke of Portland, landlord of the estate. - -=Marigold.= This, golden flower, indigenous to Mexico, was dedicated by - the Spaniards to the Virgin. What are called “Marigold Windows,” - having these flowers represented on them, appear in Lady Chapels. - -=Marine Store Dealer.= The legal description of what is now a rag and - bone merchant in a small way, because at one time old ships’ iron - and cables were not allowed to be disposed of in any other manner - save to such a registered dealer. - -=Market Street.= The site of an ancient market on which at a later - period the annual May Fair was held. This district is now one of the - most fashionable in the West End of London. - -=Mark Lane.= A corruption of “Mart Lane,” in which an ancient annual - fair or mart of Flemish merchants was held. - -=Mark Twain.= The literary pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, - reminiscent of his early life as a pilot on a Mississippi steamboat. - “Mark Twain” in nautical phraseology means “mark two fathoms of - water.” - -=Marlborough House.= This, the residence of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, - was built by Sir Christopher Wren for John Churchill, Duke of - Marlborough, in 1709 at a total cost of a million of money. - -=Marlborough Road.= This, like the square of the same name off the - Fulham Road, was so called after the “Duke of Marlborough” at one - end of it. At Peckham, after the one-time residence of John - Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, before he removed to Pall Mall. - -=Maroons.= Revolted Negroes in South America and the West Indies. The - term was derived from the Morony River, between Dutch and French - Guiana, where great numbers of these fugitives found a place of - safety. - -=Marquee.= Originally the tent of a marchioness. - -=Marquis.= From the Italian and French _Marchese_, pursuant to the root - _mark_, a boundary. Anciently expressive of an officer who had the - guardianship of the marches or boundaries of a duchy. At a later - period the owner of a slice of land bestowed upon him out of a - duchy. Nowadays the title next below that of duke. - -=Marquis of Granby.= A tavern sign in honour of John Manners, the - British general during the Seven Years’ War in Germany, a soldier - beloved by his men and esteemed by his country. - -=Marry.= A perverted form of the oath “By Mary” in days when people were - wont to swear by the Virgin. - -=Marsala.= A light wine exported from Marsala in Sicily. This name was - bestowed upon the town by the Arabs, _Marsa Alla_, “Port of God,” on - account of its delightful situation. - -=Marseillaise.= This was the composition of Rouget de Lisle, an - artillery officer stationed with the French garrison at Strasburg. - First sung at a banquet given by the mayor of that city, it became - immensely popular; and when in 1792 the Marseilles volunteers were - summoned to Paris, they sang it as they approached and entered the - capital. The words and music at once struck the popular ear, so that - “La Marseillaise” became the national war song. - -=Marshal.= From the Teutonic _mare_, horse, and _schalk_, servant. This - term, through the French _maréchal_, originally signified the groom - of the horse; now it means in a civil sense the master of the horse - and head of the ceremonies in devising pageants and processions. The - Duke of Norfolk, as Earl Marshal of England, takes precedence over - all other noblemen. - -=Marshal Forward.= General Blucher, on account of his eagerness to make - a dash in the campaign which terminated in the victory of Waterloo. - -=Marshalsea.= The old Debtors’ Prison in Southwark, so called because - the Court of the Knight Marshal, for the settlement of disputes - between members of the Royal Household, was held within its walls. - This edifice was demolished in 1842. - -=Marsham Street.= From the ground landlord, Charles Marsham, Earl of - Romney. - -=Martel.= The surname of Charles, the son of Pepin d’Heristal, who - signalised himself in battle against the Saracens when, according to - the chronicler, “he knocked down the foe and crushed them between - his axe, as a martel or hammer crushes what it strikes.” This - exploit occurred during the attempted Saracenic invasion of France - A.D. 732. - -=Martello Tower.= Originally built near the sea as a watch-tower for - protection of merchandise against pirates. The term arose from the - custom of the sentry striking a bell with a _martel_, or hammer, as - often as he discerned a pirate ship out at sea. - -=Martin.= The common wall-swallow, corrupted from its Latin name - _Murten_, from _murus_, a wall. - -=Martinet.= From the name of a strict officer under Louis XIV. of - France; hence the phrase “a regular martinet.” - -=Martin’s Lane.= From St Martin’s Church in this lane. - -=Martlemas.= A corruption of “Martinmas,” or Feast of St Martin, 4th - November, the usual time for the hiring of servants in the rural - districts of England. - -=Maryland.= The name given by Lord Baltimore to the colony founded by - him, in honour of Henrietta Maria, queen of Charles I. - -=Maryland End.= An Americanism for the hock of the ham, as distinguished - from the other, the “Virginia End.” - -=Marylebone.= A corruption of “St Mary of the Bourn”--_i.e._ the parish - church of St Mary beside the bourn or stream which descended from - near the hermitage at “Kilburn” to “Tyburn.” - -=Masaniello.= The name of the leader of the Neapolitan insurrectionists - of the seventeenth century was Tommaso Aniello, of which - _Masaniello_ is a corruption. - -=Masher.= From the Romany or gipsy _Masha_, “to fascinate the eye.” - Whether the overdressed fop, so designated in our day, really - possessed this enviable quality is open to question. - -=Mason and Dixon’s Line.= An American expression for the old-time - boundary between the slave and the free states. This line was - defended between Pennsylvania and Maryland and Virginia by two - English surveyors, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, in 1763-7. - -=Massage.= A Frenchised Hindoo word for rubbing. A male and female - practitioner of this new curative mode of friction treatment are - respectively styled a masseur and masseuse. - -=Mattan Diamond.= This, the largest in the world, weighing 367 carats, - is the property of the Rajah of Mattan in India. - -=Maudlin.= A word expressive of sentimentality or an inclination to shed - tears, more especially when in a state of intoxication. Old painters - always represented Mary Magdalen with swollen eyes, the result of - penitential tears; hence a corruption of “Magdalen.” - -=Maund.= The Saxon for an alms-basket employed in the distribution of - bread to the poor by the Lady of the Manor. - -=Maundy Thursday.= So called from _Maundé_, the French form of - _Mandatum_, the first word in the New Commandment or mandate given - by our Lord to His disciples after washing their feet at the Last - Supper. The essence of this mandate was to love one another; hence - the washing of feet of poor persons and distribution of doles by the - reigning sovereign on this day. See “Maund.” - -=Mauritius.= A Dutch colony named in honour of Maurice, Prince of - Orange. - -=Mausoleum.= After the magnificent sepulchral monument erected by his - widow, Artemisia, to Mausolus, King of Caria, at Halicarnassus, 353 - B.C. - -=May.= The budding or shooting of plants in this month caused the Romans - to give it the name of _Magius_, afterwards shortened into _Maius_, - from the Sanskrit mah, to grow. Eventually this month was held - sacred to _Maia_, the mother of Mercury, to whom sacrifices were - offered on the first day. - -=Maydew Cherries.= A corruption of Medoc cherries, from the district in - France where they are cultivated. - -=Mayfair.= On the site of this fashionable district Edward III. - established a six days’ fair in the month of May for the benefit of - the leper hospital of St James the Less, where St James’s Palace now - stands. - -=May Meetings.= The annual meetings of the many religious, missionary, - and philanthropic bodies of the United Kingdom are held in London, - generally at Exeter Hall, during the month of May. - -=Mazarin Bible.= A very rare edition of the Scriptures, being one of the - earliest printed by Gutenberg with separate metal types, between - 1450 and 1455. It received this name from the fact that a copy was - discovered in the library of Cardinal Mazarin. - -=Mecklenburg Square.= One of the many names about London which, when new - streets were built upon, complimented the Hanoverian Succession. - -=Medina.= Expresses the Arabic for “City.” Its full name is _Medinat al - Nabi_, “City of the Prophet.” - -=Mediterranean Sea.= The sea “in the middle of the earth” is that - between the two great continents, Europe and Africa. - -=Medway.= See “Maidstone.” - -=Meerschaum.= Expresses the German for “sea foam,” the fine white clay - out of which pipes are made being at one time thought to be the - petrified scum or foam of the sea. - -=Meistersingers.= Literal German for “Master Singers”; master craftsmen - who in the Middle Ages revived the national minstrelsy, which had - been allowed to fall into decay. - -=Melbourne.= In honour of Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister in 1837, - when this Australian colony was founded. - -=Melodrama.= Modern drama, distinguished by incidental music as an - accompaniment to the action. - -=Memorial Day.= The United States mode of expressing a great - commemorative occasion, such as Independence or Decoration Day. - -=Memorial Hall.= This building, in Farringdon Road, commemorates the - issue of the famous “Act of Uniformity,” whereby 2000 ministers of - the Church of England were deprived of their livings on 24th August - 1662. The site was formerly occupied by the old Fleet Prison. - -=Memory-Corner Thompson.= The name borne by John Thompson of the parish - of St Giles’s-in-the-Fields. Seated in a corner of a coffee-house, - he was wont for the amusement of regular habitues to display his - astounding powers of memory in regard to the topography of London. - -=Memory Woodfall.= The sobriquet of William Woodfall, brother to the - reputed author of the celebrated “Letters of Junius.” His mnemonical - powers differed from that of “Memory-Corner Thompson” in that, after - listening to a debate, Parliamentary or otherwise, overnight, he - could repeat it word for word the next morning. - -=Mentor.= A “guide, philosopher, and friend,” so called after Mentor, - the faithful friend and counsellor of Ulysses. - -=Mercenaries.= From the Latin _mercer_, wages, reward. These hired - soldiers of antiquity figured largely in the Punic Wars. - -=Mercer.= The old name for a dealer in silks and woollen fabrics, so - called from the Latin _mercis_, wares, merchandise. Nowadays such a - one styles himself a “Draper.” - -=Merino.= A fabric of wool from the sheep of the same name, which - expresses the Spanish for an inspector of sheep walks. - -=Merioneth.= After Merion, an early British saint. - -=Merrimac.= Indian for “swift water.” - -=Merry Andrew.= A buffoon or clown, said to have been so called after - Andrew Borde, a noted physician of the time of Henry VIII., whose - witticisms were on a par with his medical skill. His sayings were - widely repeated, and since it happened that Andrew was then the most - common name for a man-servant, facetious fellows came to be dubbed - Merry Andrews. - -=Merry Monarch.= Charles II., who from the time of coming to the throne - never knew care, but made his life one round of pleasure. - -=Mesopotamia.= The ancient description of the region situate between the - Tigris and the Euphrates. The name is Greek, from _mesos_, middle, - and _potamos_, river. - -=Messe Rouge.= Expresses the French for “Red Mass.” At the resumption of - their duties at the Law Courts after the Long Vacation all the - Catholic judges and barristers attend a Mass of the Holy Ghost to - invoke the Spirit for the gift of wisdom. Like the masses of the - Feast of the Holy Ghost, the vestment worn by the officiating priest - is red, in allusion to the tongues of fire that descended upon the - Apostles on Whit Sunday. - -=Methodists.= This name was first given by a fellow-student of Christ - Church, Oxford, to the Brothers Wesley and a few friends who were in - the habit of meeting on certain evenings for religious conversation. - They also visited the inmates of Oxford Jail at stated times, always - faithfully kept their engagements, and acted up to their Christian - principles in a strictly methodical manner. The new sect was - afterwards styled by John Wesley “The First Methodist Society.” - -=Metz.= This city was styled by the Romans _Mettis_, from the _Medio - matrici_, the people of the country, whom they conquered. - -=Mexico.= Expresses the seat or place of _Mexitli_, the Aztec god of - war. - -=Michaelmas Day.= The feast of St Michael, prince of the heavenly host, - and patron saint of the Catholic Church. This is properly described - as “St Michael and all Angels” (29th September). - -=Michaelmas Goose.= Stubble geese being at their best about this time, - the rural tenantry always brought their landlords a goose with their - Michaelmas rent. Since the latter usually received more geese than - they could consume themselves, they passed them over to friends, and - thus the goose became a standing Michaelmas dish. - -=Michigan.= Indian for “a weir for fish.” - -=Middlesex.= Expresses the territory of the Middle Saxons, situate - between that of the East and West Saxons under the Heptarchy. - -=Middling.= North of England, and also American, for medium or passable - in the sense of feeling well. - -=Mignonette.= Expresses the diminutive of _Mignon_, the French for - “darling.” - -=Mildmay Park.= The estate of the Mildmays, whose ancestor, Sir Henry - Mildmay, came, by marriage, into possession of Mildmay House and its - park in the time of Charles I. - -=Mile End Gate.= From a toll gate which at this point of the highroad - marked the eastern limits of London town and the parish of - Whitechapel, distant one mile from the city boundary at Aldgate. - -=Miles Lane.= After Miles Coverdale, a famous preacher at the - Weigh-House Chapel hard by in former days. - -=Milford Lane.= From an old mill that stood here in the fields. The lane - itself led to a ford across the river at low water. - -=Milking the Street.= An Americanism for the operations of stockbrokers - who, by alternately raising and depressing shares, capture all the - floating money in the market. The allusion is, of course, to Wall - Street, the financial centre of New York city. - -=Milk Street.= The ancient milk and butter market in connection with - Cheapside. - -=Millbank.= From an old mill that stood on the Thames bank, on the site - of which the Grosvenors built a mansion, subsequently displaced for - the gloomy prison of the same name. - -=Millerites.= An American religious sect, whose founder, William Miller, - prophesied the millennium or first judgment of the world by Christ - and His angels to take place on 23rd February 1843. Many of his - followers went mad through excitement as this date approached. - Subsequent days assigned for the fulfilment of the prophesy proved - alike misleading. - -=Milliner.= A corruption of _Milaner_, after the city of Milan, which at - one time set the fashion throughout Europe for elegance and taste - not only in matters of dress, but of art. A milliner is one who - deals in hats, feathers, and ribbons. See “Mercer.” - -=Mill Street.= From a mill that stood hereabouts when the scene was one - of peaceful rusticity. - -=Milton Street.= After the author of “Paradise Lost,” who resided here - for a time, and was buried in the parish church of St Giles’s, - Cripplegate. This was the famous Grub Street of tradition. - -=Milwaukee.= Indian for “rich land.” - -=Mincing Lane.= A corruption of “Mynchen Lane,” denoting the property of - the Minchery, the Saxon term for a nunnery of St Helen’s in - Bishopsgate Street. - -=Minden Boys.= The 20th Foot, so called from the conspicuous bravery - displayed by them at the battle of Minden. - -=Mind your P’s and Q’s.= This had reference originally to the pints and - quarts chalked up against a rustic at the village alehouse. When his - score threatened to become too disproportionate to his prospective - wages, the alehouse-keeper generally administered a timely warning - in these set terms. It was a polite way of saying he would very soon - decline to serve him with more until the next settling day. - -=Miniature.= So called because this early species of hand-painted - portraiture originated in the head of the Madonna or of a saint that - formed the initial letter of the beautifully illuminated rubrics - produced by the monks styled the “Miniatori,” because their paints - were made out of _minium_, or red lead. - -=Minnesingers.= Expresses the Old German for “love singers,” the - troubadours of the Fatherland in the Middle Ages. - -=Minnesota.= Indian for “smoky water.” - -=Minorca.= Expresses the lesser of the “Balearic Islands.” - -=Minories.= This thoroughfare was laid out across the lands belonging to - the Minoresses or Nuns of St Clare after their priory had been - demolished at the Reformation. The Order of the Minoresses - corresponded to the Friars Minor of the Franciscans founded by St - Francis de Paula. - -=Minster.= The distinction between a minster and a cathedral lies in - this: the former is the church in connection with a monastery, - whereas the latter contains the _kathedra_, or chair, of a bishop. - -=Minstrel Boy.= A favourite page whose duty it was to attend a knight in - peace and war. On his return from “feats of arms” he recited the - doughty deeds of his master to the accompaniment of a lute, harp, or - lyre in the banqueting-hall. In times of peace his theme was the - bravery of the knight in the lists at tournaments or his prowess in - defence of fair maidens. - -=Minstrel of the Border.= The name bestowed upon William Wordsworth by - Sir Walter Scott. - -=Mint.= On the spot where Manlius Capitolinus had built himself a - sumptuous residence the Romans set up a temple to Juno Moneta, or - “The Monitress,” since Manlius had been apprised of the Gallic - invasion through the cackling of the sacred geese. Subsequently this - temple of Moneta was converted into an establishment for the coinage - of money. Both mint and money therefore come from _Moneta_. - -=Mint Street.= From the old mint established at Suffolk House by Henry - VIII. when that property was sequestered to the Crown. - -=Minuet.= So called from the Latin _minutus_, small, on account of the - short, graceful steps which distinguish this dance. - -=Miserere.= The name given to a mediæval choir stall of which the seat - could be turned up so as to form a ledge for the support of the aged - monks while kneeling. Its name, _miserere_, “Have mercy,” was - singularly appropriate. - -=Misluck.= An Americanism for misfortune or ill luck. - -=Misses’ Tailors.= An Americanism for “Ladies’ Tailors.” - -=Mississippi.= Indian for “great and long river.” - -=Missouri.= Indian for “muddy water.” - -=Mitre.= An inn sign most generally to be met with in a cathedral city, - having reference, of course, to the mitre worn by a bishop. - -=Mitre Court.= So called after an ancient Fleet Street tavern hard by. - -=Mitre Square.= From an old inn, “The Mitre.” - -=Mob.= From the Latin _mobile vulgus_, “the vulgar crowd.” - -=Mobtown.= The name given to the city of Baltimore on account of the - lawlessness of a certain section of its inhabitants. - -=Mocha.= Coffee brought from the district of the same name in Arabia. - -=Mocking Bird.= A species of thrush that mocks or imitates the notes - produced by other birds. - -=Moet and Chandon.= A favourite brand of champagne from the vineyards of - the French firm trading under the name of “Moet et Chandon.” - -=Molasses.= The American term for syrup or treacle, derived from the - French _melasse_, the root of which is the Latin _mellis_, honey. - -=Money.= See “Mint.” - -=Mohair.= From the Arabic _Mukhayyar_, “goatskin hair,” through the - French _moire_, the fine silken hair of the Angora goat. - -=Mohawks.= Night marauders who in the days of the “Old Charlies” - terrorised peaceable London citizens, self-styled after the fierce - Indian tribe of the same name. “Mohawk” means “man-eater” or - “live-eater,” this term being applied to the Iroquois by the eastern - Indians of North America. - -=Moire Antique.= The French description of watered silk worked in the - style of the olden times. See “Mohair.” - -=Moldavia.= The country traversed by the River Moldau. - -=Moleskin.= A superior fabric of fustian or strong cotton distinguished - for a smoothness like the hair of the mole. - -=Molly Maguires.= An Irish Secret Society in the United States, more - especially Pennsylvania, composed of young men dressed in women’s - clothes, and with blackened faces, who did not hesitate to murder in - connection with the agrarian outrages that they committed. The - execution of ten of the ringleaders in June 1877 at length put an - end to their reign of terror. - -=Monastery.= From the Greek _monos_, alone. This term expresses an - establishment of monks, secluded from one another in cells except - when at prayers or at meals; recluses who never go into the outer - world at all. A Friary, on the contrary, is a convent whose inmates - live in community and go forth to preach among the people. - -=Monday.= A term derived from Scandinavian mythology when, after the - first day of the week given up to sun-worship, the second was set - apart for the worship of the moon. - -=Money makes Money.= This is a truism which it were vain to deny. - Without capital a man cannot possibly set up in business for - himself, even as a costermonger. The command of money makes its - possessor doubly rich. - -=Monger.= This word enters into various designations of the trading - community, such as Fishmonger, Costermonger, being derived from the - Anglo-Saxon _mongere_, “one who trades.” - -=Monk.= From the Greek _monachos_, “one who lives alone.” See - “Monastery.” - -=Monkey.= From the Italian _monicchio_, the diminutive of _monna_, an - ape. This word is often used as a verb--_e.g._ “Don’t monkey about - on there,” meaning “Don’t play about or be up to monkeyish pranks.” - -=Monkey Board.= The platform at the back of an omnibus, so called on - account of the capers usually indulged in by the conductor. On a - vehicle of the old-fashioned kind this platform was so small that he - had to jump off it in order to allow a passenger to enter or alight. - -=Monk Lewis.= The sobriquet of Matthew Gregory Lewis after he had - published his celebrated novel, “The Monk,” in 1795. - -=Monmouth.= The mouth of the Mon, the ancient description of which was - _Mynwy_, “the border river.” - -=Montague Place.= This, like the street close by, received its name from - Montague House, the town mansion of the Dukes of Montague, in which - the treasures of the British Museum were at first deposited pending - the erection of the present edifice. - -=Montague Square.= Like the street of the same name, this was designated - in compliment to Mrs Montague of the “Blue Stocking Club,” who after - the death of her husband resided in Portman Square. - -=Mont Blanc.= French for “white mountain,” because it is eternally - snow-clad. - -=Montenegro.= Literally “black mountain.” - -=Montepulciano.= A famous Italian wine produced at the ancient city of - the same name. - -=Montgomery.= After Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, who - obtained forcible possession of the castle erected on the height by - the Lord of the Marshes in the time of William the Conqueror. - -=Montreal.= So called from the admiring exclamation of Jacques Coutier, - when in 1534 he viewed the surrounding country from its summit. The - name is French for “Royal Mount.” - -=Montserrat.= Expresses the Latin for a mountain serrated or jagged like - a saw. - -=Monumental City.= Baltimore, so called on account of its one hundred - and four churches, the obelisk, etc., which it contains. - -=Moonshiners.= The name given in the western states of America to - illicit whisky distillers. - -=Moonshine Whisky.= American whisky distilled under cover of night by - “Moonshiners.” - -=Moorfields.= See “Moorgate Street.” - -=Moorgate Street.= From the postern gate in the Roman Wall leading to - the moor beyond the fen lands or marshes of Finsbury known as - Moorfields. - -=Moors.= From the Latin _mauri_, and Spanish _moros_, “black.” Elsewhere - denominated “Saracens,” these Arab conquerors of the peninsula were - called by the Spaniards “Moriscoes.” - -=Mop Fair.= The name given to a fair held a few days after the - periodical Statute Fair for the hiring of farm servants. The dregs - of the Statute Fair are then mopped or swept up. - -=Moravia.= From the _Morava_, which name expresses a marsh or boundary - river. - -=Moravians.= The followers of John Huss, driven out of Bohemia and - Moravia by religious persecutions early in the eighteenth century. - -=Morgan Horse.= A favourite breed of American sporting horse descended - from the animal owned by Justin Morgan, a schoolmaster of Randolph, - Vermont, nearly a hundred years ago. - -=Morgue.= So far from denoting a mortuary, this term really means the - inner wicket of a prison, where the identification marks of new - arrivals are taken before they have their cells and tasks assigned - to them. It is therefore not incorrectly applied to the place of - public examination and identification of the unknown dead. - -=Morisonians.= A religious sect which separated from the Scottish - Presbyterians in 1841, under the leadership of James Morison. - -=Mormons.= A sect whose founder, Joseph Smith, claimed to have received - a new revelation in “The Book of Mormon,” written on gold plates by - the angel Mormon, the last of the Hebrew line of prophets, in 1827. - -=Mornington Crescent.= After the Earl of Mornington, Governor-General of - India, the brother of the Duke of Wellington. - -=Morocco.= The territory of the Moriscoes or “Moors.” - -=Morris Dance.= An ancient military dance of the Moriscoes or Moors of - Spain introduced to England by John of Gaunt after his return from - that country, _temp._ Edward III. Hence the companions of the “Jack - in the Green” at the May Day festival always blackened their faces, - and disported themselves in extravagant costumes, imitative of the - flowing robes of the original dancers. See “Maid Marian.” - -=Mortimer Street.= After Edward Harley, Earl of Wigmore and Mortimer, - landlord of the estate in 1717. - -=Mosaics.= So called because such inlaid work of stones was originally - employed in the pavements of the temples of the Muses. The word is - French _mosaique_, derived from the same Greek root as _Museum_. - -=Moscow.= From the River _Moskwa_, on which the city was built. - -=Moselle.= Wines produced at the vineyards on the banks of the French - river of the same name. - -=Moslem.= From the Arabic _Muslim_, “true believer,” through _Salama_, - “to submit.” This term expresses the plural of “Mussulman” among the - Persians. By the Turks “true believers” are styled “Moslemin.” There - is no such word as “Mussul_men_” or “Mussul_mans_.” - -=Mosquito.= From the Spanish _mosca_, a fly. - -=Mosquito Coast.= A territory in Central America which, on account of - its climate and the swampy nature of the land, is infested by - mosquitoes. - -=Mothering Sunday.= The Sunday in Mid-Lent when the members of a family - in domestic service visit their parents and enjoy “Mothering Cakes” - for tea. These cakes had their origin in offerings made to the - “Mother Church” on the afternoon on this day. - -=Mother Black Cap.= A public-house sign in Camden Town set up in - opposition to the “Mother Red Cap” over the way. There never was a - noted character of this name. - -=Mother of Believers.= The name bestowed by Mohammedans upon Ayesha, the - favourite wife of “The Prophet,” styled “The Father of Believers.” - Mohammed himself declared that Ayesha was the only member of his - family who cherished the slightest faith in his mission. His - preference for his second wife, therefore, can be readily - understood. - -=Mother of Presidents.= Virginia, on account of the many Presidents - which this state has given to the American Republic. - -=Mother of South-Western Statesmen.= Tennessee, from the seventeen - eminent Congressmen which this state has given to the Union. - -=Mother of States.= Virginia, the pioneer British colony in the New - World. - -=Mother Red Cap.= An omnibus stage in Camden Town, the sign of which - perpetuates the memory of a notorious London poisoner during the - Commonwealth. - -=Mother Shipton.= A noted hostelry at Haverstock Hill, built when the - prophecies of this Welsh sorceress were the common talk of the day. - Some of her less baneful predictions were actually verified; notably - those as to ships ploughing the ocean without sails and vehicles - careering along the road without horses. Is it possible that she had - the motor car in her mind? - -=Moulin Rouge.= Expresses the French for “Red Mill.” - -=Mound City.= St Louis, on account of the numerous artificial mounds - occupying its site at the time when the city was built. - -=Mountain.= The extremists of the Democratic party in France during the - Reign of Terror, so called because they occupied the elevated - benches in the House of Convention. - -=Mountain Dew.= An Irishman’s term for whisky, because it was often - secretly distilled among the mountains in order to escape excise - duty; hence the expression: “A drop o’ the cratur.” - -=Mount Street.= On a natural mound the Parliamentary forces here erected - a fort or bastion when the Royalists were expected to make an attack - upon London from the west. - -=Mrs Grundy.= A term expressive of the prudishness of the English - character. It arose out of the line: “What will Mrs Grundy say?” in - Thomas Morton’s drama, “Speed the Plough,” produced in 1798. - -=Mudlarks.= The nickname of the Royal Engineers, whose function it is to - throw up entrenchments. - -=Muff.= This term was at first applied to an effeminate dandy who at one - time, like the ladies, carried a muff to keep his hands warm in - winter. This incapacitated him from defending himself with his sword - against an unexpected attack at the hands of a street bully, and - hence, as now, a _muff_ was easily taken advantage of, or likely to - become a prey to the sharp-witted. - -=Muff Dogs.= Small dogs carried by ladies in their muffs during the - seventeenth century. A “muff dog” figures in an engraving by Hollar. - -=Mug.= Slang for a man’s face. This arose out of the rude portraiture of - Lord Shaftesbury or some other political celebrity which from the - time of the Restoration to the middle of the eighteenth century - adorned the yellow chinaware beer mugs at an alehouse, or Mug-House - as it was called. These Mug-Houses were the first political clubs; - out of them sprang the popular “Free and Easies” of modern times, - and more recently the Music Halls. - -=Muggletonians.= A religious sect headed by Ludovic Muggleton, a tailor, - who proclaimed himself a prophet, in 1651. - -=Mugwump.= An Indian word for “wise chief.” The Mugwumps of North - America are the Democrats, whose political aims are above cliques or - parties; therefore they refuse to be influenced by a “Caucus.” - -=Mulatto.= From the Spanish _mulato_, a mixed breed, through _mulo_, a - mule, the offspring of a white and a Negro. - -=Mumm.= A strong German beer named after Christian Mumme, who first - brewed it. - -=Mummer.= Slang for an actor. This old English term, derived from the - German _mumme_, a mask, was applied to the performers in a Christmas - masque or buffoonery. - -=Mummock.= An Americanism for handle, disarrange, or play with--_e.g._ - “Don’t mummock things about.” The word is really obsolete provincial - English for “maul.” - -=Munich.= From the German _monchen_, monks. On the spot where the city - stands some monks built a warehouse for the salt which they obtained - in the neighbourhood. In the twelfth century Henry the Lion made - this _Villa Minichen_, as it was then called, into a mint, and a - town grew up around it. - -=Munster Road.= From Munster House, the residence of Melesina - Schulenberg, created Duchess of Munster by George II. - -=Munster Square.= In honour of the eldest son of William IV., created - Earl of Munster. - -=Murphies.= Potatoes, the chief articles of consumption among the Irish - peasantry. This term is current also in America. - -=Muscadel.= French and Italian wines, so called from the Italian - _muscado_, musk, nutmeg. Variants of this name are Muscatel and - Muscadine. - -=Muscatels.= Raisins exported from Muscat in the Gulf of Oman, Arabia. - -=Muscovy Duck.= A corruption of “Musk duck,” a species larger than the - common duck. - -=Mush.= An Americanism for an umbrella. - -=Musical Comedy Artiste.= The new pet name for a chorus girl. - -=Musical Small-Coal Man.= The lifelong sobriquet of Thomas Britton of - Aylesbury Street, Clerkenwell, where was his coal shed. He - inaugurated Thursday evening concerts, that attracted fashionable - enthusiasts from the West End. This worthy, though he earned his - livelihood by crying small coals in the street, was a scholar, a - musician, and a companion of gentlemen. - -=Muslin.= Called by the French _Mousseline_, from Mosul in Asiatic - Turkey, whence during the Middle Ages this fabric was sent to supply - all the markets of Europe. - -=Muss.= An Americanism for “mess,” used in the sense of a confusion or - disorder. It is used also to imply a squabble or a reprimand--_e.g._ - “I got into a dreadful muss this morning.” - -=Mussulman.= See “Moslem.” - -=Muswell Hill.= Properly “Mustwell Hill,” from the Latin _mustus_, - fresh. On this hill there was discovered an ancient well of clear, - fresh water, that belonged to the prior of St John’s Clerkenwell and - Highbury, who had a dairy farm hereabouts. - -=Mutes.= See “Undertaker.” - -=Mutoscope.= A modern peep show, in which the figures move; living - pictures, so called from the Latin _mutatis_, to change, and the - Greek _skopein_, to view. - -=Myddleton Square.= After Sir Hugh Myddleton, who at his own cost - embarked upon the ruinous enterprise of constructing the New River - from Chadwell in Hertfordshire, nearly forty miles distant, to - London. One of the reservoirs occupies the enclosed portion of this - square. - -=My Eye.= An exclamation signifying “You dazzle me,” “You make me blink - with astonishment.” Its American equivalent is briefly “My!” - -=My Lady Nicotine.= The pretty name now generally applied to tobacco - since the republication in book form of J. M. Barrie’s essays on - smoking which originally appeared in the _St James’s Gazette_. See - “Nicotine.” - -=Mythology.= From the Greek _muthos_, a fable, and _logos_, a discourse. - This was essentially a religion built upon fable. - -=My Uncle.= The popular designation of a pawnbroker. See “Uncle.” - - - N - - -=Nailed.= Slang for “caught,” in allusion to being pinned down by the - captors. Also a thing seized and made off with; a punning reference - to “driving” a nail. - -=Naked Possessor.= The Far West description of the possessor of a piece - of land for a long period without a legal title to it. He is the - naked possessor because his title is not clothed in a set form of - words recognised by the Courts of Law. - -=Nankeen.= Cotton stuff originally made at _Nankin_, in China. - -=Nankin.= Expresses the Chinese for “Southern Capital.” - -=Nanny Goats.= The nickname of the 23rd Foot on account of their - regimental pet goat. - -=Nantes.= A native brandy exported from Nantes in Brittany. The name is - the Celtic for “valley.” - -=Nap.= A game of cards, originally named after Napoleon I. - -=Naples.= Called by the Greeks _Neapolis_, “New City.” The ancient name - is better expressed when speaking of the inhabitants as - “Neapolitans.” - -=Napoleon.= A gold coin of France issued during the Consulate of - Napoleon Bonaparte. This superseded the “Louis d’Or.” - -=Narcissus.= This flower is fabled to have sprung up on the spot where - the beautiful Grecian youth so called died of love-sickness. - -=Naso.= The nickname given to Ovid on account of the length of his nose; - hence “Ovidius Naso.” - -=Nassau Street.= After the royal House of Nassau, to which William III., - as Prince of Orange, belonged. - -=Natal.= So called because the Portuguese navigator Vasco di Gama landed - upon its shores on Christmas Day, or the Feast of the Nativity, - 1498. - -=Nation.= An Americanism for “damnation.” - -=National Democrats.= Those in the United States whose principles are - national as opposed to sect or party. - -=Navvy.= Originally the name of a labourer employed in the construction - of canals for inland navigation. An alehouse set up beside one of - the earliest canals bore the sign of the “Navigation Inn,” and those - who frequented it were called _Navigators_. This term soon became - shortened into _Navvies_. - -=Nazarenes.= Semi-converted Jews who, while nominally Christians, - believed “Jesus of Nazareth” to be the long-promised Messiah, and - still conformed to the rites and ceremonies prescribed by the Jewish - law. - -=Nebraska.= Indian for “water valley.” This fertile region is traversed - by several shallow rivers. - -=Neckerchief.= A kerchief for the neck. See “Handkerchief.” - -=Neckwear.= An American term for neckties, scarves, or mufflers. - -=Needle in a Bottle of Hay.= See “Bottle of Hay.” - -=Needle’s Eye.= The postern gate in the wall of an Eastern city, so - called because with some difficulty a camel is able to thread its - way through it. - -=Negus.= Hot spiced wine, originally concocted by Colonel Negus in the - reign of Queen Anne. - -=Nemesis.= From the goddess of vengeance, who bore this name. - -=Nepaul Paper.= India paper made in the district of Nepaul, Northern - India. The original India paper came from the Far East. - -=Nest Egg.= The nucleus of a banking account, so called because if a - china egg be placed in a hen’s nest it is an inducement for her to - lay eggs of her own there. When a person has a trifle put by he is - anxious to increase it. - -=Nestorians.= A sect of heretics of the fifth century under Nestorius, - Patriarch of Constantinople. - -=Netherlands.= Literally the Low Countries, now comprised in the kingdom - of Holland. - -=Netop.= Indian for “my friend.” In saluting a friendly Indian a white - in North America always makes use of this word. - -=Nevada.= Spanish for “snowy,” in allusion to the snow-clad mountain - ridges of this state. - -=New Amsterdam.= The name given by the Dutch settlers to their colony at - the mouth of the Hudson River, now “New York.” - -=New Bond Street.= See “Bond Street.” - -=New Bridge Street.= Leads to Westminster Bridge, opened in 1862. This - name was chosen in contradistinction to Bridge Street, Blackfriars. - -=New Brunswick.= On assuming its independence of Nova Scotia in 1784 - this British colony was named after the House of Brunswick. - -=New Burlington Street.= See “Burlington Street.” - -=Newcastle-under-Lyme.= The name of the river on which the town stands - is the Lyne, not the Lyme. To take the place of an ancient castle at - Chesterton-under-Lyne a new castle was built in this neighbourhood, - but of such a stronghold no vestige now remains. - -=Newcastle-upon-Tyne.= Originally Moncaster or Monkchester, so called - from a colony of monks on the site of a Roman camp. Robert, Duke of - Normandy, the son of William the Conqueror, built a castle here for - the defence of the town against the incursions of the Scots. This - castle was afterwards rebuilt by William II.; whereupon the town - assumed the title of Newcastle. - -=New Cavendish Street.= See “Cavendish Square.” - -=New Compton Street.= See “Compton Street.” - -=New Christians.= Portuguese Jews of the fifteenth century who, having - embraced Christianity under compulsion, secretly conformed to the - Mosaic rites and ceremonies. - -=New Cross.= The district which grew up around an old coaching-house, - “The Golden Cross,” afterwards rebuilt, and renamed “The New Cross.” - -=New England.= The collective name given to the six eastern states of - the American Union--Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, - Rhode Island, and Connecticut--because the people are descended from - the Puritans of England and Scotland, and therefore may be regarded - as the only true “Yankees.” - -=Newfoundland.= The name bestowed by Sebastian Cabot upon all the new - land that he discovered, but now confined to this British - possession. - -=Newfoundland Dog.= A native breed of dog from Newfoundland. - -=Newgate Street.= From the newest of the city gates, first alluded to in - history in 1207. The gateway having for centuries been used for the - confinement of debtors, it gave its name to the prison erected on - its south side. The gloomy edifice which has been demolished within - the last few years dated from 1782, after the burning of its - predecessor by the Gordon rioters in 1780. - -=New Hampshire.= This state having been granted to Captain John Mason, - he in 1629 named it after his native county in England. - -=New Holland.= The name given to what is now Australia by its Dutch - settlers in 1606 after their Mother Country. - -=Newington.= Expresses the new settlement in the meadow. - -=Newington Butts.= The site of the archery butts in South London - corresponding to those of Moorfields in the north. - -=Newington Causeway.= This was the first road or causeway across the - swampy fields of South London beyond the “Borough.” - -=New Jersey.= In honour of Sir George Cartaret, the gallant defender of - Jersey Island against the Parliamentary forces in 1664. - -=Newman Street.= After the builder on the site. - -=New Orleans.= The name given to the French settlement in the New World - after the city in the Mother Country. - -=New Pye Street.= See “New Way.” - -=New Scotland Yard.= The new headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, - occupying a site which has not the slightest connection with its - name, and devoid of all historic interest further than that its - foundations were laid for a Metropolitan Opera House, the building - of which went no further. With the transference of the Police - Department from “Scotland Yard” the old name was retained. - -=New Southgate.= The modern residential district in the vicinity of the - entrance to the enclosed hunting ground extending northward to - Enfield, anciently known as Enfield Chase. - -=New Spain.= The name given by Cortes to “Mexico.” - -=News-stand.= An Americanism for a railway bookstall. - -=New Way.= A modern extension of Old and New Pye Streets, named after - Sir Robert Pye, who had his residence on its site. - -=New Woman.= A term which came into vogue during the early days of the - modern bicycling craze. The New Woman disported herself abroad in - knickerbockers, and generally made herself ridiculous in the eyes of - all sensible men. Latterly she has returned to the obscurity whence - she sprang. - -=New York.= Originally New Amsterdam. When taken from the Dutch in 1664 - it received the name it now bears in compliment to the Duke of York, - afterwards James II. - -=New Zealand.= Named by the Dutch after their native Zeeland, or - “Sea-land,” of the Low Countries. - -=Niagara.= From the Indian _On-aw-garah_, “the thunder of waters.” - -=Nicaragua.= So called by Gil Gonzales de Avila in 1521, after a Haytian - chief called Nicaro, who gave him a friendly reception on the shores - of the lake, which also bears this name. - -=Nicholas Lane.= After the wealthy banker, Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, who - also gave his name to Throgmorton Street. - -=Nickel.= An American five-cent piece, so called because it is coined - out of nickel silver. - -=Nick of the Woods.= The first word in this American designation is a - corruption of “neck,” denoting a settlement or habitation in the - wooded regions of the south-western states. - -=Nicotiana.= The tobacco-producing regions of the United States. See - “Nicotine.” - -=Nicotine.= After Jean Nicot, who introduced tobacco, which he had - purchased at Lisbon, into France in 1560. - -=Nigger.= A corruption of Negro, which term is derived from the Latin - _niger_, “black.” - -=Nightcap.= Since everyone in the days of our grandfathers wore a - nightcap, and fancied he could not go to sleep without one, so the - modern substitute is a glass of spirits just before retiring, with a - view to making him feel drowsy; hence such a drink is called a - “nightcap.” - -=Nightingale.= Literally a bird that sings in the night. - -=Nihilist.= Originally a member of a Russian society whose members - recognised no law save their own happiness. They sought to - annihilate all ideas of God and government, as also of the rights of - property. These ultra-Socialists sprang into existence in 1848. - -=Nimrod.= Charles James Apperley, the sporting contributor to _The - Quarterly Review_, and author of “The Chase, The Turf, and The - Road,” adopted this pseudonym after Nimrod, the son of Cush, who is - mentioned in Genesis x. 9 as the “mighty hunter before the Lord.” - -=Nincompoop.= A dull-witted person, so called from the Latin phrase _non - compos mentis_, “of unsound mind.” - -=Nine Days’ Wonder.= Puppies and kittens remaining blind for nine days - after birth, they are during this period a subject of much wonder to - the young members of the household. A sensational event or a piece - of public scandal arouses uncommon interest for a few days, and then - it gradually subsides. - -=Nine Elms.= From nine fine elm-trees on this portion of the south bank - of the Thames. - -=Nine Tailors make a Man.= The second word in this expression is a - corruption of _Tellers_. A “Teller” was in olden times a stroke of - the “passing bell” of the parish church. Three tellers gave warning - of the death of a child, six of a woman, and nine of a man. As the - parishioners counted the strokes they would say: “Nine tellers make - a man.” - -=Ninny.= Short for “Nincompoop.” In America this term is generally - thought to be derived from “Pickaninny.” - -=Niphon.= The native name of “Japan.” - -=Nipped in the Bud.= While a flower is in the bud it may be destroyed by - a mere nip of the fingers. Afterwards its leaves would have to be - plucked separately. To curb mischief or a bad habit at the very - commencement is therefore the easier plan. - -=Nipper.= Originally in thieves’ slang a boy trained to pick purses and - pockets, and nip off unobserved; hence the expression “A Young - Nipper.” - -=Nitrate King.= The sobriquet of the late Colonel J. T. North, who - amassed a fortune by the nitrate industry in South America. - -=Nob.= Short for “noble” or “nobleman.” From University slang the term - has come to imply among the vulgar anyone of aristocratic - pretensions. - -=Noctes Ambrosianæ.= A characteristic feature of _Blackwood’s Magazine_ - in its early days. This, “The Ambrosial Nights,” was contributed as - a regular series by Professor Wilson, being for the most part the - actual conversations of the author, John Gibson Lockhart, and Mr - Blackwood at a small Edinburgh tavern kept by one Ambrose. Although - Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, also figured in those dialogues, he was - not present at the meetings. - -=Nocturne.= A quiet, dreamy species of musical composition, suggestive, - as its name denotes, of peaceful night. - -=Noddy.= A kind of jaunting car peculiar to Dublin, so called because - its jolting motion makes its riders nod their heads. - -=No Flies on me.= An Americanism expressive of individual energy. The - meaning is: “I am so active that no flies can ever settle on me.” - -=No Hat Brigade.= Modern faddists who walk abroad bare-headed and - shelter themselves against the elements under an umbrella. - -=Nonconformists.= Those ministers of the Church of England who refused - to subscribe or conform to the “Act of Conformity,” and thereby lost - their livings. The term is now generally applied to all Dissenting - congregations. - -=No Quarter.= When the battle cry of “No Quarter,” consequent on an - order, goes forth, no lives are spared by the victors. To give - quarter means to spare the vanquished. This had its origin in - ancient European warfare, when, by way of earning prize-money, a - soldier refrained from dealing the death blow to a fallen foe on - condition of receiving a quarter of the latter’s pay. - -=Norfolk.= The northern of the two districts or counties on the east - coast settled by the Angles, the north folk and south folk - respectively. - -=Norfolk Howards.= An excess of refinement has caused this term to be - substituted for bugs. This originated in the action of Joshua Bugg - of the Swan Tavern, Norwich, who by deed poll, as advertised in _The - Times_ 26th June 1862, changed his name to Norfolk Howard. In - America all beetles are commonly styled bugs. - -=Norfolk Street.= From the town house and grounds of the Howards, Dukes - of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel and Surrey. - -=Norland Square.= Built on the site of Norland House, the residence of - one of the Drummonds, bankers of Charing Cross, _temp._ William IV. - -=Normandy.= The country peopled by the Northmen or Danes. - -=Northampton.= Anciently described as “Northavontown,” having been built - on the north of the River Avon, now called the Nen. - -=North Audley Street.= See “Audley Street.” - -=North Britain.= Scotland. In conjunction with England and Wales it - becomes Great Britain. - -=North Pole.= A tavern sign in Wardour Street up at the time when - Captain Parry’s Arctic Expedition was the common topic of interest. - -=North Star State.= Minnesota, so called on account of its northern - situation in the Union and the motto on its arms: “L’Etoile du - Nord.” - -=Northumberland.= The north-east portion of that vast tract of land - described as “Northumbria,” because situated north of the River - Humber under the Heptarchy. - -=Northumberland Alley.= This name in Fenchurch Street is reminiscent of - the original town house of the Dukes of Northumberland before they - took up their residence at Charing Cross in 1607. - -=Northumberland Avenue.= From Northumberland House, the town mansion of - the Dukes of Northumberland, demolished in 1874 to make way for this - fine broad thoroughfare. - -=Norton Folgate.= A corruption of “Northern Falgate”; expressive of the - fine barred gate leading from Bishopsgate without the city limits - into the open fields. - -=Norway.= Called in the native tongue _Nordrike_, “the north kingdom.” - This country was long thought to be wholly surrounded by water, on - which account it received the name of _Nordee_, “north island.” This - the Saxons modified in _Norea_, and later Norway. - -=Norwich.= So called from the castle erected by the East Anglian kings - as a “North wic,” or northern fortified village, relative to - Caistor, to resist the invasion of the Danes. - -=Norwood.= This was formerly the northern portion of the vast wooded - district situated between London and Croydon. - -=None of my Funeral.= An American mode of saying “Nothing to do with - me,” or “It’s no affair of mine.” Being an Americanism, the - expression is devoid of etymology. - -=Nosey.= The nickname borne by Cervetto, the violoncellist of Drury Lane - Theatre, and John Wilson, the painter, both of whom had - exceptionally long noses. The Duke of Wellington was also popularly - referred to under this name by his soldiers on account of his Roman - nose. - -=Nothing succeeds like Success.= When a man is successful the world bows - before him. Each fresh enterprise is crowned with success, because - there is an abiding public faith in the man who has made money or - hit the popular taste. His intrinsic merits may be no greater than - those of the poor devil who has systematically failed; yet what he - lacks himself he readily finds in his subordinates, whom he can - afford to pay, while the credit is all his own. - -=Notions.= An Americanism for small wares or trifles in regard to dress. - -=Not much.= An Americanism for “of no consequence.” - -=Not quite the Cheese.= A saying which originated with those who - insisted on being served with prime Stilton or double Glo’ster. - -=Nottingham.= Called by the Anglo-Saxons _Snottengaham_, “a place of - caves.” The name is partly Celtic, and little doubt exists that the - Britons made their habitations in the caverns with which this county - abounds. - -=Nottingham Place.= After the county estates of the Duke of Portland, - the great ground landlord. A goodly portion of Sherwood Forest is - included in this ducal possession. - -=Notting Hill.= Properly “Knolton Barn Hill,” the ancient description of - a manor of the De Veres, which in the time of Henry VIII. was held - by Robert Fenroper, an alderman of the city of London. - -=Not worth a Dam.= See “Don’t care a Dam.” - -=Not worth a Rap.= A rap was an Irish copper coin issued early in the - eighteenth century to supply a long-felt need for very small money. - Nominally worth a halfpenny, its metal was so thin and base that it - never passed for more than a farthing. Its infinitesimal value - consequently gave rise to this expression. - -=Not worth a Song.= A song is worth nothing at all after its popularity - has waned. The good old songs live on account of their intrinsic - merits, but they were not pushed into public favour by adventitious - methods at the time of publication. Those of our day are ground out - of street pianos and sung everywhere for a brief season, then heard - no more. - -=Nova Scotia.= This name, expressive of “New Scotland,” was bestowed - upon the island by Sir William Alexander, a Scotsman, to whom James - I. granted a charter of colonisation in 1621. - -=Nova Zembla.= From the Slavonic _Nowaja Zemlja_, “new land.” - -=November.= From _novem_, nine, the ninth month of the Roman calendar - when the year commenced with March. - -=Noyau.= Expresses the French for the stone or nut of a fruit; hence the - name given to a cordial flavoured with the kernel of the bitter - almond or peach stone. - -=Nun.= From the Italian _nonna_, a grandmother. Those who retired into - convents originally were aged women. It was only in modern times - that seminaries for girls were established in convents; this opened - the way to maidens becoming deeply imbued with religious ideas and - secluding themselves from the world by taking the veil. - -=Nunhead.= From a tea garden and holiday resort known to Londoners as - “The Nun’s Head” ever since the days of James I. - -=Nutcrackers.= The 3rd Foot, so called because they boasted of having - broken the heads of the Polish Lancers at the battle of Albuera. - -=Nutcrack Night.= Another name for All Hallows’ Eve, when nuts are laid - on the fire bars to crack, as a relic of an ancient kind of - divination. - -=Nutmeg State.= Connecticut, whose people were believed to manufacture - wooden nutmegs for exportation. - - - O - - -=Oak Apple Day.= Another name for Royal Oak Day (29th May), when people - formerly wore oak leaves or oak apples in their hats to commemorate - the manner in which the partisans of Charles II. welcomed his return - to England on his birthday, 1651. This was, of course, in allusion - to his concealment in an oak-tree near Boscobel House, Shropshire, - after the battle of Worcester, on 3rd September previous. - -=Oakley Square.= After Oakley House, near Bedford, one of the country - seats of the Duke of Bedford, the ground landlord. - -=Oaks Stakes.= So called from a Lodge or Club-House built among the oaks - by the Hunters’ Club, and afterwards converted into an inn, known as - “Lambert’s Oaks,” after the name of its landlord. - -=Obiter Scripta.= Latin for a thing written in passing, a note by the - way. - -=Observants.= The name borne by those monastic orders whose members - adhere to the strict rule laid down by their pious founders in - contradistinction to others styled “Conventuals,” who, like the - secular clergy, take upon themselves the performance of parochial - duties. - -=Obstropulous.= A corruption of the word “obstreperous,” inclined to - quarrelling. - -=Ocean Greyhound.= A fast Atlantic steamer belonging to one of the great - lines. - -=Octavo.= A sheet of printing paper which, when folded and cut, makes - eight leaves or sixteen pages. - -=October.= The eighth month of the Roman calendar when the year began - with March. - -=Octroi.= The name given to a toll or tax levied upon market produce - passing through the gates of a town. It comes from the Latin - _auctoritas_, authority. - -=Odder.= Colloquial for one who obtains a livelihood by doing odd jobs. - -=Oddfellows.= This friendly society originated with five Manchester - shoemakers who in 1812 were accustomed to meet after the day’s work. - It having occurred to one of them how his family would fare if, - through sickness, he should be unable to follow his occupation, and - thinking it would be wise to make some provision against such a - contingency, he proposed that each of them should subscribe a few - pence weekly towards a common sick fund. The idea was at once taken - up. They called themselves Oddfellows because they numbered five. - Others soon joined the little society, and from these humble - beginnings it grew into a powerful organisation. - -=Odd rot it.= A perversion of the Crusaders’ curse: “God rot them!” - meaning the Saracens, the enemies of Christianity. - -=Odds Bodkins.= A perversion of “God’s Body,” in allusion to the - Eucharist. This oath was not considered profane during the Ages of - Faith. - -=Odds Fish.= A favourite exclamation of Charles II. It was a corruption - of “God’s Flesh,” or the Body of Christ. - -=Odds Splutter.= A corruption of the Dutch oath _Got’s plut_, “God’s - Blood,” introduced into England during the reign of William III. - -=Odd Zounds.= A corruption of “God’s Wounds.” See “Zounds.” - -=Off Colour.= To look pale and sickly. - -=Off the Hooks.= An expression meaning “beyond hope of requisition for - further service,” “completely done for,” whether on the score of - chronic ill health, lunacy, or old age. This originally had - reference to the Maypole stored away in Shaft Alley, Leadenhall - Street, and perhaps other Maypoles elsewhere of post-Reformation - days. As long as it rested “on the hooks” there was a likelihood of - its being once more called into service. See “St Andrew Undershaft.” - -=Ohio.= Indian for “beautiful.” - -=O.K.= This arose out of an Irishman’s endorsement for goods passed by - him, as he would have spelt out the words “Orl Korrect.” - -=Old Bags.= The nickname of Lord Eldon, because he always carried about - with him, in separate brief bags, the cases on which he had to pass - judgment. - -=Old Bailey.= From the Latin _ballium_, a rampart, through the French - _baille_. The term “Bailey” expressed the open space or court - between a castle and the embattlements. Seeing that Lud Gate stood - in line with this street at its southern extremity, there must have - been a keep or fortification behind the Roman Wall where the - Sessions House came to be built. The name was therefore retained - after the wall was demolished. - -=Old Bold Fifth.= The 5th Fusiliers, which regiment has distinguished - itself for valorous deeds in many campaigns. - -=Old Bond Street.= See “Bond Street.” - -=Old Broad Street.= With the exception of Cheapside, this was the widest - thoroughfare in Old London, all the others being similar to what Old - Change is at the present day. During Elizabeth’s reign Old Broad - Street constituted the residence of the wealthiest citizens. - -=Old Buffer.= The colloquial term for a short, thick-set elderly man, - whose big paunch suggests a railway buffer. - -=Old Bullion.= See “Bullion State.” - -=Old Burlington Street.= See “Burlington Street.” - -=Old Carthusians.= Old scholars of the “Charter House.” - -=Old Catholics.= The followers in Germany of the late Dr Döllinger, who - separated from the Roman Catholic Communion after the promulgation - of the dogma of Papal Infallibility in 1870. - -=Old Cavendish Street.= See “Cavendish Square.” - -=Old Change.= So called from “The King’s Exchange,” where the bullion - was anciently stored prior to being sent to the shearers or clippers - at the neighbouring Mint. See “Sermon Lane.” - -=Old Charlies.= See “Charlies.” - -=Old Christmas Day.= Twelfth Day, because, according to the old style - calendar, Christmas Day fell on what is now 6th January. - -=Old Compton Street.= See “Compton Street.” - -=Old Dominion.= Virginia, on account of its documentary description, - “the Colony and Dominion of Virginia.” - -=Old England.= This term was first applied to the Mother Country after - the colonisation of New England in North America. - -=Old Fogey.= A term derived from the Danish _fjog_, a stupid old man, - one in his dotage. - -=Old Fox.= The sobriquet of Marshal Soult on account of his strategic - cunning. - -=Old Grog.= The nickname of Admiral Edward Vernon, who always wore a - grogram cloak in foul weather. - -=Old Harry.= A corruption of “Old Hairy,” as applied to the Devil. - -=Oldham.= Expresses the old home or settlement. - -=Old Hat.= A country tavern sign which must have been the original when - the same premises was devoted to some other business, in days - characterised by the display of signs by tradesmen generally. - -=Old Hickory.= “Hickory” is an Americanism used adjectively for anyone - who is tough, obstinate, or hard, after the tree of the same name. - General Andrew Jackson merited the nickname of “Old Hickory” from - his own soldiers on account of his tough, unyielding disposition. - Its origin is thus explained by Parton, the author of the - President’s “Life”: “The name of ‘Old Hickory’ was not an - instantaneous inspiration, but a growth. First of all, the remark - was made by some soldier, who was struck with his commander’s - pedestrian powers, that the General was tough. Next it was observed - that he was as tough as hickory. Then he was called ‘Hickory.’ - Lastly, the affectionate ‘Old’ was prefixed, and the General - thenceforth rejoiced in the completed nickname, usually the - first-won honour of a great commander.” - -=Old Jewry.= The original Jewish quarter of the city of London. See - “Jewin Street.” - -=Old Kent Road.= The South London portion of the Roman highway to Dover. - -=Old Lady of Threadneedle Street.= The popular name of the Bank of - England. There is a tradition that towards the end of the eighteenth - century a demented old lady wandered up and down Threadneedle Street - day by day for a long period until she suddenly disappeared. It was - generally assumed that this old lady of Threadneedle Street must - have been waiting for someone who had passed into the Bank, and, - according to her idea, never came out again. When, therefore, in - 1797 the Bank threatened a temporary stoppage of payment, and - one-pound notes were issued, John Gilray, the artist, published a - caricature entitled “The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street in Danger.” - Since that time the Bank has been colloquially referred to by this - title. - -=Old Line State.= Maryland, whose famous regiment, the Old Maryland - Line, saved the prestige of the army when Lord Cornwallis’s - Grenadiers broke the American lines at Loughland. - -=Old North State.= North Carolina, from its relative position to South - Carolina. - -=Old Paulines.= Old scholars of St Paul’s School. - -=Old Pye Street.= See “New Way.” - -=Old Quebec Street.= Laid out and built upon soon after the capture of - Quebec by General Wolfe in 1759. - -=Old Rep.= Short for “Old Reprobate.” - -=Old Rowley.= A sobriquet of Charles II., from the name of his favourite - race-horse. - -=Old Rye.= A United States term for old whisky distilled from rye. - -=Old Salt.= An old sailor who has sniffed the brine of the ocean from - his youth. - -=Old Scotland Yard.= See “Scotland Yard.” - -=Old Soldiers.= An Americanism for cigar-ends, because they are the - remnants of the originals that have done good service. - -=Old Sport.= An Americanism for a broken-down gambler. - -=Old Tom.= The name first given to gin by Thomas Norris, who, after - having long been employed in the distillery of Messrs Hodges, opened - a gin palace in Covent Garden, and perpetuated the affectionate name - of “Old Tom Chamberlain,” his former master. - -=Old Toughs.= The nickname of the 103rd Foot, merited during the Indian - Mutiny. - -=Old Woman.= In stage parlance an actress who plays old women’s parts. A - fine distinction is, however, drawn between “old women” and what are - called “Aristocratic Old Women.” - -=On the Tapis.= _Tapis_ is French for a carpet; expressive also of the - cloth or kind of tapestry which covered the table in the Council - Chamber when French was the language spoken at the English Court. - -=On the Tenterhooks.= To have one’s curiosity fully aroused; on the - tiptop of expectation. The phrase has been derived from the mode of - tentering or stretching cloth upon hooks after it is woven. - -=On the Tiptoe of Expectation.= A phrase derived from the crowds - awaiting a public procession. As soon as the music is heard everyone - stands on tiptoe, and looks in the direction whence the sounds - proceed. - -=Oof.= A slang term for “money”; derived from the legendary “Oof Bird,” - which from the Latin, _ovum_, an egg, traces its origin to the goose - with the golden eggs. - -=Olive Branches.= A man’s children are so designated from the Biblical - simile in Psalm cxxviii. 3: “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by - the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about - thy table.” - -=Olla Podrida.= A Spanish term for a mixture of meat and vegetables - collected in a common pot for cooking as required. In a literary - sense it signifies a miscellany of short productions. The French - equivalent for the term is _pot-pourri_, which is also employed - figuratively. - -=Omnibus.= The dative Latin plural of _omnes_, all. In a public vehicle - of this kind there is room for many, without class distinction. - -=One-horse.= A term used adjectively for anything mean or insignificant. - This figure of speech is derived from agriculture. - -=Oneida.= Indian for “people of the beacon stone.” - -=Ontario.= From the Indian _Onontae_, which expresses “the village on - the mountain,” whence the tribe of the Onondagas derive their name. - -=On this Side of Jordan.= An Americanism for “in this life” or “in this - world.” - -=Opal.= From the Sanskrit _opula_, through the Latin _opalus_, a - precious stone. - -=Oporto.= Portuguese for “the harbour.” - -=Orange Lilies.= The 35th Foot, so called on account of the facings on - their uniform. - -=Orangemen.= The Protestants in the northern provinces of Ireland, so - called on account of their adherence to William III., Prince of - Orange, in opposition to the “Jacobites” or the adherents of the - Stuart king, James II. - -=Orange Peel.= One of the nicknames of Sir Robert Peel, owing to his - strong anti-Catholic spirit. See “Orangemen.” - -=Orange River.= This, the largest river in South Africa, received its - name from the colour of its waters when in flood. - -=Orange River Free State.= This name was given by the “Boers” to what is - now British territory in South Africa because its early settlers - were also emigrants from the principality of Orange in Holland. Its - new title is the Orange River Colony. - -=Orange Street.= In compliment to William III., Prince of Orange. - -=Orator Henley.= The sobriquet of John Henley, an English divine who in - 1726 attracted large and fashionable congregations in a so-called - “Oratory” or chapel in Newport Market. - -=Oratorio.= A term derived from the fact that the first sacred musical - dramas or cantatas were performed in the Church of the Oratorians, - which religious Order was founded by St Philip Nero at Rome in 1540. - -=Orchard Street.= Off Portman Square, after Orchard Portman, one of the - country seats of the Portmans in Somersetshire. At Westminster, from - the ancient orchard belonging to the Abbey. - -=Orchestra.= A Greek term applied to the place in the theatre allotted - to the chorus of the dancers. Among the moderns it expresses the - place assigned to the instrumentalists. - -=Orchid.= From the Greek _orchis_, a testicle, which the root of this - plant resembles. - -=Oregon.= From the Spanish _Oregano_, “wild majorum,” which grows - abundantly in this state. - -=Orellana.= The original name of the “Amazon” River, after its - navigator. - -=Oriel College.= This college at Oxford was built in 1326 by Adam de - Brome, the Almoner of Edward II., and called by him St Mary’s - College. A few years later Edward III. added to its revenues a rich - messuage hard by known as “Le Oriel,” from which circumstance the - foundation received the name which it now bears. - -=Orinoco.= Indian for “coiling snake.” - -=Orion Horne.= One of the sobriquets of Richard Horne, author of - “Orion,” which acquired an exceptional notoriety on account of its - being published at the low price of one farthing. - -=Orkney Isles.= Under the name of _Orcades_ these are mentioned by the - ancient geographers. _Orkney_ is Gaelic for “Isle of Whales.” - -=Orleans.= A corruption of _Aureliani_, after the Roman Emperor - Aurelian. - -=Orloff Diamond.= This gem, weighing 194 carats, and purchased by - Catherine II. of Russia in 1775, preserves the family name of that - Empress. - -=Orme Square.= After the name of a printseller of Bond Street who bought - the land and built upon it. - -=Orrery.= After the Earl of Orrery, who first caused one to be made. - -=Osnaburg Street.= Named in compliment to Frederick, Duke of York and - Albany, the last sovereign-bishop of Osnaburg in Hanover. - -=Ossulton Street.= See “Lisson Grove.” - -=Ostend.= Literally the east end of Flanders in Belgium. - -=Ostler.= From the French _hostelier_, an innkeeper. - -=Oswestry.= A corruption of Oswaldstry, the “place of Oswald,” where - Oswald, King of Northumbria, was slain in 642. Evidence of this is - afforded by the original name of Oswald’s Well, which yields a - spring of pure water. - -=Ottawa.= Expresses the Indian for “traders.” - -=Ottoman Empire.= That of the Turks, founded by Othman I. at the - commencement of the fourteenth century. - -=Ouida.= The pseudonym of Louise de la Ramée. This was suggested to her - at the very commencement of her literary career by the infantile - perversion of Louise into “Ouida.” - -=Ouse.= From the Celtic _uisg_, water. - -=Out of Collar.= Out of harness and the working habit. A horse has the - collar slipped over its neck when put to work. - -=Out of Sorts.= A technical phrase in the printing trade. “Sorts” are - the different sizes and kinds of type used by a compositor. At times - he runs short of “sorts,” so that the composition of the particular - work in hand has to be suspended until the required sorts are - obtained, either by distributing old matter put up in paper or - sending to the typefounder’s for a new supply. Hence a person - indisposed for work confesses to being “out of sorts.” - -=Ovidius Naso.= See “Naso.” - -=Oxford.= Cited in Domesday Book as _Oxeneford_. Literally a ford for - the passage of oxen across the River Isis. - -=Oxford Blues.= The Royal Horse Guards, from their dark blue uniforms - and the circumstance that this regiment of horse was first raised by - Aubrey, Earl of Oxford, soon after the Restoration. - -=Oxford Movement.= The great Catholic revival in England, which, midway - in the last century, resulted in the passing over of many of the - most eminent Oxford scholars to the Church of Rome. - -=Oxford Street.= After Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford and Mortimer, - landlord of the estate north of this principal thoroughfare. - -=Oyez, Oyez.= The old French ceremonial exclamation (“Hear ye, hear - ye!”) to enjoin silence. This obtained in our own country when - French was the language of the Court. In modern times it has been - corrupted by Court criers and town bellmen into “O yes, O yes.” - -=Oyster Part.= In theatrical parlance a part which contains only one - line or speech; like an oyster, the actor opens his mouth but once. - - - P - - -=Pacha.= See “Pasha.” - -=Pacific Ocean.= So called by Magellan, who, after a tempestuous passage - through the straits which bear his name, enjoyed a cruise of three - months and twenty-one days across this ocean in continuous fine - weather, and with the advantage of favourable winds. - -=Pack Horse.= An inn sign denoting that the establishment provided - accommodation for “Packmen,” and also that pack horses were let out - on hire. - -=Packmen.= The old name for commercial travellers, whose goods or - samples were carried in packs or sacks fastened to the saddle of a - pack horse. - -=Paddington.= The ancient description of this parish was “Padynton,” the - settlement of the Pædings. Another branch of the same family gave - its name to “Padendene”--_i.e._ the wooded valley of the Pædings in - Surrey. - -=Paddington Street.= Originally a narrow lane leading northward on to - the common known as Paddington Fields. - -=Paddle your own Canoe.= Originally a Western phrase for self-reliance. - A canoe is an Indian boat affording room for one person. If he - cannot paddle it himself no one else is in a position to help him. - The expression became extremely popular in England through a song of - this title thirty years ago. - -=Paddy.= The common name for an Irishman, being short for “Pat,” after - St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. - -=Pagan.= This term had at first not the slightest connection with - religion. Derived from the Latin _pagus_, the country, a _paganus_ - denoted a peasant or villager. Removed from the refinement of the - cities such a one had, of course, very little acquaintance with the - complicated system of Roman mythology. On this account only could it - be said that those who remained unconverted to Christianity were - Pagans. - -=Page Green.= See “Seven Sisters’ Road.” - -=Painted Hall.= The picture gallery of Greenwich Hospital received this - name on account of its superbly painted ceiling. - -=Painter.= The rope by which the “Jolly Boat” or any other is attached - to a vessel, so called from the Latin _panther_, through the French - _pantier_, a drag net. - -=Paint the Town.= An Americanism for a night’s drunken frolic; the - allusion is to a drunkard’s red nose. - -=Palace Car.= An Americanism for a “Pullman” or Saloon car. - -=Palaver.= From the Portuguese _palavra_, “a talk.” - -=Pale Faces.= The name popularly bestowed upon the whites by the North - American Indians. - -=Palestine.= From the Hebrew _Palæstina_, “the land of strangers.” This - was the ancient _Philistia_, the country of the Philistines, a term - derived like that of Palestine from the root _phalash_, to emigrate - or wander. - -=Pall Mall.= From a species of croquet, called _Paille Maille_, - introduced by Charles II. after his involuntary exile in France, and - played by him and his courtiers here when the thoroughfare was open - to St James’s Park. - -=Palmer.= The name bestowed upon a “Pilgrim” returning from the Holy - Land who carried a palm branch, usually affixed to his head-gear, as - a proof that he had actually accomplished his self-imposed task. On - arriving at the place whence he had set out he repaired to the - church or chapel, and offered the palm to the parish priest, who - laid it on the altar on his behalf. - -=Palmetto City.= Augusta, the capital of the Palmetto State. - -=Palmetto State.= South Carolina, from the palmetto-tree in her arms. - During the Civil War the soldiers of this state bore the name of - “Palmetto Boys.” - -=Palm it off.= A phrase derived from the usual procedure of a conjurer, - who is an adept at concealing in the palm of his hand that which he - pretends to have “passed” elsewhere. - -=Palm Oil.= A bribe placed in the hand of a servant makes him the more - willing to throw open the apartment of the great man to whom one - wishes to gain access. - -=Palm Sunday.= From the palms distributed to the congregation by the - Catholic Church in commemoration of Christ’s entry into the city of - Jerusalem, when the populace strewed palm branches and leaves in His - path. - -=Palmy Days of the Drama.= The days of our greatest exponents of the - Drama, so called because, had such celebrated histriones as Garrick, - Mrs Siddons, the Keans, and the Kembles lived in the time of the - Romans, they would have been awarded a palm branch in recognition of - their genius. - -=Palsgrave Place.= In honour of Frederick, King of Bohemia, Palsgrave of - the Rhine, married to the Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I. - -=Pam.= The popular name of Lord Palmerston. - -=Pamphlet.= After Pamphilia, a Greek lady who kept a commonplace book - for the collection of anecdotes and literary memoranda. - -=Panama.= Expresses the Carribean for “mud fish,” with which the shores - of this isthmus abound. - -=Panama Hat.= A corruption of “Palmata Hat,” from the primitive head - covering in equatorial South America made out of the large leaf of - the _Cardulavia palmata_ tree. - -=Pancake Tuesday.= From the pancakes eaten on this day. The custom arose - in Catholic days with a view to using up the eggs and lard that were - interdicted during Lent; also because pancakes were an excellent - stay to the appetite while the faithful had to wait long hours in - church to be _shrived_ by the priest in the confessional. - -=Pancras Road.= From Old St Pancras parish church. New St Pancras church - is situated in the Euston Road. - -=Panel Den.= An Americanism for a brothel, in which the rooms are - panelled off into small compartments. - -=Pan-Handle State.= West Virginia, on account of its shape, rising up - like a wedge between Pennsylvania and Ohio. - -=Panorama.= Expresses the Greek for “a view of the whole,” as would be - obtained from a monument or a natural eminence. This is the correct - description of a picture exhibited in a circular building, where the - spectators are placed in the centre; not at all of an old form of - picture entertainment at one end of a hall, which approximates to a - _Diorama_, because conformably to _di_, through, it is viewed - through the darkness. - -=Pantaloon.= One of the characters of the Italian comedy or “Pantomime,” - so called because he was typical of the Venetians, wearing, like - them, originally a close-fitting garment made all in one piece, - known as a _pantaleone_. The Venetians were nicknamed _Pantaleone_ - (“all lion”) from their common patron, St Mark, whose symbol was a - lion; hence the application of the term pantaloons to tight-fitting - knickerbockers or trousers. - -=Pantaloonery.= An Americanism for trouser material. See “Pantaloon.” - -=Pantechnicon.= A Greek word compounded out of _pan_, all, and _techne_, - art. The large vehicle of this name was first used exclusively for - the conveyance of pictures and art treasures to exhibitions. - -=Pantheism.= From the Greek _pan_, all, and _theos_, God; the religion - which recognises the Spirit of God moving throughout all the - processes, works, and glories of His creation. The single doctrine - expressed by Pantheism is that “God is everything, and everything is - God.” - -=Pantheon.= The Roman temple erected in honour of the gods collectively, - so called from the Greek _pan_, all, and _theos_, god. - -=Pantomime.= In the modern sense a pantomime is an entertainment in - which current events or fashionable foibles are introduced by way of - burlesque. Formerly it denoted a performance of Italian comedy in - which the action took place in dumb show, so called from the Greek - _pantomimos_, an imitator of all or everything. The Roman _mimes_ or - _mimi_ were not theatrical performers, but mutes at funerals, whose - function it was to imitate the characteristic actions of the - deceased--_e.g._ the virtue of generosity. - -=Panton Street.= After a noted gamester, Colonel Thomas Panton, whose - daughter became connected by marriage with the family of the ground - landlord, Lord Arundel of Wardour. - -=Pants.= Short for “pantaloons,” an Americanism for trousers. See - “Pantaloon.” - -=Panyer Alley.= This was an alley behind an ancient church facing - Cheapside, where the bakers stood with their bread paniers. The word - “panier” is French for a bread basket. - -=Pan’s Pipes.= The primitive reed instrument named after Pan, the god of - shepherds. - -=Pansy.= From the French “penseé,” which in the Language of Flowers - means “thoughts.” - -=Papa.= See “Pope.” - -=Papal Bull.= So called on account of the _bulla_, a seal embellished - with the symbol of St Peter. - -=Paper.= From the Greek _papyros_, the Egyptian plant out of the reeds - of which the earliest writing material was made. - -=Paper King.= John Law, the projector of the Mississippi Scheme, whose - prospectus promised fortunes that were never realised by the - luckless speculators. - -=Papua.= Expresses the Portuguese for “frizzled.” This name was bestowed - upon the natives of New Guinea on account of their enormous heads of - frizzled hair. - -=Parachute.= From the Greek _para_, “beyond,” and the French _chute_, “a - fall.” - -=Paraquay.= Expresses the Brazilian for the country of the _Para_, or - “great river.” - -=Parasol.= This term is now obsolete, having been superseded by - “Sunshade.” Derived through the Italian _parasole_, from the Greek - _para_, beyond, and _sol_, the sun, its meaning was synonymous with - that of its modern substitute. - -=Parchment.= From the Greek _pergamenos_, through the French - _parchemin_, so called after Pergamos, the city of Asia Minor where, - consequent upon Ptolemy’s prohibition of the exportation of the - Egyptian papyrus, dried goatskins were first utilised for a writing - material. - -=Paris.= Called by the Romans _Lutetia Parisiorum_, a name signifying - the collection of mud huts inhabited by the _Parisii_, a Gallic - tribe conquered by them. - -=Paris Garden.= A notorious bear-baiting establishment in South London - for several centuries, so called after Robert de Paris in the reign - of Richard I. The entrance thereto is fixed by what bears the name - of Bear Garden at the corner of Sumner Street, Borough. - -=Park Lane.= Originally a narrow lane skirting the east side of Hyde - Park; it is now one of the most fashionable streets in the West End - of London. - -=Park Street.= Leads westward from Camden Town to Regent’s Park. - -=Parker Street.= In honour of Archbishop Parker, who founded two - fellowships and five scholarships at Corpus Christi College, - Cambridge, in addition to presenting it with a valuable library of - ancient manuscripts. This street was at one time called Bennet - Street, after the original name of the college, from the adjacent - church of St Benedict. - -=Parliament.= From the French _parlerment_, founded on the Latin verb - _parler_, to speak. See “Parlour.” - -=Parliamentarians.= The forces under the Parliament of the Commonwealth - under Cromwell during the Civil War with Charles I. and the - Royalists. - -=Parliamentary Whip.= One whose duty it is to hunt up Members of the - House of Commons when questions of grave import are being put to the - vote. - -=Parliament of Dunces.= That convened at Coventry by Henry IV. in 1404 - because it did not number among its members a single lawyer. Sir - Edward Coke styled this the “Unlearned” and also the “Lawless - Parliament.” - -=Parlour.= Originally the apartment reserved for visitors where - conversation could be indulged undisturbed. See “Parliament.” - -=Parnellites.= The Home Rule party in Ireland during the lifetime of - their political leader, Charles Stewart Parnell. - -=Parry Islands.= Discovered by Rear-Admiral Sir William Parry in the - course of his search for the North-West Passage. - -=Parsees.= The modern designation of the Zoroastrians or Fire - Worshippers in Persia and India. The Parsees were the original - inhabitants of Persia, a wild Ayrian family called the _Parsa_, - meaning “The Tigers.” By the Greeks the territory they overran was - styled _Perseus_, on account of their chief stronghold, - _Persipolis_, “the city of the Parsa,” the ruins of which may yet be - seen. The modern Parsees are therefore descendants of those who - refused to embrace Mohammedanism. - -=Parsons Green.= Prior to the year 1740 the parsonage of Fulham Parish - Church stood facing this green. On its roof was a cross which bore - the name of “Parson’s Cross,” afterwards corrupted into “Percy - Cross.” - -=Partridge Day.= The first of September, when partridge shooting - commences. - -=Pasha.= A Western corruption of the Turkish “Pashaw,” from the Persian - _bâshâ_, a governor or ruler of a province under the _Shah_ or King. - -=Passenger Pigeon.= So called on account of its migratory habits. This - species is found chiefly in America. - -=Passing Bell.= That rung at the parish church to announce publicly that - the soul of a parishioner has just passed away. - -=Passion Flower.= The traditional reverence for this favourite flower is - due to a fancied resemblance of its tints and various parts to the - instruments of Christ’s Passion; also because it remains open for - three days, corresponding to the period between the Last Supper and - the Resurrection. - -=Passionists.= A missionary Order founded by St Francis de Paulo, - otherwise “St Paul of the Cross,” for the preaching of “Christ’s - Passion and Him Crucified.” - -=Passion Play.= An alfresco sacred drama based upon the incidents of - Christ’s Passion and Death; that performed every tenth year at - Oberammergau is world famous. - -=Passion Sunday.= Although this should properly be the first day of what - is called Passion Week, Palm Sunday is in a sense a feast day, in - allusion to the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem. The - Sunday previous is therefore set apart for a general commemoration - of the Passion--all crosses, statues, and paintings in the churches - being draped in purple, with a view to concentrating the attention - of the worshippers on the sufferings of the Redeemer. - -=Passion Week.= The week in which Good Friday occurs, in commemoration - of Christ’s Passion. - -=Passive Resister.= One who in our own day passively resists the - imposition of the Education Rate by allowing his goods to be seized - or going to prison instead of resorting to active measures of - violence. - -=Passover.= The great Jewish festival commemorative of the Destroying - Angel having passed over or spared the houses of the Israelites - whose doorposts were sprinkled with the blood of the lamb slain - overnight by Divine command. The Hebrew term for this festival is - _Pesach_, whence “Pasch” has been derived. - -=Pastoral Letter.= One addressed by a bishop to his flock. As his title - implies, he is an overseer, and his crook is symbolical of a - shepherd. - -=Pat.= See “Paddy.” - -=Patagonia.= This name, from the Spanish _patagon_, a large, clumsy - foot, was given by Magellan to the country because, seeing the - impressions of the great shoes worn by the natives, he imagined them - to be giants. - -=Paternoster Row.= Two reasons are assigned for this designation. The - Row was the locale of the makers of “Pater Nosters,” or rosary - beads, so called from the name of the first large bead, and the - sellers of religious texts and prayer-books. Also because on great - festival days the monks went in solemn procession to St Paul’s, the - recital of the Pater Noster being commenced at the eastern corner of - the lane, outside the churchyard, and concluded at the western - extremity, where the Ave Maria was then taken up. See “Amen Corner.” - -=Pathfinder.= The surname of General John Charles Fremont, the leader of - four exploring expeditions across the Rocky Mountains. - -=Patricians.= See “Plebeians.” - -=Paul’s Chain.= This lane, on the south side of the Paul’s Churchyard, - formerly had a chain drawn across it during divine service; hence - its name. - -=Paul Veronese.= The better-known name of the celebrated Italian painter - Paulo Cagliari, who was born at Verona. - -=Pawn.= In relation to the game of chess. The ordinary piece or “man” - bears this name from the French _peon_, a walker or foot soldier, - the superior pieces being kings, queens, knights, castles, and - bishops. An article left in the charge of a pawnbroker is called a - pawn, from the French _pan_, a pledge. - -=Pawnbroker.= See “Pawn” and “Broker.” - -=Peabody Buildings.= After George Peabody, the American philanthropist, - who left a huge fortune in trust for the building of “model - dwellings” for the poorer classes. His statue, at the back of the - Royal Exchange, was unveiled 23rd July 1869. - -=Peach.= A schoolboy term for to inform against another. In allusion to - the fruit of this name, it means to turn soft-hearted, and betray. - In American the word is used to denote a pretty woman or anything - soft and beautiful. - -=Peacock.= An inn sign dating from the Crusades, when, the flesh of the - peacock being deemed incorruptible, this bird was adopted by many a - knight as a crest, typical of the Resurrection. “By the peacock” was - a common oath in those days. - -=Pearl Bible.= So called from the name of the printing type employed in - its composition. - -=Peckham.= A corruption of _Beckham_, a home or settlement among the - becks or brooks. - -=Peckham Rye.= In its application to common, the word “Rye” comes from - the Anglo-Saxon _ree_, a watercourse. - -=Peculiar People.= Originally those who believed that disease was the - direct consequence of sin, and that by prayer alone could it be - removed. See “Faith Healers.” - -=Pedlar.= An itinerant trader, so called in conformity with the Latin - _pedes_, the feet. - -=Pedro the Cruel.= The surname of the King of Castile and Leon, who, - midway in the fourteenth century, murdered his two brothers and - poisoned his queen. How he meted out punishment to those outside his - own family may be guessed. - -=Peeler.= The old name for a policeman, after Sir Robert Peel, to whom - the introduction of the modern system of Watch and Ward was due. - -=Peep O’Day Boys.= Irish insurrectionists who broke into the houses of - the people at peep of day in search of arms. They were not averse to - carrying off other plunder at the same time. - -=Peewit.= This bird is so called from its characteristic notes. - -=Peg Away.= Originally a camping phrase. When a tent is being put up it - is necessary to secure its ropes to the ground on all sides before - the work can be left, lest the whole structure, caught by the wind, - should be blown down. - -=Pekin.= Chinese for “northern capital.” - -=Pelican State.= Louisiana, from the pelican in her arms. - -=Pembroke.= Called by the Welsh “Penbroshire,” signifying the _pen_ or - head of the _bro_ or country; literally the Land’s End. - -=Pembroke College.= Founded at Cambridge in 1348 by the widow of Aylmar - de Valence, Earl of Pembroke. - -=Peninsula State.= Florida. - -=Penitentiary.= The modern name for a “Magdalen Hospital,” designed as a - home or refuge for fallen women who are penitent. This term was - adopted also by the Quakers of Philadelphia in 1786 for a prison. - -=Penknife.= A small pocket-knife intended primarily for cutting quill - pens. Though quills are no longer in fashion, save among lawyers and - bankers, and the penknife is serviceable only for trimming one’s - finger nails, its original name survives. - -=Pennsylvania.= From the Latin _sylva_, a wood; expresses the colony in - the wood founded by William Penn. - -=Penny.= From the Danish _pennig_ and German _pfennig_, a copper coin of - full value. This was originally nicked across to admit of being - broken into halves and quarters. - -=Penny Blood.= The modern substitute for the “Penny Dreadful.” The term - “Blood” is short for a blood-curdling relation. - -=Penny Gaff.= The term applied to a low-class theatre, in allusion to - the first Drury Lane Theatre, built on the site of a famous cockpit. - _Gaff_ was but another name for a cockpit, expressing as it did in - various languages the iron hook, fork, or spur with which the cocks - were goaded when they showed a reluctance to fight. - -=Penny Wedding.= One to which all the villagers are invited, each - contributing his or her quota to the expenses of the feast amounting - to less than a shilling, while children uniformly bring a penny. - -=Pennyweight.= Anciently, before standard weights came into use, the - weight of a Norman silver penny. - -=Penrith.= A corruption of “Perith,” from Perith Hill, at the foot of - which the town is situated. The name is Celtic for “red hill,” in - allusion to the red stone quarried on the spot. - -=Pensioner Parliament.= That of Charles II., which, though it lasted - sixteen years and a half, was more remarkable for the bestowal of - pensions upon the adherents of the King than for the framing of new - laws. - -=Pentateuch.= A Greek word compounded out of _penta_, five, and - _teuchos_, an implement, tool. This name was given to the first five - books collectively of the Old Testament, its second portion being - applicable in the sense of an instrument of direct communication - between God and His people. - -=Pentecost.= From the Greek _pentekoste_, the fiftieth day; relative to - the gift of the Law to the Israelites fifty days after their - deliverance out of the Land of Bondage. This great festival, - corresponding to the Whitsuntide of the Christians, is celebrated by - the Jews on the fiftieth day after the “Passover.” - -=Penton Street.= See “Pentonville.” - -=Pentonville.= Prior to 1773 the whole of this neighbourhood north of - the New Road was open fields. It was then acquired for building - purposes by Henry Penton, M.P., one of the Lords of the Admiralty, - and received its name from “Penton Villa,” his residence, on the - site of what is now Penton Street. - -=Penzance.= Expresses the Celtic for “Saint’s Headland,” in allusion to - St Michael’s Mount. - -=People’s Friend.= The surname of Dr William Gordon of Hull, merited by - his kindly disposition and unfailing generosity. When he died in - 1849 the whole town followed his body to the grave, and the name by - which he had always been known was subsequently chiselled on his - tombstone. - -=Percy Cross.= See “Parsons Green.” - -=Pere La Chaise.= This, the principal cemetery of Paris, originally - constituted the land attached to a beautiful mansion built by a - grocer named Regnault. After his death the property passed into the - hands of a lady, who made it over to the Jesuits of the Rue St - Antoine. Thenceforth the Maison Regnault became the recognised seat - of the Jesuits. In 1705 Pere La Chaise, the confessor of Louis XIV., - was made Superior to the Order, and by the King’s desire the house - received his name. The eventual suppression of the Order caused the - property to be sold and the land converted into a cemetery. - -=Perfectionists.= An American sect of religionists who, relying on the - gift of the Spirit, dispense with civil laws so far as their own - community is concerned. - -=Peripatetics.= The school of philosophy founded by Aristotle, who - taught his disciples in the colonnade or covered walk (styled the - _peripatos_, from _peripatem_, to walk) in the garden of Lyceus at - Athens. - -=Pernambuco.= Expresses the Spanish for “the mouth of hell,” so called - on account of the violent surf, which is such an impediment to the - safe navigation of the mouth of its chief river, the San Francisco. - -=Persia.= The country of the _Parsa_. See “Parsees.” - -=Peru.= From its principal waterway, the Rio Paro, on the banks of which - the ancient city of Paruru is situated. All these names are - modifications of the native _Para_, water or river. - -=Perugino.= See “Il Perugino.” - -=Peter.= A word employed in America for running up the prices at an - auction. It is derived from the Dutch _pethur_, to run, to hurry. - The common name for a confederate of the auctioneer at a mock - auction is a “Peter Funk,” that of the fictitious person to whom the - goods are knocked down. - -=Peter Boat.= One built alike at both ends, so that it can be run out - quickly. See “Peter.” - -=Peterborough.= From the great Benedictine monastery built and dedicated - to St Peter by Oswy, King of Northumbria, in the seventh century. - -=Peterhouse College.= Founded at Cambridge in connection with a hospital - dedicated to St Peter by Hugh de Balsham in 1280. - -=Peterloo Massacre.= The name given to the dispersal of Lancashire - operatives assembled to discuss Parliamentary reform in St Peter’s - Field, Manchester, by an armed force, 10th July 1819. In this melee - many were wounded and several killed. The term was a fanciful one, - suggested by the battle of Waterloo of five years previous to this - event. - -=Peter’s Pence.= An annual contribution throughout the Roman Catholic - world for the upkeep of the vast establishment of the Vatican and - the Papal Court. Since the loss of the Papal States in Italy this - constitutes the sole revenue of the Pope. Anciently it was a tax of - a silver penny in respect of every member of a household. - -=Petrel.= See “Stormy Petrel.” - -=Petticoat.= A smaller or shorter coat, which was the ancient - description of a woman’s outer garment; derived from the Norman - _cotte_. - -=Petticoat Lane.= Another name for “Rag Fair,” the old clothes mart of - the Jews in the East End. Its modern name is Middlesex Street. - -=Petty.= Provincial for an out-house, because its accommodation is - restricted to one person; also called a “Privy,” short for private. - -=Petty Sessions.= A criminal court for the disposal of petty or lesser - felonies, as distinguished from the usual “Quarter Sessions,” where - all graver charges, short of those meriting capital punishment, are - dealt with. - -=Phaeton.= A name derived from the Phaeton of ancient mythology, who, - having received permission to drive the sun car of Helios, his - father, for a day, had the ill fortune to cause it to be overturned, - and thereby almost set the world on fire. - -=Pharmacist.= An Americanism for a chemist; derived, of course, from - “Pharmaceutist,” one who keeps a _pharmacy_ or drug store. - -=Pharisees.= Those of the Jews who affected a greater degree of holiness - than their neighbours, and were consequently regarded as a separate - people. The word is from the Hebrew _pharash_, “separated.” - -=Philadelphia.= Expresses the Greek for “city of brotherly love.” This - name was happily chosen by William Penn for the capital of his - Quaker colony in the New World. - -=Philippe Egalité.= See “Egalité.” - -=Philippi.= A ruined city of Macedonia, named after Philip II. of - Macedon, who conquered it. It was to the _Philippians_, the people - of this city, that St Paul addressed one of his Epistles. - -=Philippic.= A powerful invective or denunciation. So called from a - famous oration of Demosthenes against Philip of Macedon with a view - of arousing the Athenians to repel his ambitious designs. - -=Philippine Islands.= Discovered by Magellan in 1521, he named them in - honour of Philip II. of Spain. - -=Philistines.= The inhabitants of ancient Philistia, or “Palestine.” - Because these were continually at war with the Jews, the term has - been applied by university students to the citizens generally, and - to the preservers of law and order more particularly. “A battle with - the Philistines” is but another name for “a town row.” By the people - of Norfolk too, policemen and bailiffs, likewise earwigs and such - tiny tormentors, are called Philistines. - -=Philistinism.= The name given to that cynicism which sneers at - religion. This arose out of the scorn with which the Philistines of - Palestine regarded the rites and ceremonies of the Israelites. - -=Phiz.= Slang for the face; derived from “Physiogomy.” - -=Phœnicia.= Called by the Greeks _Phoinike_, from _phoinos_, purple, - which colour was discovered by the Tyrians and manufactured by them - for the supply of all the then known Eastern nations. - -=Photograph.= From the two Greek words _photos_, light, and _graphein_, - to write. Accordingly a picture obtained by the action of light and - transferred to paper chemically prepared. - -=Phyrric Dance.= The famous war dance of the ancient Greeks, so called - after Phyrrichos, a flautist of great skill and renown. - -=Pianoforte.= A modern development of the old harpsichord and - clavichord, so called because it was the first musical instrument - which, by means of pedals, admitted the alternations of _piano_, - soft, and _forte_, loud. - -=Piccadilly.= After “Piccadilla Hall,” a once famous mart for the sale - of “piccadilly lace,” having _pica_, or spearlike points. Of this - _pica_, the word _piccadilly_ expressed the diminutive. So - fashionable was this lace during the time of Elizabeth that when in - the succeeding reign of James I. the high ruff came into vogue, it - bore the name of a _piccadilly_, though shorn of its lace edging. - “Piccadilla Hall” must have stood somewhere about the modern circus - of the same name, since there were no houses further afield. - -=Pickaninny.= From the Spanish _pegueno nino_, a little child. - -=Pick-me-up.= A stimulating beverage or a medicinal tonic as a remedy - for languor or lowness of spirits. - -=Pick up.= An Americanism for a cold dinner composed of the fragments of - the previous day’s joint. Sometimes such a one is called a “Pick-up - Dinner.” - -=Picts.= The Lowlanders of Scotland, called by the Romans _picti_, or - painted men, because, they stained their skins with woad. - -=Pie Corner.= It has been considered curious that the Great Fire of - London should have broken out in “Pudding Lane” and ended at Pie - Corner. Scarcely less curious was it that this Pie Corner was an - eating-house. Its sign was “The Pie,” a corruption of “Magpie.” - -=Piedmont.= Expresses the French for “mountain foot.” - -=Pierrot.= French for “Little Peter.” - -=Pig and Whistle.= A tavern sign corrupted from “Piggen Wassail.” Piggen - expressed the Anglo-Saxon for a milking pail, of which _pig_ was the - diminutive. When a large party frequented the alehouse the liquor - was set before them in a _piggen_, each helping himself from it with - his _pig_, or mug. “Wassail” was, of course, the Anglo-Saxon _Was - hæl_ (“Be in health”). See “Hail.” - -=Pigeon English.= That employed by the Chinese in their commercial - relations with Europeans. The word _pigeon_ is a native corruption - of “business,” which it seems impossible for a Chinaman to pronounce - correctly. Their business English is therefore a jargon of many - languages heard by him in the “Open Ports.” - -=Pig in a Poke.= See “Buy a Pig in a Poke” and “Let the Cat out of the - Bag.” - -=Piggott Diamond.= One of the smaller diamonds of celebrity, weighing - 82¼ carats. This was brought to England from India by Lord Piggott - in 1818, when it passed into the hands of Messrs Rundell & Bridge. - -=Pigtails.= The European nickname for the Chinese on account of their - shaven heads and braided pigtails. - -=Pikes.= The name given in California to the poor southern whites, most - of whom came from Pike County, Missouri. See “Pukes.” - -=Pilgrim.= From the Italian _pellegrino_, “a visitor to foreign lands.” - Since the days of Peter the Hermit and the Crusades this term has - been confined to one who travels on foot to worship at a holy - shrine, whether he be a Christian, Mohammedan, or Buddhist. See - “Palmer.” - -=Pillow Lace.= So called because produced by twisted threads around rows - of pins arranged on a cushion or pillow. - -=Pilot Jack.= The name given to the “Union Jack” when flown from the - mast-head in the merchant service as a signal for a pilot. - -=Pimlico.= This was originally a district of tea gardens for holiday - folk, with a _specialité_ for nut-brown ales. It received its name - from Ben Pimlico, the owner of a noted resort in Hoxton on the site - of what is now the Britannia Theatre. The nut-brown ale was first - popularised by this worthy, who could not have regarded the - application of his name to ales purveyed elsewhere with much favour. - From “Pimlico Ales,” the neighbourhood itself soon came to be known - as Pimlico. - -=Pimlico Walk.= It is hard to believe that this was once a regular - holiday promenade for the citizens of London. On Sundays and on - week-day evenings it was thronged, skirting as it did the famous tea - gardens of Ben Pimlico, in whose retired arbours courting couples - softly murmured “sweet nothings.” This resort was to Londoners of a - bygone day what Rosherville is in our own time. From a tea garden it - developed into what was styled a “saloon,” and eventually into a - regular theatre. - -=Pinafore.= Literally an apron pinned on the bosom and at the hips of - the wearer. The modern example of a pinafore with armholes is pinned - or buttoned behind. - -=Pinchbeck.= A mixture of copper, zinc, and tin, out of which metal - watch cases and cheap jewellery were formerly made. So called after - its inventor, Christopher Pinchbeck of Fleet Street. - -=Pindaric Verse.= A style of verse, irregular in regard to metre, - imitative of the Odes of Pindar, the Roman poet. - -=Pine-tree State.= Maine, from the pine-tree distinguished in her arms, - symbolical of her glorious forests. - -=Pin Money.= The allowance made by a husband to his wife in order to - purchase pins for the current year. Such articles were at one time - neither abundant nor cheap. - -=Pin your Faith on it.= An expression derived from the days of - feudalism, when all the dependents of a baron or feudal lord - displayed his badge pinned on the sleeve. Sometimes while on a - predatory expedition of their own these vassals exchanged the badge - for another to prevent recognition. This gave rise to the saying: - “You may wear the badge, but I cannot pin my faith on your sleeve. I - require some further evidence whence you came.” - -=Pipeclay.= The fine white clay out of which clay pipes are made. - -=Pistol.= From _Pistoja_ in Italy, where this kind of small firearm was - first introduced in 1545. - -=Pit.= The floor of a theatre bears this name because the original Drury - Lane Theatre was built by Killigrew on the site of the famous - cockpit in Drury Lane. - -=Pitcairn Island.= Discovered by Captain Cartaret in 1767, and named by - him after one of his officers. - -=Pitchfork.= A fork for pitching hay; also one for determining the - correct pitch of a musical note. - -=Pitt Diamond.= After Thomas Pitt, grandfather of the first Lord - Chatham, who, while Governor of Fort St George in India, purchased - it for £24,000. On coming to England he sold this gem, weighing 136¾ - carats in its cut state, to the Duke of Orleans, Regent of France, - for £130,000, on which account it bears the name also of the “Regent - Diamond.” It decorated the sword hilt of Napoleon I., and after the - battle of Waterloo passed into the hands of the Prussians. - -=Pittsburg.= This city was built on the site of the French Fort - Duquesne. When, after a sanguinary engagement, it was taken from the - allied French and Indians in 1758 by General Forbes, he gave it the - name of Fort Pitt, after the English statesman, William Pitt, Earl - of Chatham. - -=Pius X.= The Vatican Journal _Voce Della Verita_ recently gave an - authorised explanation as to why the present Pope chose to be styled - “Pius the Tenth.” It said: “The Holy Father preferred a name that - would emphasise the undying struggle of the Holy See against the - Revolution. From the very beginning _Pius_ has been the name of - predilection assumed by our most illustrious Pontiffs. His present - Holiness, whose Pontificate opens under a hostile Government, and at - a time when both Pope and State are the victims of imperious - revolution, was determined to adopt the title of ‘Pius the Tenth.’” - -=Plain.= The name given to the Girondist party on the floor of the - French House of Assembly during the Revolution, as opposed to the - “Mountain” party. - -=Plantagenet.= The family name of the House of Anjou, which succeeded to - the throne of England at the extinction of the Norman dynasty. It - was assumed by Fulke Martel, the first of this line, as a perpetual - reminder of the incident of having allowed himself to be scourged by - two attendants with branches of the _genista_, or broom plant, while - on a pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre, as an atonement for his - murder of the Earl of Brittany. - -=Platonic Affection.= The kind of mutual esteem between persons of - opposite sexes free from carnal desires or love in an earthly sense, - as advocated by Plato and his school of philosophers. - -=Platonists.= The disciples of Plato. See “Academy.” - -=Play Fast and Loose.= An expression derived from a very old cheating - game called “Pricking the Belt,” which in the modified form of - “Prick the Garter,” may yet be met with at fairs and race meetings. - The victim was invited to stick a skewer through a folded belt so as - to pin it to the table; whereupon the other, taking the two ends, - proved that the belt had not been made fast at all; hence to “play - fast and loose with a man.” - -=Playhouse Yard.= Marks the site of the “Fortune Theatre,” the second - regular playhouse opened in the city of London. - -=Please the Pigs.= A corruption of “Please the Pixies,” or woodland - fairies, still common in many rural districts. - -=Plebeians.= The ordinary citizens among the Romans, so called from - _plebs_, the people, as distinguished from the “Patricians,” or - fathers of the State. - -=Plough Monday.= The first Monday after the Epiphany, when, the - Christmas festivities having come to an end, farm labourers were - supposed to return to the plough. Instead of which they dragged a - plough round the parish, begging for “plough money” from door to - door, and spent the evening at the alehouse. - -=Plume and Feathers.= An inn sign, corrupted from “The Plume of - Feathers,” in allusion to the plume of ostrich feathers adopted as - his crest by Edward the Black Prince. See “Ich Dien.” - -=Plunger.= A gambler who plunges into bets without considering the risks - he incurs. Recklessness is his characteristic. To retrieve his - losses he plays for high stakes, which make or break him in a very - short time. - -=Plymouth.= The seaport town at the mouth of the Plym. - -=Plymouth Brethren.= A sect which sprang into existence at Plymouth in - 1830. It has extended far and wide, both on the Continent of Europe - and in America. Its chief tenet is the utter rejection of priestly - or ministerial organisation. - -=Pocket Borough.= An old Parliamentary term for a borough in which the - votes at an election could generally be commanded by one influential - person. - -=Poet Laureate.= The officially appointed poet of any nation, so called - from the Roman custom of crowning a favourite poet with laurel, - symbolical of Apollo, the god of poetry. - -=Pogrom.= Expresses the Slavonic for “devastation” or “desolation.” The - word is allied to _grom_, thunder, thunder clash, and _gromit_, to - thunder, batter down, as with a thunderbolt; utterly overthrow, - destroy without mercy. - -=Pointer.= This dog is so called on account of its remarkable instinct - for pointing out or indicating to sportsmen the presence of game. - -=Point Lace.= So called because it is worked with the point of a needle. - -=Poke Bonnet.= One which poked out beyond the face on all sides. See - “Kiss-me-Quick.” - -=Poland.= From the Slavonic _poln_, “a country of plains.” Its original - settlers were a tribe called the _Polnali_, “men of the plains.” - When this country was an independent kingdom it bore the name of - “Polska,” and its people “Polacks.” Shakespeare mentions “the - sledded Polacks on the ice” in _Hamlet_ Act i. sc. i. - -=Poland Street.= From the Polish refugees who congregated in it soon - after this street was built. - -=Police.= The appropriate designation of civil guardians of the peace, - from the Greek _polis_, city. - -=Polka.= Originally a Bohemian dance, so called from the native word - _pulka_, a half, on account of the half step peculiar to it. - -=Polynesia.= Greek for “many islands.” - -=Polytechnic.= An institute or academy of the Arts, so called from the - Greek _polys_, many, and _techne_, art. - -=Pompeii.= So called by the Romans in honour of Pompeius Magnus, or - Pompey the Great. - -=Pomeranian.= A valuable breed of dog from Pomerania in Prussia. - -=Pomeroy.= From _pomme roi_; expresses the French for “King’s Apple.” - -=Pommery.= After Madame Pommery, mother of the Duchess de Polignac, and - owner of the estate near Rheims where this fine brand of champagne - is produced. - -=Pompadour.= Both the puce colour and the dress material of this name - were first popularised by Madame le Pompadour, the mistress of Louis - XV. - -=Pompadours.= The nickname of the 56th Foot on account of their claret - or Pompadour facings. - -=Pontac.= From the town of the same name in the south of France. - -=Pontefract.= Literally “broken bridge.” The popular corruption of this - name is “Pomfret.” - -=Pontiff.= The Pope of Rome bears this name conformably to the Latin - _pons_, bridge, and _facere_, to make, because the earliest bridge - over the Tiber was constructed at the sole cost of the High Priest - of the Romans. - -=Pontius Pilate’s Bodyguard.= The first regiment of Foot, the oldest in - the service. - -=Poole.= From the pool or inlet of the sea on which this Dorsetshire - port is situated. - -=Pope.= From the Greek _papas_, and Latin _papa_, father. - -=Poplar.= From the poplar-trees formerly abounding in this district. - -=Poppin’s Court.= A corruption of “Poppingay Court”; originally, in the - reign of Elizabeth, “Poppingay Alley,” so called because it marked - the site of an ancient inn or mansion owned by the Abbots of - Cirencester, and displaying the sign of “the Poppinjaye” or parrot. - -=Pop the Question.= A corruption of “Propose the question of marriage.” - -=Porkopolis.= The nickname of Chicago and Cincinnati, both - world-renowned cities in relation to the pork-packing industry. - -=Port.= The native wine of Portugal, shipped from Oporto. - -=Porte.= The official designation of the Government of Turkey, because - anciently justice was administered at the _porta_, or gate, of the - Sultan’s palace. - -=Porter.= Another name for “Entire,” which was first retailed at “The - Blue Last” in Curtain Road, Finsbury. Finding that it was in great - request by the porters who frequented that house of call, the - publican dropped the name of “Entire” and called it “Porter.” - -=Portland Place.= After William Bentinck, second Duke of Portland, the - owner of the estate. - -=Portman Square.= After Edward Berkeley Portman, Viscount Portman of - Bryanstone, Dorsetshire, the great ground landlord. - -=Portmanteau.= From the French _porter_, to carry, and _manteau_, a - cloak; literally a receptacle for a cloak on a journey. - -=Porto Rico.= Express the Spanish for “rich port.” - -=Portsmouth.= The seaport town built at the mouth of the harbour. - -=Portsoken Ward.= One of the wards of the city of London, so called - because anciently the thirteen knights styled the “English Knighten - Guild,” claimed the _soken_, or franchise, at the _porta_, or gate, - to their ward in return for services rendered to King Edgar by their - ancestors. - -=Portugal.= From the ancient name of the capital city, _Portus Cale_, - “the gate of Gaul.” - -=Portugal Street.= In compliment to Catherine of Braganza, queen of - Charles II. - -=Portuguese Hymn.= The “Adesta Fidelis,” so called from the erroneous - assumption of the Duke of Leeds that it was part of the regular - service in Catholic Portugal, since he first heard it sung in the - private chapel of the Portuguese Ambassador in London. - -=Portway.= The name given to that portion of a great Roman highway in - this country wherever it was crossed by an arch or within sight of a - walled city; from _porta_, gate. - -=Poser.= A corruption of “Opposer”; derived from collegiate - argumentative examinations. - -=Poses Plastiques.= French for “statuesque attitudes.” - -=Poster.= So called because auction, play, and other public - announcements were first exhibited on the posts separating the - roadway from the side walk. Being stuck on these posts, the bills - were said to be “posted.” - -=Post Paper.= So called from the original watermark, a post horn, which - it bore. - -=Pot Boilers.= Specifically pictures painted by a poor artist for ready - sale to a dealer in order to “Keep the pot boiling.” The term is - also employed by authors and journalists in the same sense. - -=Pothooks.= The nickname of the 77th Foot, owing to the fancied - resemblance of these two figures to pothooks. - -=Pot Luck.= Anything ready at hand for a meal. The allusion is to the - primitive stock pot, into which meat and vegetables were thrown at - any time for boiling up as required. - -=Potomac.= Indian for “place of the burning pine.” - -=Poultry.= Where the scorchers and stuffers of poultry in connection - with the old Stocks Market on the site of the Mansion House had - their shops. - -=Pouter Pigeon.= So called on account of its pouting or bulging breast. - -=Powis Place.= Marks the site of the town house of William Herbert, - Marquis of Powis, _temp._ Charles I. - -=Prairie State.= Illinois, which for the most part consists of prairie - lands. - -=Praise-God Barebone.= A fanatical leader of the time of the - Commonwealth, and a prominent member of the “Barebone Parliament,” - who was addicted to praising God and damning his neighbours. This - kind of hypocrisy was characteristic of the Puritans. - -=Pratt Street.= After one of the family names of the Earl of Brecknock, - Marquis of Camden, landlord of the estate. - -=Presbyterians.= From the Greek _presbuteros_, an elder. The National - Church of Scotland is governed not by prelates, as in England, but - by elders, equal in office and power. - -=Press Yard.= The open courtyard between the Sessions House and Newgate - Prison. Those who refused to plead when put upon their trial were - pressed to death with heavy weights. - -=Preston.= A corruption of “Priests’ Town,” so called on account of its - many ancient monastic establishments. - -=Pretoria.= In honour of Pretorius, the first President of the Boer - Republic in South Africa. - -=Pretty Kettle of Fish.= Save that the second word should be “Kiddle,” - expressive of a basket placed in a river for catching fish, this - expression is very old. During the time of the Plantagenets the - warder of the Tower claimed the right of trapping fish outside - Traitors’ Gate in this way for his own benefit; but the citizens of - London systematically made a raid upon his kiddles, and destroyed - them. “A pretty kiddle of fish indeed!” he was wont to exclaim to - the Beefeaters on discovering the damage done to his preserves. - -=Primitive Methodists.= The original Methodists, those who resort to - open-air preaching and singing, after the style of Wesley and - Whitfield. On account of their “Camp Meetings” they are styled also - Ranters. - -=Primrose.= So far from expressing the first or spring rose, the term is - a corruption of the Italian _primerola_, the first spring flower. - -=Primrose Day.= The 19th of April bears this name because it is the - anniversary of the death of Lord Beaconsfield, 1881. When the body - of this great statesman was laid to rest his coffin was adorned by a - wreath sent by Queen Victoria, and superscribed “His favourite - flower.” This gave rise to the formation of the Primrose League and - the annual decoration of the Beaconsfield Statue at Westminster with - a wreath of primroses on this day. - -=Prince of Wales’s Feathers.= See “Plume and Feathers.” - -=Prince of Wales Island.= Named in compliment to the Prince Regent, - afterwards George IV. - -=Princes Street.= Laid out on the site of the old Westminster Mews, and - so named on account of its proximity to King Street. - -=Printer’s Devil.= When Caxton introduced printing into England many - people regarded it as an invention of the devil. This idea was also - fostered by his boys, whose hands and faces were besmeared with ink. - They were accordingly called “Imps” and “Devils.” Since his day the - boys engaged in feeding the printing press have not improved in - their personal appearance. Young devils they are, and young devils - they will remain until the end of time. - -=Printing House Square.= This, the courtyard of _The Times_ office, was - formerly covered by the King’s Printing House, where King James’s - Bible was printed, and which for centuries had the monopoly of - turning out Bibles for the people. - -=Priory.= This term denoted a lesser house or branch establishment of an - abbey, under the control of a Prior or Prioress, who had the prior - claim to election as Abbot or Abbess of the mother community. - -=Private Boxes.= The idea of these adjuncts to a theatre auditorium was - derived from Spain, where plays were formerly performed in a public - square, the ordinary spectators being accommodated on the ground, - while the grandees looked on from the windows of the houses. - -=Privy.= See “Petty.” - -=Pro-Cathedral.= The beautiful Catholic Church in High Street, - Kensington, erected as a provisional cathedral at the time when the - present Westminster Cathedral was first mooted. - -=Profile.= The outline of a side view, so called from the Italian - _profilo_, and Latin _filum_, a thread. - -=Protectionist.= One who advocates the protection of home industries by - levying imposts on foreign merchandise. - -=Protestants.= Those who, with the Lutherans of Germany, protested - against the decree of the Emperor Charles V. This decree was - ostensibly to invoke the aid of the German princes against the - Turks, but really to restore peace and order after the disturbances - caused by Martin Luther’s opposition to the Church of Rome. From - this protest the Reformers received the name of “Protestants.” - -=Prussia.= A Western corruption of _Porussia_, which expresses the - Slavonic for “near Russia.” - -=Prussian Blue.= After its inventor, Diesbach of Berlin, in 1710. - -=Prussic Acid.= Originally the acid of “Prussian Blue,” but nowadays - obtained from cyanide of iron. - -=Pye Street= (Old and New). See “New Way.” - -=Pymmes Park.= This new suburban “lung” at Edmonton comprised the - grounds in connection with the lordly mansion built by William - Pymme, which was mentioned in 1593 as the residence of the great - Lord Burleigh, and in 1612 as that of Robert Cecil, Earl of - Salisbury. - -=Pythagoreans.= The school of philosophy founded by Pythagoras. - -=Public-house.= A house of public resort for refreshment and - conviviality. It may be either an inn or a tavern in the modern - sense. - -=Pudding.= From Stow’s description of “Pudding Lane” it would seem that - the puddings of his day were scarcely edible productions. The word - is derived from the Celtic _poten_, a bag, and was applied - originally in the sense of a modern hog’s pudding or black - pudding--to wit, a sausage. - -=Pudding Lane.= Whether or not the Great Fire of London broke out in the - house of the King’s baker, as generally stated, the lane did not - receive its name from the royal bakery. Old Stow tells us it was so - called “because the butchers of Eastcheap have their scalding-house - for hogs there, and their puddings with other filth of beasts are - voided down that way to their dung boats on the Thames.” - -=Pudding-time.= The old name for “dinner-time,” because, as still is the - custom in some parts of the country, the pudding was served before - the meat. - -=Pueblo Indian.= One who in the western states has been brought under - Catholic influences, and lives in a village, where he subsists by - agriculture. The word _Pueblo_ is Spanish for village. - -=Pukes.= A corruption of Pikes, generally applied to the natives of - Missouri, who originally settled in Pike County of that state. - -=Pullman Car.= After its inventor, Pullman of Chicago. - -=Pull up Stakes.= An Americanism for to pack up one’s belongings and - remove elsewhere. The expression has, of course, reference to - dismantling a tent among a mining community. - -=Pumps.= Dancing shoes bear this name in allusion to the fashionable - assemblies in the pump-room at the Western Spas when Beau Nash, - styled “King of Bath,” presided over the ceremonies. - -=Punch.= From the Hindoo _panch_, five, this beverage being composed of - five ingredients: spirit, sugar, lemon juice, spice, and water. - -=Punch and Judy.= A hybrid form of entertainment evolved out of an old - mystery play, _Pontius cum Judæis_ (“Pontius Pilate and the Jews”). - -=Punic Wars.= Those waged between Rome and Carthage. By the Romans the - Carthaginians were called the _Puni_, a corruption of _Phœni_, in - allusion to their descent from the Phœnicians. - -=Punitive Expedition.= A petty war with the set purpose of inflicting a - well-merited punishment upon a rebellious tribe. The word “punitive” - is derived from the Latin _pœna_, penalty. - -=Punjab.= Expresses the Persian for “five rivers.” - -=Punkah.= From the Hindoo _pankha_, a fan. - -=Puritans.= Those who affected a greater degree of holiness or purity - than their neighbours. They were to the Anglicans and Roman - Catholics of the time of Charles I. and the Commonwealth what the - Pharisees were to the Jews. - -=Purple.= This dye, in which the people of Tyre excelled, was discovered - in the following manner:--One day a favourite dog of Hercules of - Tyre ate a species of fish known to the ancients by the name of - _purpura_, and on returning to his master his lips were found to be - tinged with the colour, which, after a few experiments, Hercules - successfully imitated. - -=Purse Strings.= In the days of our grandfathers, when hasp and clasp - purses were unknown, the only kind of purse was a small money bag - secured round its mouth by a tape or string. To “tighten one’s purse - strings” was therefore to be proof against almsgiving or - money-lending. - -=Putney.= Described in ancient documents as _Puttaney_, or “Putta’s - Isle.” - - - Q - - -=Quack.= The name borne by an itinerant trader, who makes a great noise - in open market, quacking like a duck in his efforts to dispose of - wares that are not genuine; hence anyone nowadays who follows a - profession which he does not rightly understand. A “Quack Doctor” - was formerly styled a _Quack Salver_, from the salves, lotions, and - medicines he dispensed to the crowd at the street corners. - -=Quadragesima Sunday.= The first Sunday of Lent, expressing in round - numbers forty days before Easter. - -=Quadrant.= The Piccadilly end of Regent Street, so called because it - describes a quarter of a circle. - -=Quadrille.= Expresses the French for “a little square,” in allusion to - the positions taken up by the dancers. - -=Quadroon.= A Mulatto being half-blooded, like a mule, the offspring of - such a woman by a white man is black-blooded to the degree of - one-fourth. - -=Quaker City.= Philadelphia, the seat of the Quaker colony founded by - William Penn. - -=Quaker Poet.= The sobriquet of Bernard Barton. - -=Quakers.= The origin of this designation of the “Society of Friends” is - thus given by George Fox, the founder of the sect in his _Journal_: - “Justice Bennet of Derby was the first to call us ‘Quakers,’ because - I bade him quake and tremble at the word of the Lord.” This occurred - in 1650. - -=Quarantine.= Agreeably to the French _quarantaine_, the period of a - ship’s detention outside a port in the circumstances of infectious - disease should be forty days. - -=Quarter Sessions.= See “Petty Sessions.” - -=Quarto.= In the printing and stationery trades this term expresses a - sheet of paper which, when folded into quarters, makes four leaves - or eight pages. - -=Quassia.= A tonic obtained from the bark of a tree of South America, - the virtues of which were discovered by a Negro of this name. - -=Quatemala.= When the Indians who accompanied Alvarado into this region - discovered the ruins of an ancient palace of the kings beside an old - worm-eaten tree they assumed this to be the centre of the country, - and gave it the name of _Quahtemali_, “a decayed log of wood.” - -=Quebec.= Indian for “take care of the rock.” - -=Queen Anne’s Bounty.= A perpetual fund raised by the augmentation of - the tithes and first-fruits at the instance of Queen Anne for the - benefit of the poor clergy whose incomes are insufficient for their - proper maintenance. - -=Queen Anne’s Square.= Like the gate and the street further west of the - same name, this was built during the reign of Queen Anne. - -=Queen Charlotte Island.= In honour of Queen Charlotte, the consort of - George III. - -=Queen City of the Lakes.= Buffalo, in the state of New York, situated - at the junction of the Erie Canal with Lake Erie. - -=Queen City of the Mountains.= Knoxville (Tennessee), admirably situated - on the hills overlooking the Upper Tennessee River. - -=Queen City of the Plains.= Regina, in the north-western territory. - -=Queen City of the West.= Cincinnati (Ohio), so called in virtue of its - fine situation, beautiful parks, and noble architectural features. - Also styled “The Queen City” and “Queen of the West.” - -=Queen Elizabeth’s Walk.= In compliment to Queen Elizabeth, who often - visited the Earl of Leicester when he resided in this portion of - Stoke Newington. - -=Queenhithe.= So called because the tolls collected at this _hithe_, or - wharf, were appropriated by Eleanor, Queen of Henry II., for her pin - money. - -=Queen of Hearts.= Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia, the daughter of James - I., who by her amiable disposition endeared herself to all hearts. - -=Queen of Watering-places.= Scarborough. - -=Queen’s College.= At Oxford, founded by Robert de Eglesfield, the - confessor of Philippa, queen of Edward III., in her honour. At - Cambridge, founded by Margaret of Anjou, queen of Henry VI. - -=Queen’s Hall.= Built on the site of the Langham Hall, and opened in - 1893, this high-class concert hall was named after the late Queen - Victoria. - -=Queen’s Head Street.= From the ancient inn, “The Queen’s Head,” now - modernised, at its juncture with Essex Road. Queen Elizabeth is said - to have slept at this hostelry on several occasions. - -=Queensland.= This portion of Australia received its name in honour of - Queen Victoria, when in 1859 it became an independent colony. - -=Queen’s Square.= After Queen Anne, in whose reign it was laid out. - -=Queen Street.= In Cheapside, from a permanent wooden balcony situated - between Bow Church and this corner for the accommodation of the - reigning queen and her ladies when jousts and tournaments were held - here. In Mayfair, after the queen of Charles II., in whose reign it - was built. - -=Queen’s Tobacco Pipe.= The name given to the furnace at the London - Docks where contraband tobacco was formerly consumed. This custom - obtained down to within the last few years of the reign of Queen - Victoria. - -=Queenstown.= Originally styled “The Cove of Cork,” this Irish seaport - received its present name on the occasion of the visit of Queen - Victoria in 1850. - -=Queen’s Weather.= Throughout the long reign of the late Queen Victoria - it was remarkable that, whenever she appeared abroad on the occasion - of a public function, glorious weather favoured her invariably; - hence the expression “Queen’s Weather” came to be applied to a fine - day for a summer outing. - -=Queen Victoria Street.= A modern thoroughfare, named after the late - Queen Victoria. - -=Queue.= Expresses the French for a tail, like that of a periwig or - peruke. In the sense of a line of people waiting outside the doors - of a theatre the term has latterly become popular on both sides of - the English Channel. - -=Quick Lunch.= An American stand-up luncheon served with expedition. - -=Quicksilver.= Living or moving silver. _Quick_ is old English for - “living”; hence “The Quick and the Dead.” - -=Quidnunc.= One who is always inquiring after news. “What news?” is the - literal interpretation of the term. As a personal designation, it - originated in the name of the chief character in Murphy’s farce, - “The Upholsterer, or What News?” A kind of political Paul Pry. - -=Quid of Tobacco.= A corruption of “Cud,” because it is used for - chewing. The allusion is to the cud chewed by ruminating animals. - -=Quids.= The slang term for cash, properly restricted to gold. A - sovereign is called a “Quid” in allusion to the Latin phrase, _Quid - pro quo_, something of equal value, which change for a sovereign - truly is. - -=Quill-driver.= The popular designation of a clerk. Quill pens having - been supplanted by those of steel, it is scarcely appropriate in our - time. - -=Quinquagesima Sunday.= The name given in the Church calendar to the - Sunday preceding Ash Wednesday or the commencement of Lent; - approximately fifty days before Easter. - -=Quit Rent.= A rental anciently paid by a tenant to a baron with a view - of being relieved or quit of feudal service. - -=Quod.= The slang term for prison; also “Quad.” See “In Quad.” - - - - - R - -=Rabbi.= The title of a Jewish expounder of the Law. The word is Greek - for “My Master,” through the Hebrew _rabi_, from the root _rab_, - lord, chief. - -=Rack.= From the Saxon _wrocan_ and German _recken_, to stretch. The - word is therefore correctly applied to the instrument of torture of - former days. - -=Rack Rent.= A term expressing the actual full annual value of land as - paid from the earliest times, not modified by circumstances. See - “Rack.” - -=Radcliffe Library.= Founded at Oxford by the celebrated physician, Dr - John Radcliffe, in Radcliffe Square, also named after him. - -=Radicals.= That advanced section of the Liberal party, whose set - purpose it is to root out the evils, according to their view, of our - constitutional system which are systematically maintained by the - Conservatives. The term first came into notice in 1818, when a - strenuous effort was made to institute a radical change in the - Parliamentary representation of the country. This paved the way for - the Reform Act of 1832. - -=Radnor.= The modern form of _Rhiadnwr-Gwy_, signifying “The Cataract of - the Wye.” This is in reference to the beautiful cascade, with a fall - of seventy feet, called “The Water-break-its-Neck,” the great - natural feature in the vicinity of the county town. - -=Rag.= Theatrical slang for the curtain, having originally reference to - the green baize. Also military slang for the national flag, and the - members’ colloquial term for the Army and Navy Club. - -=Rag Fair.= The name given to the old clothes mart in Petticoat Lane, - now Middlesex Street, Aldgate, on Sunday mornings. - -=Ragged Regiment.= Dilapidated waxen effigies of several English - monarchs and persons of note that were borne through the streets at - the obsequies of the subjects represented. They are located in - Islip’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey. - -=Ragging.= In military parlance this word expresses the system of - persecution by which an unpopular man suffers indignities at the - hands of his comrades. It has the same meaning as the North Country - “Rag,” to enrage or make angry, and “Bullyrag,” to administer a - severe scolding. The latter, however, of which the former is an - abbreviation, has not been derived from the Dutch _bulderen_, to - scold or bully, as is generally supposed, but from the custom of the - Spanish bullfighters of waving a red cloak in front of the bull in - order to excite him to fury. This is the _rag_ referred to. The - corresponding United States term for “ragging” is “Hazing.” - -=Rag Money.= American slang for paper money. - -=Rag Time.= An Americanism for a dancing frolic of the - “go-as-you-please” order, in which musical time and rhythm are, as - it were, torn into shreds; a ragged, loose, disconnected, - unconventional time. The term has been well explained by an - authoritative writer in _The Referee_ as follows:--“Rag time is the - outcome of ‘Rag Speech,’ a speech that casts tradition, balance, - beauty, elegance, and refinement to the winds, and that believes - that more effect can be made by punching certain syllables into the - brain of the listener. Technically speaking, ‘Rag Time’ shifts the - strong accent from the first to the second beat of the bar. Against - this there is a cross-rhythm with a kind of halting contrapuntal - ornamentation in the accompaniment, which sometimes brings a stress - on to the fourth beat of the bar. The result of this irregularity - and false quantity is to destroy the rhythm to an extent that often - makes it difficult to say whether the music is in duple or triple - measure. The musical consequence is the breaking down of symmetrical - form, and the tendency is to reduce the organised structure to its - component parts.” - -=Railroad City.= Indianapolis, a junction of the great trunk lines. - -=Railway King.= The sobriquet of George Hudson, Chairman of the Midland - Railway Company, who amassed a huge fortune by successful - speculations in the early days of railway enterprise. - -=Rains Cats and Dogs.= This expression is traceable to two distinct - sources--popular superstition and Scandinavian mythology. Witches - who rode the storm on broomsticks were believed to have the power of - transforming themselves into cats at will, while the dog or wolf is - represented as the attendant of Odin, the Storm King of the northern - nations. - -=Rainy Day Smith.= John Thomas Smith, the antiquary, whose chatty - volume, “A Book for a Rainy Day,” brought him more money and - reputation than all his other works put together. - -=Raise your Screw.= This expression arose out of the custom of masters - paying their employées’ wages screwed up in a tiny paper of uniform - size. The more money it contained the less tightly the paper could - be screwed; hence an advance of wages implied metaphorically giving - the screw one turn backwards. - -=Rake the Pot.= An American gambling phrase meaning to seize the stakes. - -=Ram and Teazle.= A tavern sign common to the woollen manufacturing - districts, this being the device of the Clothworkers’ Company. - -=Ranch.= From the Spanish _rancho_, a hut of posts, covered with - branches or thatch, in which herdsman or farm labourers in the - western states of North America lodge by night. - -=Rand.= Expresses the Dutch, specifically in South Africa, for a mining - district. - -=Ranelagh Gardens.= This fashionable public resort, now built over, - occupied the site of Ranelagh House and its grounds, owned by an - Irish peer, whose title it bore. - -=Ranters.= Another name for the “Primitive Methodists.” - -=Rape.= The name given to a division under the Danes of the county of - Sussex, from the Norse _repp_, a district. - -=Rapier.= This species of sword being eminently adapted for rapid - thrusting and withdrawing, its name, from the Latin _rapere_, to - snatch away, is appropriate. - -=Rappahannock.= Indian for “quick-rising waters.” - -=Rapparee.= The name given to an Irish plunderer, because he was armed - with a _rapera_, or half pike. - -=Rascal.= From the French _racaille_, “the scum of the people.” - -=Ratcliff Highway.= Originally a manor belonging to the parish of - Stepney, this highway for sailors ashore, where they found lodgings - and entertainment of a low class in days prior to the provision of - “Seamen’s Homes,” received its name from the multitudes of water - rats that congregated on the Thames wall by night. On account of the - evil reputation which this neighbourhood bore in former days, its - name was changed to “St George’s in the East.” - -=Rathbone Place.= After Captain Rathbone, its builder, in 1718. - -=Rat Hole.= A printers’ term for a non-society house. Since rats are - known to desert a sinking ship, so a journeyman who refuses to take - advantage of a trades union is stigmatised as a “Rat,” because he - forsakes the general cause of his craft. Hence also the term - “Rattening,” by which is meant the taking away of or destroying a - workman’s tools consequent upon his desertion of the union or - accepting work in a house opposed to its principles. - -=Rationalism.= The kind of religion (if it deserved such a name) set up - during the French Revolution, when Reason took the place of Faith. - The worship of the “Goddess of Reason,” in the person of an actress - installed in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, was a fitting illustration - of the unreasoning tenet that public worship was opposed to the - natural instincts of mankind. - -=Rattening.= See “Rat Hole.” - -=Ray Street.= After the victim of an old-time Clerkenwell sensation, - Miss Ray, who, on becoming the mistress of Lord Sandwich, was shot - by her jilted lover, Hackman. - -=Ready.= Short for ready money, cash always on hand, in readiness for - emergencies. - -=Rechabites.= The name borne by total abstainers in the United States, - after the followers of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, who lived in - tents and abstained from the use of wine. - -=Reckon without your Host.= When putting up at an inn the cost is often - greater than the traveller anticipates; therefore it is always wise - to be well prepared with funds, lest, when the host presents his - bill, discomfiture may arise. - -=Recluse.= From the Latin _reclusus_, shut up; one who voluntarily cuts - himself off from communion with his fellow-men, a solitary. - -=Rector.= A clergyman who enjoys a living in his own right, as - distinguished from a “Vicar,” who holds the appointment at the - pleasure of the Lord of the Manor. The former also receives the - tithes direct, whereas the latter passes them on to a layman, a - college, or a chapter, by whom he is paid a proportion thereout as a - stipend. - -=Red Cent.= An Americanism for a copper coin. - -=Redcross Street.= From the red stone cross anciently set up by the - Knights Hospitallers to define the limits of the land belonging to - them in the direction adjacent to that of the Knights Templars, - indicated by a white cross of stone in what is now “Whitecross - Street.” - -=Red Dragon.= An inn sign, complimenting Henry VII., whose device it - was. - -=Redemptorists.= Also called “Redemptorist Fathers.” See “Liguorians.” - -=Red Eye.= The Far West term for fiery new whisky, which is well - calculated to make the eyes of the toper look red. - -=Red-hot Time.= An Americanism for a jolly time, because the proceedings - were conducted with the utmost warmth. - -=Red-Letter Day.= A phrase used to express a pleasurable event in one’s - past life. This had its origin in the old calendars and almanacks, - in which high Church festivals were printed in red ink, and all the - other days in black. - -=Red Lion Court.= After an ancient tavern, “The Red Lion.” - -=Red Lion Square.= After a famous old coaching-house, “The Red Lion.” - -=Red Republicans.= The extreme Republican party of the French - Revolution, which adopted the red cap, the Roman symbol of Liberty. - The lower orders of the people, to whom the cap meant everything, - were likewise only too ready to follow the behest of their leaders, - and steep their hands in the blood of the aristocrats. - -=Red Skins.= The name first given by the white settlers to the Indians - of North America. - -=Red Rose.= An inn sign, in compliment to the Lancastrians during the - Wars of the Roses. - -=Red Sea.= Three reasons are assigned for the name of this sea: the red - sandstone which forms its bottom, the red rocks which in some parts - border its shores, and the colouring imparted to its waters by coral - reefs, animaculæ, and sea-weed. - -=Red Tape.= That leisurely officialism which refers a matter from one - department to another, until at length the highest authority is - reached to take it in hand. The term has been derived from the red - tape with which all legal and official documents are tied together. - -=Reel.= A whirling dance by a single person, peculiar to the Scots, so - called in allusion to the winding of cotton on a reel. - -=Reformed Presbytery.= See “Macmillanites.” - -=Reform School.= An Americanism for an institution for the reformation - of juvenile offenders. - -=Refresher.= The legal term for an extra fee paid to a barrister by a - client while the latter’s case is pending, in order to refresh the - former’s memory concerning the interests at stake. - -=Regent Diamond.= See “Pitt Diamond.” - -=Regent’s Park.= Part of the general scheme of John Nash, the royal - architect, when he projected the building of Regent Street, was to - provide a magnificent palace for his patron, the Prince Regent, in - the park named after him. This was not realised, and the site of the - intended palace was appropriated to the Zoological Gardens. - -=Regent Street.= In honour of the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV. - -=Regiomontanus.= The name assumed by Johann Müller, a celebrated German - mathematician of the fifteenth century, being a Latinised rendering - of “Konigsberg,” his native place. - -=Regius Professor.= The professorial chair in various departments of - learning at Oxford and Cambridge Universities founded by Henry VIII. - -=Regular Brick.= See “He’s a Brick.” - -=Regular Clergy.= Those who in the Catholic Church are attached to - monasteries and friaries, living by rule; in contradistinction to - the “Secular Clergy,” who are appointed to parochial work by a - bishop, and move among the people. - -=Regular Zantippe.= See “Zantippe.” - -=Rehan.= See “Ada Rehan.” - -=Rendezvous.= Literally an individual haunt or resort, and in no sense a - place of public meeting. The word is French for “betake yourself.” - -=Republican Marriage.= The name given by the Red Republicans during the - French Revolution to their atrocious procedure, instigated by Jean - Baptiste Carrier, of tying a young man and woman together and - drowning them. - -=Resurrection Men.= Body snatchers, who “resurrected,” as the Americans - say, bodies from the graves in order to sell them to the medical - faculty for dissection. Since the general institution of public - hospitals, the last refuge of so many “unknowns,” whose dead bodies - are never claimed, the demand for subjects snatched from the grave - has entirely ceased. - -=Revolver.= The modern type of pistol, in which the breach which - contains the cartridges revolves. In the earlier stage of this - invention it was the barrel that revolved. - -=Rheims.= The capital of the _Remi_, a Gallic people referred to by - Cæsar. - -=Rhine.= From the Celtic _rhe_, “rapid.” This name was given by the - Swiss to rivers generally. - -=Rhinoceros.= Greek for “nose-horned.” - -=Rhode Island.= A corruption of “rood,” red, the name given to it by the - Dutch settlers on account of its reddish appearance. - -=Rhodes.= From the Greek _rhodon_, a rose; expresses “the isle of - roses.” - -=Rhododendron.= From the two Greek words _rhodon_, rose, and _dendron_, - tree. - -=Rhody.= The American designation of Rhode Island on account of its - limited area; also called “Little Rhody.” - -=Rhone.= Derived from the same root as “Rhine.” - -=Ribbonmen.= The name borne by the members of a Catholic political - association in Ireland early in the last century on account of the - distinctive badge or ribbon worn in the button-hole. The Ribbonmen - were violently opposed to the “Orangemen.” - -=Ribston Pippins.= The name given to a fine species of Normandy apple - grown at Ribstone, Yorkshire, from pips originally planted on his - estate by Sir Henry Goodriche. - -=Richmond.= When Edward I. built himself a sumptuous palace on the south - bank of the Thames he gave it the name of _Sheen_, the Saxon for - “resplendent.” This being consumed by fire in 1479, Henry VI., - rebuilt it, and then called it Richmond, after the beautiful seat in - Yorkshire whence he took the title of his earldom. _Richmond_ - signifies a rich prospect from the hill occupied by its ancient - castle. - -=Riding.= A Danish division of the county of Yorkshire corresponding to - the Lincolnshire _Trithing_, of which it is a corruption, signifying - a third part. - -=Riff-raff.= Expresses the Anglo-Saxon, from the Danish _rip-raps_, for - “sweepings”; hence the scum of society. - -=Right off the Reel.= To do a thing without stopping until it is - finished. The allusion is to unwinding the entire length of cotton - off a reel or bobbin. - -=Right Foot Foremost.= A phrase derived from the old Roman superstition - that if a visitor crossed the threshold with the left foot foremost - he would be certain to bring ill luck upon the household. - -=Rile.= A provincial corruption of “Rail,” to anger or tease. - -=Ring.= A professional term for a charmed circle--_e.g._ “The Dramatic - Ring.” - -=Ring him up.= A telephone phrase, really borrowed from the theatrical - profession, in which the prompter’s “Ring up” and “Ring - down”--_i.e._ the curtain--have obtained favour since the “Palmy - Days of the Drama.” - -=Rink.= An American variant of “Ring.” In the sense of a skating rink - the term has become popular in England. - -=Rio de Janeiro.= This city takes its name from the river discovered by - Alfonso de Sousa on the Feast of St Januarius, on which it stands. - -=Rio de la Plata.= Spanish for “river of silver.” - -=Rio Grande.= Spanish for “great river.” - -=Rip.= A corruption of “Rep.” See “Old Rep.” - -=Ritualists.= The extreme High Church party, who for many years past - have revived the ancient ritual to such a degree that they may be - said to be Roman Catholics in everything save in name. - -=Riviera.= Literally “coast,” “sea-shore.” - -=Robbing Peter to Pay Paul.= An expression derived from the following - circumstance:--By Royal Letters Patent, dated 17th December 1540, - the abbey church of St Peter, Westminster, was constituted a - cathedral, with a resident bishop. Ten years afterwards this order - was revoked, the diocese of Westminster being united to that of St - Paul’s Cathedral, and its revenues were granted towards the repairs - of the city fane; hence what was taken away from St Peter’s went to - benefit St Paul’s. - -=Robert.= The generic name for a policeman, after Sir Robert Peel, who - introduced the modern constabulary system. - -=Robert Street.= In the Adelphi, after the Christian name of one of the - three brothers Adam, its builders. In Camden Town, after one of the - family names of the Marquis of Camden, the ground landlord. - -=Robert the Devil.= The surname of the first Duke of Normandy, the - father of William the Conqueror, merited by his outrageous cruelty - and daring in war. - -=Robin Hood.= The proper name of this renowned leader of the Sherwood - Foresters was Robert Fitzooth. The first he euphonised into _Robin_ - and the second into _Hood_, leaving out the _Fitz_, which is Norman - for “son,” altogether, since having been declared an outlaw, he was - not unwilling to renounce his claims to Norman descent. Whether or - not he was really Earl of Huntingdon, as some historians assert, - cannot be proved. - -=Robinson.= The French popular name for an umbrella, in allusion to - Robinson Crusoe. - -=Rob Roy.= The popular name of the Scottish outlaw Robert Macgregor, - meaning simply “Robert the Red” on account of his beard. - -=Rochester.= From _Hrofoceaster_, after Hrop, a Saxon chieftain, who - built a castle on the site of a _castra_, or Roman encampment. - -=Rochester Row.= A name which recalls the fact that, prior to the time - of George III., the Deanery of Westminster was included in the - Bishopric of Rochester. - -=Rock Day.= Another ancient name for “Distaffs’ Day,” 7th January, the - word _rock_ being the Anglo-Saxon for a distaff. - -=Rogation Days.= So called from the Latin _rogare_, to beseech, and also - from the Greek _litaneia_, supplication. These being the three days - preceding the Feast of the Ascension, the Litany of the Saints is - chanted by way of preparation and supplication for the joyful event. - -=Rogation Sunday.= That which ushers in the “Rogation Days.” - -=Roger de Coverley.= The correct description of this surname is Roger de - Cowley, or Roger of Cowley, near Oxford. The dance of this name was - invented by an ancestor of the country squire, Sir Roger de - Coverley, mentioned by Addison in _The Spectator_. - -=Rogues’ Gallery.= The name given to the collection of criminals’ - photographs in the State Prison of New York. - -=Roland for an Oliver.= See “Gave him a Roland for an Oliver.” - -=Roll Call.= The list of names called out in the army. The term “Roll” - is a survival of those far-off days when not only a list, but - writing of all kinds, was set forth on one long roll of paper. We - still speak of a “Burgess Roll,” while to belong to any society is - said to be “enrolled” among its members; hence also the phrase “Roll - of Honour.” - -=Rolls Chapel.= This ancient edifice, now incorporated in the New Record - Office, was built by Henry III. for a number of Jewish rabbis who, - had been converted to Christianity. Into it Edward III. caused all - the accumulated rolls or records to be stored, and there they - remained in the custody of the Master of the Rolls, until in more - modern days they were overhauled and catalogued. - -=Roman Catholic Church.= The ancient original fold of “The Holy Catholic - Church,” which acknowledges the authority of the Pope of Rome. The - recognised head of the English Catholic Church is the King, - represented by the Archbishop of Canterbury, just as that of “The - Greek Catholic Church” in Russia is the Czar, represented by the - Metropolitan of St Petersburg. - -=Rome.= After Romulus, its mythical founder. - -=Romeo Coates.= Robert Coates was a fashionable amateur actor during the - early part of the last century; surnamed Romeo Coates on account of - his very many appearances in the character of the ill-fated hero in - _Romeo and Juliet_. - -=Romford.= The ford over the Bourne, anciently called the Rom, this - being the Roman highway between London and Colchester. - -=Romney Street.= After Charles Marsham, Earl of Romney, the owner of the - estate. - -=Rood Lane.= From an ancient holy rood or cross, on which was a figure - of the dying Saviour, that stood in this thoroughfare as a boundary - mark of the landed property of the nuns of St Helen’s. See “Mincing - Lane.” - -=Rosary.= A string of beads, and also the prayers said in connection - therewith, so called because the Virgin appeared in a vision to St - Dominic, who instituted this Catholic devotion, holding out to him a - garland of red and white roses. The ancient rosaries, or - “pater-nosters” as they were called, bore an impression of a rose on - each bead. - -=Rose.= An inn and tavern sign which, as a painted device, red or white, - displayed a partisanship for the Lancastrians or the Yorkists. After - the union of the two royal houses nothing was easier to quench the - former partiality for either the red or white rose than to exhibit - in place of the coloured design the name of “The Rose,” as a general - compliment to the Crown. - -=Rose and Crown.= This inn and tavern sign symbolised the cessation of - the Wars of the Roses by the marriage of Henry VII. to Elizabeth, - the daughter of Edward IV. - -=Rosebery Avenue.= After Lord Rosebery, the erstwhile leader of the - Liberal party in our time. - -=Rosoman Street.= Perpetuates the memory of Mr Rosoman, who converted - Sadler’s Musick House into a regular theatre in 1765. - -=Rosslyn Hill Park.= From Rosslyn House, the residence of Alexander - Wedderburn, Earl of Rosslyn, and Lord Chancellor of England. - -=Rotherhithe.= Properly _Roth-hithe_, the Anglo-Saxon for “red haven.” - See “Rutland.” - -=Rotten Row.= This name is a survival of the days when French was the - language of the Court. Properly _route du roi_, it is literally - “route of the King,” and meant the King’s drive across the park. - -=Rouge et Noir.= French for “red and black,” the alternate colour of the - diamonds that distinguish the spaces on the gaming-table. - -=Roughriders.= The name borne by expert horsemen in Natal, who dispense - with saddles. - -=Roulette.= Expresses the French for “a little wheel.” - -=Roumania.= As its name implies, this was anciently a Roman province. - -=Roumelia.= A Turkish corruption of Roumania, “the country of the - Romans.” - -=Roundheads.= The Parliamentary soldiers under Cromwell, so called from - the custom of the Puritans of cropping the hair close to the head, - as opposed to that of the Cavaliers, who wore it long. - -=Rouser.= An Americanism for what we in this country style a - “Pick-me-up.” - -=Rout.= A fashionable assembly, so called from the German _rotte_ and - Celtic “rhauter,” a crowd. The name is now never heard, but what are - called “Rout Seats,” generally requisitioned for such gatherings, - are still let out on hire. - -=Rowton Houses.= The name given to large blocks of tenements exclusively - designed for the accommodation of unmarried clerks and others - employed in the city. The foundation of the late Lord Rowton. - -=Roxburgh.= From the Celtic _ross_, a headland, the castle on the - promontory. - -=Roxburghe.= A superior style of bookbinding, so called from that - uniformly adopted by the Roxburghe Club, a society established for - printing rare books, and named after John, Duke of Roxburghe, a - famous collector of works of art and literature. - -=Royalists.= The adherents of Charles I. in the Civil War. - -=Royal Maunds.= The name given to doles of money corresponding to the - years of life attained by the reigning monarch to the poor on - “Maundy Thursday.” This custom has been in vogue ever since the time - of Edward III. - -=Royal Oak.= An inn sign which had its origin during the Restoration - period, in compliment to Charles II. See “Oak Apple Day.” - -=Royal Oak Day.= Another name for “Oak Apple Day.” - -=Rufus.= The surname of William II. on account of his florid complexion; - _rufus_ is the Latin for “ruddy.” - -=Rugby.= A corruption of the Saxon _Rothby_, “red village,” in allusion - to its soil. - -=Rum.= A West Indian word for spirit distilled from cane juice. - -=Run.= An Americanism used as a verb for “finance,” whether in relation - to a person or a business enterprise. “Who’s running him?” means who - is it that keeps him going, or on his feet? - -=Run Amuck.= To run foul of a person or thing. The phrase is derived - from the Malays, who, while under the influence of opium, rush - through the streets with drawn daggers, crying: _Amog! amog!_ - (“Kill! kill!”), and threaten the lives of everyone they encounter. - -=Running Footman.= A tavern sign in Mayfair, reminiscent of the days - when running footmen, carrying a short staff of office, preceded the - carriages of the wealthy. The object of this custom was to give - timely notice of the impending arrival of their masters. The tavern - in question, situated in Hayes’ Mews, was formerly the regular - resort of running footmen and sedan chairmen. - -=Rupert’s Land.= After Prince Rupert, one of the founders of the - Hudson’s Bay Company. - -=Rupert Street.= After Prince Rupert, who introduced his invention of - “Prince Rupert’s Drops,” or glass bubblers, into England. - -=Russell Square.= After Lord William Russell, the patriot, whose wife, - Rachel, was the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, - Marquis of Tavistock, Duke of Bedford, the ancestor of the present - great ground landlord. The several streets of the same name are - included in the estate. - -=Russell Street.= In Bermondsey, after Richard Russell, a noted - benefactor to the parochial charities during his life, and after his - death in 1784. For other streets so denominated on the Bedford - estate see “Russell Square.” - -=Russia.= The country of the _Russ_, the tribe that first overran it. - -=Rutland.= A corruption of the Anglo-Saxon _Rothland_, “red land,” so - called on account of the colour of its soil. - -=Rutland Gate.= After the town mansion of the Dukes of Rutland. - -=Rye Lane.= Leads to “Peckham Rye.” - -=Ryot.= A Hindoo peasant or cultivator of the soil, so called from the - Arabic _raaya_, to pasture. - - - - - S - -=Sabbatarians.= The followers of Brabourne, a Baptist minister, who held - that the real Sabbath was the seventh day of the week, as enunciated - in the Book of Genesis. This sect arose in 1628. Also known as - “Seventh Day Baptists.” - -=Sabeans.= The first idolaters, worshippers of the sun, moon, and stars - as the visible representations of the Deity; so called after Sabi, - the son of Seth. - -=Sack.= A dry wine of great repute in Elizabethan times, so called from - the French _sec_, dry. - -=Sackville Street.= Built upon in 1679--that is, twenty years after “Air - Street”--this thoroughfare was named in honour of Charles Sackville, - Earl of Dorset, one of the favourites of Charles II. - -=Sacramentarians.= The designation of the Calvinists, or those who - denied the Real Presence in the Eucharist. - -=Sacrilege.= Literally the act of despoiling that which is sacred. - -=Sadler’s Wells Theatre.= Originally a “Musick House” in connection with - a Spa opened by Mr Sadler, who, after digging for gravel in his - garden in 1683, discovered an ancient “holy well” that had been - stopped up since the Reformation. - -=Saffron Hill.= From the saffron which grew abundantly in the grounds - attached to Ely House, the town mansion of the bishops of Ely. - -=Sahara.= Expresses the Arabic for “desert.” - -=Sailor King.= William IV., who, having been bred to the sea in his - youth, worked up his way from a midshipman to the position of Lord - High Admiral. In his case promotion was no doubt easy. - -=St Albans.= The scene of the martyrdom of St Alban, A.D. 297, in honour - of whom Offa, King of Mercia, founded a Benedictine abbey. - -=St Andrew Undershaft.= The Church of St Andrew in Leadenhall Street, so - called from the tall shaft or Maypole which, bedecked with garlands - on high festivals, stood within a few yards of its door. Since this - shaft towered high above the steeple the church was said to be - “under the shaft.” After the Reformation the shaft was taken down - and kept in an adjacent alley, now called “Shaft Alley.” Thirty-two - years later the popular voice declared it to be a relic of - superstition, whereupon it was “raised off the hooks,” sawn into - pieces, and burnt. - -=St Andrews.= After St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, whose bones - are enshrined in the Cathedral. - -=St Andrew’s Hill.= From the church of St Andrew, at its south-western - extremity. - -=St Bees.= From an ancient nunnery founded in the seventh century by an - Irish saint named Bega. Partly destroyed by the time of Henry I., it - was then reconstituted as a priory by Randulp, Earl of Cumberland. - This village is known chiefly on account of its college, the - foundation of Dr Law, Bishop of Chester in 1806. - -=St Bride Street.= From the neighbouring parish church of St Bride or - Bridget. - -=St Clement Danes.= Dedicated to St Clement, this parish church received - the bones of Harold I. and many of his countrymen during the Danish - occupation of England. - -=St David’s Day.= The birthday (1st March) of St David, the patron saint - of Wales, who when archbishop advised his countrymen to wear a leek - in their caps, to distinguish them from their foes. In consequence - of the precaution they won a decisive victory over the Saxons on - this day, and the leek became the national emblem. - -=St Ethelburga’s.= This, one of the most ancient churches in the city, - was dedicated to St Ethelburga, the daughter of King Ethelbert, and - a paragon of all the Christian virtues. - -=St Ethelreda’s.= This beautiful city church in Ely Place, after having - gone through many vicissitudes since the Reformation, is now once - more a Roman Catholic place of worship. St Ethelreda was the - daughter of Ethelred, King of the East Angles; her name is often - corrupted into St Audrey. See “Tawdry.” - -=St George and Dragon.= An inn sign after the patron saint of England. - -=St George’s Hall.= This place of entertainment, now occupied by Messrs - Maskelyne & Devant, was opened in 1867 as St George’s Opera House, - so called on account of its location in the parish of St George, - Hanover Square. - -=St George’s in the East.= The modern designation of “Ratcliff Highway,” - from the parish church dedicated to St George, patron saint of - England. - -=St George’s Square.= After the neighbouring church, dedicated to St - George. - -=St Grouse’s Day.= The jocular term for the twelfth of August, when - grouse shooting begins. - -=St Helena.= This island was discovered on the Feast of St Helena, 1502. - -=St Helen’s Place.= From the adjacent church of St Helen’s, dedicated to - St Helena, the mother of Constantine. Thirty years later in 1180, - William Fitzwilliam, a wealthy goldsmith, founded a priory of nuns - in connection therewith. - -=St James’s Palace.= Stands on the site of an ancient hospital for - lepers dedicated to St James the Less, Bishop of Jerusalem. The - original palace was built by Holbein for Henry VIII. - -=St James’s Square.= Like the street of the same name, after St James’s - Palace. - -=St John’s Gate.= The last vestige of the ancient priory of St John of - Jerusalem, the English seat of the Knights Hospitallers. The gateway - now forms the headquarters of the St John’s Ambulance Association. - Here William Cave, the printer, projected and published _The - Gentleman’s Magazine_. - -=St John’s Wood.= From the ancient “Abbey of the Holy Virgins of St John - the Baptist,” which nestled among the now vanished woods in this - neighbourhood. - -=St Katherine Coleman.= Dedicated to St Katherine, this city church - received its second name on account of its location in the garden of - one Coleman, the builder of the street called after him. - -=St Katherine Cree.= Originally a chapel dedicated to St Katherine in - the parish of Holy Trinity (in the Minories). This on the abolition - of the neighbouring benefices of Christ Church, St Mary Magdalen, - and St Michael was made into a separate parish of Christ Church, - and, while retaining the old name, came to be known as “St Katherine - Christi,” of which “Cree” is a corruption. - -=St Katherine’s Docks.= From an ancient hospital of St Katherine, - displaced when these docks were constructed in 1828. - -=St Kitt’s Island.= Discovered by Columbus, it was named by him after St - Christopher, his patron saint. - -=St Lawrence.= The gulf of this name was first entered, and the - navigation of the great river embarked upon, on the Feast of St - Lawrence, 1500. - -=St Lawrence Jewry.= The church dedicated to St Lawrence in the Jewry. - See “Old Jewry.” - -=St Leger Stakes.= See “Doncaster St Leger.” - -=St Lubbock.= The popular nickname of Lord Avebury, formerly Sir John - Lubbock, to whom our countrymen are indebted for the introduction of - legalised Bank Holidays. - -=St Margaret Pattens.= This church received its name from the gilt - spots, or _patines_, with which its roof was anciently decorated. A - _paten_ is the circular gold dish which covers the chalice at the - altar. - -=St Martin’s Lane.= From the parish church of St Martin in the Fields. - -=St Martin’s-le-Grand.= The official designation of the buildings - collectively comprised in the headquarters of the General Post - Office. This is because the original edifice occupies the site of an - ancient college church dedicated to St Martin-le-Grand, the - foundation of Within, King of Kent in 750, and invested with the - privilege of sanctuary under a charter of William the Conqueror. - -=St Mary-Axe.= From a vanished church of St Mary that stood opposite to - a shop which had an axe for its sign. Originally “St - Mary-by-the-Axe.” - -=St Mary-le-Bow.= See “Bow Church.” - -=St Mary Woolnoth.= Dedicated to the Virgin; this church was so called - because it stood _nough_, or nigh, to the ancient wool beam or - staple. - -=St Michael’s Mount.= Anciently the seat of a religious house, to the - monks of which, as tradition states, St Michael once appeared on the - crag, where in later years a castle was built, the exact spot being - indicated by a stone lantern, since known as “St Michael’s Chair.” - -=St Olave’s.= A corruption of “St Olafs,” this church having been - dedicated to Olaf, King of Norway, who Christianised his country, - and at the invitation of Ethelred came over to England to render aid - in the work of expelling the Danes. - -=St Pancras.= This parish takes its name from the ancient church in Old - St Pancras Road dedicated to the boy saint who was martyred by - Diocletian. A representation of this youth being attacked by wild - dogs may be seen on the stone bridge over the Regent’s Canal, which - serves as a boundary mark to the parish. - -=St Partridge’s Day.= A popular nickname for “Partridge Day.” - -=St Paul of the Cross.= See “Passionists.” - -=St Petersburg.= Founded by Peter the Great, and dedicated to St Peter, - whose church is situated within the citadel. - -=St Sepulchre’s.= The foundation of this church was the outcome of the - Crusades, in honour of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. - Appropriately enough, the bell of the modern edifice gave warning to - the unhappy inmates of the condemned cell in Newgate Prison over the - way of their approaching last hour. - -=St Sophia.= This beautiful mosque at Constantinople, although - originally a Christian cathedral, so far from having been dedicated - to any St Sophia, was called _Hagia Sopia_, “Holy Wisdom”--_i.e._ - the eternal wisdom of _God_ manifested in the Second Person of the - Trinity. - -=St Stephen’s.= The House of Commons bears this name because, in the - absence of a separate building, its members held their sittings in - the Chapel of St Stephen’s, Westminster Abbey, until that edifice - was burned down, 16th October 1834. - -=St Swithin’s Day.= The day of the attempted reinterment (15th July) of - the body of St Swithin, preceptor of King Ethelwulf and Bishop of - Rochester, whose death took place 2nd July 862. Not regarding - himself worthy to be “laid” within the sacred edifice, he requested - that he might be buried just outside the door in the churchyard, so - that the faithful would walk over his grave. Although they acceded - to this last wish, the monks decided afterwards to lay him inside - the church; but their design was frustrated for forty successive - days by a pouring rain, until at last they desisted from the - attempt. This circumstance gave rise to the saying that “If it rains - on St Swithin’s day it will rain for forty days.” - -=St Valentine’s Day.= The connection between St Valentine and the - poetical epistles that were formerly interchanged between young - lovers on the 14th of February is somewhat remote. On this day the - good Christian Bishop was beheaded at Rome in the year 278. Long - before this, however, Roman youths and maidens had followed the - custom of selecting a lover for the year by shaking up the names of - their favourites, written on separate tablets, in a box. This arose - out of the old notion that birds begin to pair on the 14th of - February. The martyrdom of Bishop Valentine on this day therefore - actuated the Christians to style their selected lover their - Valentine, and the presents they exchanged in modern times bore the - same name. - -=Salic Law.= The ancient Frankish law by which females were excluded - from the throne. This was originally confined to what were called - “Salic Lands,” either, as some say, from the _salle_, or hall of the - owner, or, according to others, from the Salian Franks, those - bordering on the Sale or Yssel River; the enactment eventually - applied to the heritage of the Frankish kingdom. - -=Salisbury Square.= This, like the street and court of the same name, - marks the site of the town mansion and grounds of the bishops of - Salisbury. - -=Salop.= See “Shropshire.” - -=Salt Lake City.= The hot-bed of the Mormons, founded on the borders of - the Great Salt Lake, so called on account of the saline character of - its waters. - -=Salutation.= An inn sign in honour of the Salutation of the Virgin. - -=Salviati.= See “Del Salviati.” - -=Salzburg.= The fortified town on the Salza River. - -=Samaria.= After Shemer, the owner of the hill which, as we are told in - 1 Kings xvi. 24, Omri bought for two talents of silver, “and built - on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after - the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.” - -=Sambo.= The generic name of a North American Negro; derived from the - native _Zambo_, the offspring of a black and a Mulatto. - -=Sanci Diamond.= One of the great gems of the world, weighing 106 - carats, originally the property of a French nobleman of this name, - and purchased in 1835 by the Czar of Russia for half-a-million - roubles. - -=Sandbaggers.= A modern street terror in American cities while the - police are looking the other way, so called because they stun their - victims with elongated bags of hard, wet sand, and then rob them at - leisure. - -=Sandhillers.= A name given in America to the descendants of the white - labourers, who, ousted from their employment when slavery came in, - sought the sand-hills amid the pine forests of Georgia and South - Carolina. - -=Sandow Girl.= A physical culture girl trained at the Academy of Eugene - Sandow, or at home by means of appliances advertised in connection - therewith. Also known as the “Symmetrion Girl” from the name on the - familiar posters. The Sandow or Symmetrion Girls proved a great - attraction in the Athletic Scene of _The Dairymaids_ at the Apollo - Theatre. - -=Sandwich.= The sand village. - -=Sandwiches.= After John Montague, Earl of Sandwich, whose chief claim - to celebrity lay in the fact that he was an inveterate gamester. It - is on record that he often remained engrossed in play for thirty - hours at a stretch without partaking of a meal. From time to time, - however, he would ask the waiter to bring him a slice of meat - between two pieces of bread, as a stay to the appetite. The waiter - called this improvised meal a “Sandwich,” and by that name it has - ever since been known. - -=Sandwich Islands.= Named by Captain Cook in honour of Lord Sandwich, - First Lord of the Admiralty, at the time when they were discovered - by him. - -=Sandy.= The nickname of a Scotsman, being short for Alexander, the most - common Christian name to be met with in North Britain. - -=San Francisco.= Dedicated to St Francis, this Spanish-American city - really received its name from a coast settlement of missionaries - styled “San Francisco de Costa Dolores” as far back as September - 1776. - -=Sankey’s Horse.= The regimental nickname of the 39th Foot. This was - merited in India, when they were called upon to do temporary service - on horseback under Colonel Sankey. - -=Sansculottes.= The lowest orders of the people during the French - Revolution. This, literally “without breeches,” was the scornful - title at first bestowed by the aristocrats upon the Democratic party - on account of their neglectful attire. A little while later the Red - Republicans accepted it with pride as the password for patriotism. - -=San Salvador.= This being the first land sighted in the New World by - Columbus, he honoured it with the name of the “Holy Saviour,” as a - perpetual expression of thanksgiving. - -=Sans Souci.= This, the French for “free and easy,” or “without care,” - was the name borne by a famous place of amusement originally built - by Dibdin as a bijou theatre in Leicester Square. - -=Santa Fe.= Spanish for “Holy Faith.” - -=Santa Cruz.= Spanish for “Holy Cross.” - -=Santiago.= From the cathedral (in the city of Spain so named) - containing the bones of St Jago, or James the Less, the national - patron saint. - -=Saraband.= After Zarabanda, a celebrated dancer of Seville, who - invented it. - -=Saracens.= From the Arabic _sharkeyn_, “eastern people”; originally the - designation of the Bedouins of Eastern Arabia. By the Crusaders it - was applied to the Mohammedans generally. See “Moors.” - -=Saracen’s Head.= An inn sign of the time of the Crusades. Lest it might - be thought that this was complimentary to the enemies of - Christianity, mention may be made of the fact that the head of the - Saracen was represented as severed. - -=Saragossa.= A corruption of the Roman name _Cæsarea Augusta_. - -=Saratoga.= Indian for “miraculous waters from the rock,” touching the - famous mineral springs. - -=Saratoga Trunk.= The popular type of travelling trunk in the United - States, so called because it was first used by visitors to Saratoga - Springs. - -=Sarcophagus.= A Greek compound of _sarkos_, flesh, and _phargo_, to - eat. The term was originally applied to a receptacle for the dead, - because the early examples were made out of a kind of limestone - which was thought to possess the property of consuming a corpse in a - very short time. - -=Sardines.= From Sardinia, in the waters of which island the true - species of this fish abound. - -=Sardinia.= Called _Sandaliotis_ by the Greeks on account of its - resemblance to a human footprint; this name was changed by the - Romans to _Sardo_. At a later period the island was called - _Sardonion_, from a poisonous herb, transplanted from Sardis in Asia - Minor, which brought about a twitching of the muscles of the face - resembling laughter; hence the phrase to “Smile sardonically.” - -=Sardinia Street.= From the Sardinian Chapel built in 1648 in connection - with the residence of the Sardinian Ambassador at the time when the - island of Sardinia was nominally a kingdom, but really in the - possession of Spain. - -=Sardonic Smile.= See “Sardinia.” - -=Sarsenet.= A fine silk originally of Saracenic manufacture. - -=Saturday.= This, the seventh day of the week, was dedicated by the - Romans to Saturn. As, however, all the other week-days were named by - the people of Northern Europe in accordance with Scandinavian - mythology, one must incline to the opinion that this was named after - Sæter, a water deity. Its Anglo-Saxon designation was _Sæterdæg_. - -=Saturnalia.= The great winter festival of the Romans in honour of - Saturn, the god of agriculture. - -=Saunders Blue.= An easy corruption of the French _Cendres bleus_, “blue - ashes,” calcined bluestone being the substance from which this - pigment is obtained. - -=Sauterne.= A French wine produced at the place of the name, in the - department of Gironde. - -=Saved my Bacon.= This expression originated during the Civil War, when - housewives took extraordinary measures to save the bacon stored up - for winter consumption from the greedy appetites of soldiers on the - march. - -=Savile Row.= After Dorothy Savile, who, marrying into the Burlington - family, received this portion of the estate as her separate - property. - -=Savoy.= A cabbage originally introduced from the French department of - this name. - -=Savoy Street.= From the Savoy Chapel, the original of which, prior to - its destruction by fire, 7th July 1864, was the only remaining - portion of the ancient Savoy Palace built by Peter of Savoy, uncle - to the queen of Henry III., in 1249. - -=Sawney.= A variant of “Sandy.” - -=Saxons.= From the _seax_, the short crooked knife with which this tribe - were armed. _Sahs_ is the Old German for knife. Since the days of - Daniel O’Connell Irish patriots have been fond of referring to the - English people as Saxons, the natural enemies of the Celts. - -=S’Blood.= A trooper’s corruption of “His Blood,” or the precious blood - of the Redeemer. This species of profanity survives in the vulgar - swear-word “Bloody.” - -=Scales of Justice.= The ancient Egyptians believed that the good deeds - of a soul after death would be weighed against his evil deeds. The - Koran likewise teaches that the merits and demerits of departed - souls are balanced in the scales of the Archangel Gabriel; hence the - phrase now popular all the civilised world over. - -=Scalper.= An Americanism for one who speculates in railroad tickets, - and consequently obtains them at a reduction of their top prices. - -=Scaramouch.= A character in the old Italian comedy, the prototype of - the modern clown, so called from _scaramuccia_, a skirmish. - -=Scarborough.= The fortified scar or precipitous cliff, so called on - account of the castle built about 1136. - -=Scarborough Warning.= A warning given too late to be taken advantage - of. In 1557 Thomas Stafford seized Scarborough Castle before the - townsfolk had the least intelligence of his approach. After taking - possession he advised them to fly from the town and leave their - belongings. - -=Scarlet.= From the Persian _sakarlat_, “bright red.” - -=Scavenger’s Daughter.= A corruption of Skevington’s Daughter, this - instrument of torture being the invention of William Skevington, - Lieutenant of the Tower, _temp._ Henry VIII. He called it his - daughter because it emanated from his own brain. Those who were - fated to suffer by it sadly consented, as the saying was, to “Kiss - the Scavenger’s Daughter.” - -=Schaffhausen.= Literal German for “sheep-houses” or pens. - -=Schiedam.= Another name for Hollands, or Dutch gin, from the place - where this native spirit is distilled. - -=Schooner.= This kind of vessel received its name from the exclamation - of a spectator at the time when its earliest example was launched: - “Look, she schoons!” - -=Schottische.= Expresses the German for a Scottish dance, a variation of - the polka, in three-quarter time. The Scots, however, repudiate its - invention. It is not improbable that a Scotsman, sojourning in the - Fatherland, blundered into this step through his inability to dance - the polka correctly. - -=Scilly Isles.= After the name of one of the smallest, in proximity to a - very dangerous rock similar to that of Scylla in Sicily which, - according to Homer, was the abode of a monster so denominated. - -=Scissors-tail.= A South American bird which in the course of its - flights opens and shuts its tail for the purpose of entrapping the - flies that constitute its prey. - -=Scorching.= A bicycling term which, curiously enough, only came into - vogue after the possibility of realising it had been removed. In the - days of the old “Bone-shaker,” before rubber tyres were heard of, - there would have been great likelihood of setting the wooden machine - on fire by furious riding on the part of an expert. - -=Scotch Reel.= See “Reel.” - -=Scot-free.= A phrase derived from the old legal exaction “Scot and - Lot,” the former being derived from the Anglo-Saxon _sceat_, pay, - and the latter meaning a tribute allotted to every man according to - his means. It was rare indeed that anyone got off “Scot-free” in - ancient times. - -=Scotia.= From the Celtic _scot_, wanderer, with the suffix _ia_, - country; the ancient designation of the Highlands, now, with the - Lowlands, called “Scotland.” - -=Scotists.= Those who accepted the doctrine of John Duns Scotus relative - to the Immaculate Conception, in opposition to the “Thomists.” - -=Scotland.= See “Scotia.” - -=Scotland Yard.= On the site of the original Scotland Yard stood an - ancient palace appropriated to the Scottish kings, who were required - to pay homage once a year to the English sovereign at Westminster - Abbey. The last Scottish monarch so accommodated was Margaret, the - sister of Henry VII. - -=Scots.= See “Scotia.” - -=Scottish Covenanters.= See “Covenanters.” - -=Scottish Hogarth.= The surname of David Allan of Alloa, whose portraits - and historical paintings occupy a high position in the esteem of his - countrymen. - -=Scottish Presbyterians.= The successors of the Scottish Covenanters, - and founders of the Established Church of Scotland. See - “Presbyterians.” - -=Scowerers.= Eighteenth-century rakes who scoured the streets of London - by night, overturning the “Old Charlies” in their boxes, and - molesting peaceable citizens. - -=Scratched Horse.= One that has its name struck out of the final list of - runners in a race. Those who have backed their money on it swear a - little, but no one else cares a jot for their discomfiture. - -=Screw.= Colloquial for “wages.” See “Raise your Screw.” - -=Screwed.= Drunk. This is simply a play on the word “Tight.” - -=Screw of Tobacco.= So called because it is screwed up in a paper. - -=Scriptures.= Expresses the plural of the Latin _scriptura_, a writing, - from the verb _scribere_, to write. The Bible is a collection of - books or writings. - -=Scroll of Fame.= The word “Scroll” is a corruption of “Roll,” relative - to paper, although from “scroll” we have derived the term - “Schedule.” See “Roll Call.” - -=Scullery.= The annexe to a kitchen, where the dishes and pots are - washed up, so called from the Norman-French _esculle_, a porringer - or dish. The man-servant or boy whose work lay in the scullery was - in former days called a “Scullion.” - -=S’Death.= A softened form of the profane oath “His Blood,” in reference - to the Saviour. - -=Sea of Marmora.= From the Latin _marmor_, marble, which for centuries - has been quarried on a small island at its western extremity. - -=Sebastopol.= From the Greek _Sebastopolis_, “august city.” - - Secretary Bird. A South African bird distinguished by a tuft of - feathers on each side of its head which form a fanciful resemblance - to quill pens stuck behind the ear. - -=Sectarians.= The general name for Dissenters attached to any one of the - numerous sects or denominations outside the Established Church. - -=Secular Clergy.= See “Regular Clergy.” - -=Secularist.= From the Latin _seculum_, an age, a generation; one who - advocates the happiness or well-being of the community during the - present life, leaving the future completely out of count. - - Sedan-chairs. First made at Sedan, France. - -=See how it pans out.= Originally a miners’ phrase in the Far West. To - separate the gold grains from the earth in which they are found a - pan of water is brought into service; when the pan is shaken the - gold collects at the bottom. - -=Seekers.= The original designation of the Quakers, because they sought - the truth with the solicitude of Nicodemus, the Jewish ruler (John - iii. 1-21). - -=Seething Lane.= A corruption of Sidon Lane, after the name of the first - builder on the land. - -=Selkirk’s Island.= Also called the isle of “Juan Fernandez.” - -=Seltzer Water.= A corrupted spelling of “Seltsers,” the name of a - village near Limburg in Prussia famous for its mineral springs. - -=Senate.= The Upper House of the United States Congress. The term - properly implies an elder, from the Latin _senis_, an old man. - -=Senegambia.= The territory situated between the Senegal and Gambia - Rivers. - -=Sent to Coventry.= As its name implies, Coventry was in olden times a - great centre of religious life, touching the number of its - conventual establishments. Soldiers sent to the garrison there soon - discovered that no woman would speak to them. Hence to be sent to - Coventry was a great hardship, since it meant being cut off from - “life” in every form, and female intercourse particularly. - -=Separatists.= Another name for the Home Rulers during the lifetime of - Mr Parnell. It implied virtual separation from English rule. - -=Sepia.= Greek for “cuttle-fish,” from the inky secretion under the - glands of which this pigment is obtained. - -=September.= The seventh month of the Roman year, counting from March. - -=Serjeants’ Inn.= Anciently the inn or mansion of the “Freres Serjens,” - a brotherhood of Servitors to the Knights Templars hard by. It was - these who performed the ordinary household duties in the Temple. - -=Serle Street.= After Henry Serle of Lincoln’s Inn, the owner of - considerable property in this neighbourhood when the parish of St - Clement Danes was very different to what it is now. - -=Sermon Lane.= Anciently “Sheremoniers’ Lane,” so called from the money - shearers or clippers’ office adjacent to the first London Mint. - -=Serpentine.= An artificial winding lake formed out of the pools and the - Tyburn in Hyde Park in 1733. See “Bayswater.” - -=Servia.= The country of the _Suevi_, a people driven by the Romans into - that portion of Germany now called “Suabia,” until after further - migrations northward they settled in Sweden. - -=Servites.= This religious Order grew out of the pious example of seven - Florentine merchants who in 1283 assembled each evening for - devotional exercises in a lady chapel and styled themselves “The - Religious Servants of the Holy Virgin.” The London house of the - Community is in the Fulham Road. - -=Set her Cap at him.= With the coquetry peculiar to her sex, a female - always put on her most becoming cap to attract the male visitor whom - she favoured. Now that caps are no longer worn she resorts to other - devices, but the old expression survives. - -=Set the Thames on fire.= A “temse” was the old name for a sieve, - agreeably to the French _tamis_ and the Italian _tamiso_, which - terms express the same implement. A sifter would require to work - very hard indeed to ignite his sieve. Accordingly a bystander often - said to him touching his apparent laziness: “You’ll never set the - temse on fire!” Its punning - -=Seven Dials.= A once notorious thieves’ neighbourhood, which received - its name from a stone column presenting seven dials or faces, from - which the same number of streets radiated. This, originally set up - to mark the limits of St Giles’s and St Martin’s parishes, was - removed in 1763, owing to the erroneous idea that a large sum of - money lay buried beneath it. - -=Seven Sisters’ Road.= This long road, extending from Holloway to - Tottenham, received its name from seven trees planted in Page Green - in the latter parish by the Sisters Page. Local tradition has it - that one of these was a cripple, and the tree planted by her grew up - deformed. - -=Seventh Day Baptists.= See “Sabbatarians.” - -=Saxagesima Sunday.= Approximately the sixtieth day before Easter. - -=Seymour Place.= After one of the family names of the Portmans, owners - of the estate. - -=Seymour Street.= Far removed from Seymour Place, this has no connection - with the Portman family, having received its name from the first - builder on the land. - -=Shadwell.= A corruption of “St Chad’s Well,” a reputed holy well - discovered hereabouts in ancient days. - -=Shaft Alley.= See “St Andrew Undershaft.” - -=Shaftesbury Avenue.= After Anthony Ashley Cooper, seventh Earl of - Shaftsbury, who performed the opening ceremony of this new - thoroughfare shortly before his death in 1885. - -=Shah Diamond.= A gem weighing 86 carats, long the property of Chosroes - I., Shah of Persia, who, dying in 579, presented it to a Khan of the - Tartars, from whom it descended to Ivan III., the grandfather of - Ivan the Terrible, the first Czar of Russia. - -=Shakers.= An American sect, first heard of in 1774, at Albany in the - state of New York, so called from the convulsive movements of the - hands and arms as part of their peculiar form of worship. Its - founder was Ann Lee, self-styled “Mother Ann,” of Manchester, who, - receiving little encouragement for her religious tenets in her - native land, emigrated with a few disciples to the New World. - -=Shalloon.= Originally manufactured at Chalons in France. - -=Shanty.= This term for a hut or cabin first obtained currency in - Canada, having been derived from the French settlers, who gave the - name _chantier_ to a hut erected in a dockyard under construction. - -=Shattered Prices.= An Americanism for “reduced prices.” - -=“She” Bible.= See “‘He’ Bible.” - -=Sheen.= See “Richmond.” - -=Sheet Anchor.= A corruption of “Shote Anchor,” an extra heavy one, that - can be expeditiously shot out for the greater security of a vessel - under stress of weather. To act as a sheet anchor to a man is to be - his mainstay or chief dependence. - -=Sheffield.= From the River Sheaf, on the confluence of which and the - Don the town stands. - -=Shekel Day.= The day (27th May) set apart every year throughout the - Jewish world for the collection of a shekel--a shilling, franc mark, - half rouble, or “quarter,” according to the currency of the - individual country--in support of the Zionist Movement for the - re-colonisation of Palestine. The word “shekel” is from the Hebrew - _shekal_, to weigh. - -=Shepherdess Walk.= A name reminiscent of the days when the entire - district between Finsbury and “Merrie Islington” was open fields. - -=Shepherd’s Bush.= Pleasantly pastoral as the name is, this district is - now wholly built over. A “Shepherd’s bush” was a hillock covered - with soft vegetation on which he reclined while tending his flocks. - -=Shepherd’s Market.= The site of a former weekly market, the land of - which, like that of Market Street and Shepherd Street, was owned by - a person of this name. - -=Shepperton.= A corruption of “Shepherd’s Town”; whether derived from - the name of the landowner, or because the district was originally - given up to sheep-folds, is not known. - -=Sherbet.= The national beverage in Arabia, so called from _shariba_, to - drink, because it is taken at a single draught; hence the same name - applied to effervescing liquors in this country. - -=Sherry.= An English corruption of “Sherris,” a dry wine exported from - Xeres in Spain. - -=Sherry Cobbler.= An American drink which, in addition to the ordinary - ingredients of a “Cobbler,” contains a dash of sherry. - -=Shetland Isles.= Anciently described as _Hyaltland_, the Norse for - “Viking Land,” the name was softened into Zetland, and finally as we - now have it. - -=She Wolf of France.= A name that will ever cling to the memory of - Isabella, the queen of Edward II., whom she caused to be murdered - most foully through the instrumentality of her paramour, the Earl of - Mortimer. This monster of iniquity lies buried in Christ Church, - Newgate Street. - -=Shift.= An old name for a chemise, denoting a shift or change of linen; - also an industrial term for a change of men at certain hours, so - that work can be carried on uninterruptedly by day and night. - -=Shillelagh.= A oaken sapling fashioned into a cudgel for self-defence, - so called from a wood in Ireland celebrated for its oaks. - -=Shilling.= This silver coin was of considerable value to our ancestors, - who always sounded it as a test of its genuineness. Hence, as the - “ringing coin,” the Anglo-Saxons gave it the name of _scilling_, - which, like the modern German _schilling_, is derived from the verb - _schallen_, to sound. - -=Shinplaster.= An Americanism for a bank-note. During the Civil War - paper money was so much depreciated in value that its possessors - could not easily negotiate it at any price. Finding this to be his - own case, an old soldier philosophically used his bank-notes as - plasters for a wounded shin. - -=Ship.= A tavern sign commemorative of the circumnavigation of the globe - by Sir Francis Drake; also a technical term in the printing trade - for the compositors working together in a particular room or - department, being an abbreviation of “Companionship.” - -=Shire.= A portion of land scired or sheared off under the Saxon - Heptarchy for the creation of an earldom. - -=Shoe Lane.= This name has no connection with shoemakers, or cordwainers - as they were anciently called. As an offshoot of Fleet Street, the - great thoroughfare of taverns, this was anciently “Show Lane,” lined - with booths and shows like a country fair. - -=Shooter.= An Americanism for a revolver. - -=Shooters’ Hill.= A corruption of “Suitors’ Hall,” so called from the - suitors or place hunters who came this way when Henry VIII. had his - Court at Greenwich. - -=Shooting Iron.= A Far West term for a rifle. - -=Shop.= Theatrical slang for an engagement. - -=Shop-lifting.= This phrase for abstracting goods from a shop counter - had its origin in the printer’s technical term “Lifting.” - -=Shoreditch.= All other suggested derivations notwithstanding, this - district really received its name from the manor of Sir John - Soerditch, a wealthy citizen, and a favourite of Edward the Black - Prince, by whose side he fought at Crecy and Poitiers. - -=Show.= Theatrical slang for a performance. - -=Shrewsbury.= See “Shropshire.” - -=Shropshire.= This name expresses in a roundabout way the shire of - Shrewsbury, the Anglo-Saxon _Scrobbesburgh_ that grew up around an - ancient castle among the scrubs or shrubs, softened by the Normans - into _Sloppesbury_, which lent its name to what is now “Salop,” and - finally corrupted into Shrewsbury. - -=Shrove Tuesday.= A corruption of “Shrive Tuesday” when all good - Catholics confessed their sins in preparation for receiving the - blest ashes on the following morning. - -=Siberia.= The country ruled from the ancient town of Sibir, the capital - of the Tartars, and which contained the palace of the renowned - Kutsheen Khan, the ruins of which are still visible. - -=Sicily.= From the _Siculi_, a tribe who became masters of the island, - expelling the _Sicanii_, its ancient inhabitants. - -=Sick.= A word uniformly used throughout the United States in the place - of “ill,” as in our own country. This is not an Americanism, but - good honest English, having been introduced to the New World by the - Pilgrim Fathers who sailed in the _Mayflower_. Both in the Bible and - in Shakespeare sick, not ill, is employed. This is one of the few - instances in which the Americans have preserved a word true to its - original meaning. - -=Sidmouth Street.= After Lord Sidmouth, a popular Minister at the - accession of George IV., when this street was first built upon. - -=Side Walk.= An Americanism for the English “pavement” and the Scottish - “causeway.” - -=Siedlitz Powders.= From Siedlitz in Bohemia, whence, like the - celebrated mineral waters of the same name, they are obtained. - -=Sienna.= A pigment obtained from the native _Terra di Sienna_ in Italy. - -=Sign on.= An industrial phrase for signing one’s name in a book on - arriving to commence the day’s work. The like procedure at the day’s - close is styled “Sign off.” - -=Silhouette.= After Etienne de Silhouette, Comptroller of Finance under - Louis XV., who was the first to have his features outlined from a - side view on black paper. - -=Sillery.= A champagne produced from the extensive vineyards of the - Marquis de Sillery. - -=Silver Captain.= The sobriquet of Admiral Sir Henry Digby from the - large haul he on 15th October 1799 made by the capture of a Spanish - treasure ship laden with dollars, his own share of the prize money - amounting to £40,730, 18s. This he attributed to a fortunate dream, - in which he repeatedly heard a voice exclaim: “Digby! Digby! steer - to the northward!” - -=Silver-tongued Sylvester.= John Sylvester, the translator of Du Barta’s - “Divine Week and Works,” so styled on account of his harmonious - verse. - -=Simple Life.= A term which has come into vogue, both in England and - America, since the publication of the Rev. Charles Wagner’s - remarkable book “The Simple Life,” in advocacy of plain living, - three or four years ago. - -=Single-speech Hamilton.= The sobriquet of William Gerard Hamilton, - Chancellor of the Exchequer in Ireland. He delivered on 13th - November 1775 a speech which electrified the House, but after that - memorable first effort he never spoke again. - -=Sing Small.= A corruption of “Sink Small,” meaning to be lowered in the - estimation of those to whom one has made a vain boast. - -=Sinking Fund.= One that provides for the annual reduction of a National - Debt. - -=Sinner-saved Huntingdon.= William Huntingdon, the theologian and - preacher, who, having led a wild life in his youth, made amends for - these delinquencies in the full vigour of manhood. - -=Sirree.= A vulgar American corruption of “Sir,” corresponding to the - old English “Sirrah.” Originating at New York, it is now quite a - common thing for people in the States generally to answer: “Yes, - sirree,” and “No, sirree.” - -=Sise Lane.= A corruption of St Osyth’s Lane, after an ancient church in - it, now removed. - -=Sixteen String Jack.= Jack Rann, the highwayman, hanged in 1791, so - called from the sixteen tags he wore on the knees of his breeches. - -=Six-shooter.= An Americanism for a six-chambered revolver. - -=Skagerrack.= Expresses the crooked strait between the _Skagen_, the - plural of the Gothic _skaga_, a promontory, between Jutland and - Norway. - -=Skald.= An ancient northern bard or minstrel. The word is Scandinavian - for “poet.” - -=Skied.= An artists’ term for a picture hung on the highest row, just - under the ceiling, at any exhibition, where no one can look at it - closely. - -=Skinner Street.= Stands on land belonging to the Skinners’ Company. - -=Skylarking.= Originally an American seaman’s term for rough sport among - the ship’s rigging and tops. - -=Sky Parlor.= An Americanism for an attic. - -=Sky Pilot.= An American naval expression for a ship’s chaplain. The - allusion is obvious. - -=Sky-scraper.= The name given in the United States to a building of - lofty proportions, often running to as many as thirty storeys. - Viewing these from Brooklyn Bridge it would really seem as if the - New Yorkers were anxious to scour the heavens out of their top - windows. - -=Sky Sign.= A structure on the roof of a house of business for the - purposes of a bold advertisement. This Transatlantic innovation has - within the last few years been interdicted by order of the London - County Council. - -=Slacker.= An Eton term for one who never takes part in games; he cannot - be coerced, and declines to exert himself in any way. - -=Slate Club.= Originally a parochial thrift society whose members met in - the schoolroom, their contributions being _pro tem_ entered on - slates, conveniently at hand. - -=Slick into it.= To do a thing right away, never pausing until it is - finished. As a variant of “Polish it off” this expression is rightly - employed, slick being derived from the German _schlicht_, polished, - clean. - -=Sling.= An American mixed drink, so called on account of the different - ingredients slung into it. - -=Sling your Hook.= Originally an abbreviated angler’s phrase: “Sling - your hook a little farther along, and then we shall both have more - room.” - -=Slipper.= A shoe into which the foot is easily slipped, more - particularly among the Orientals, who dispense with the back leather - clasping the heel. - -=Sloane Square.= After Sir Hans Sloane, the original owner of the - estate, whose daughter became by marriage the first Countess of - Cadogan. - -=Slope.= To run away with expedition, as it were down the slope of a - hill. - -=Smile.= An Americanism for a “drink.” Unlike the common run of - Americanisms, there is warranty for the term. When drinking their - native beverage, “pulque,” the Mexicans look at one another, and - smile. This custom has obtained with them ever since Montezuma - gulped down this tipple offered to him by the hand of his daughter. - See “Cocktail.” - -=Smithfield.= A corruption of “Smoothfield,” a fine tract of meadow land - on which mediæval tournaments were held, likewise horse races. - -=Smith of Antwerp.= Quentin Matsys, the celebrated painter, who began - life as a blacksmith. - -=Smalls.= In theatrical parlance “the small towns.” - -=Smart Set.= Originally an Americanism for the exclusive fashionable set - of Boston society. The term has latterly travelled over to these - shores, and the Smart Set of West End London does not appear to be - beloved by Father Bernard Vaughan. - -=Snapshot.= An Americanism for a photograph taken instantaneously with a - portable camera. “Snap” is, however, a good old English word. We - speak of a person being “snapped off” by disease--_i.e._ carried off - suddenly. - -=Sneesh-box.= Scottish for a snuff-box. - -=Snob.= This term arose out of the expressions on the part of the vulgar - whenever a conceited person who aped gentility was encountered: - “He’s a nob,” “He’s not a nob,” or “He wants to make people believe - he’s a nob,” until they resulted in the simple exclamation “Snob.” - Such a word having once been established as the antithesis of “Nob,” - a shoemaker merited the description of a Snob because his work was - confined to the pedal extremities instead of the person’s head. - -=Snow Hill.= A corruption of “Snore Hill,” so called because travellers - by the stage-coach from Guildford were generally snoring by the time - they reach their destination at the hill foot, “The Saracen’s Head.” - -=Soaker.= Both in England and America this term denotes a habitual - drunkard, soaked in liquor. - -=Soane Museum.= This magnificent but little known collection of works of - Art was acquired by Sir John Soane, the antiquary, at his residence - in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, where, subject to certain seasonal - restrictions, it may be visited by anyone. - -=Sociable.= An open carriage with two seats, thus admitting of its - riders being face to face. - -=Socialists.= A term of wide meaning, but according to its modern - acceptation synonymous with “Levellers,” the adopted name of the - malcontents of the time of Charles I., who sought to reduce society - to a common level. - -=Society Islands.= Named by Captain Cook in compliment to the Royal - Society. - -=Society of Jesus.= See “Jesuits.” - -=Socinians.= The followers of Lælius Socinus, an Italian theologian of - the sixteenth century. They held the same views as the modern - “Unitarians.” - -=Sock and Buskin.= The drama, alluding to the low and high shoe or - sandal worn respectively by comic and tragic actors in the theatre - of the ancients. The _soccus_ was a simple shoe, whereas the - _brossquin_, a term remotely derived from the Greek _bursa_, a hide, - extended to the knee, and was, moreover, two or three inches thick - in the sole to increase the height of the performer. - -=Sod.= A north country term for a mean, ignorant fellow, no better than - a lout or clodhopper, in allusion to the sod of agriculture. - -=Soft Soap.= Flattery, because, unlike the ordinary kind, soft soap is - easily rubbed in. - -=Soho.= A name pleasantly recalling the days when, prior to the - sixteenth century, the whole of London westward of Drury Lane was - open country. _So ho_ was the cry of the huntsmen when a hare broke - cover, expressing the Norman-French for “See! Hie! (after him).” - -=Soirée.= A sociable evening party, so called from the French _soir_, - evening. - -=Soldier of Fortune.= A soldier without fortune who seeks to make one by - enlisting in any service which holds out the prospect of good pay. - -=Solid Straight.= Another name for a “Straight Drink.” - -=Somerset.= Described in Anglo-Saxon days as _Suthmorset_, the “South - Moor Settlement.” - -=Somerset House.= Covers the site of the palatial residence of Edward - Seymour, Duke of Somerset, the Lord Protector of Edward VI. On the - sequestration of his estates in 1552 this passed to the Crown, and - became a virtual royal residence. Here the body of James I. lay in - state; here too the queens of Charles I. and Charles II. took up - their abode. The present edifice dates from 1766. - -=Somers Town.= From Lord Somers, the owner of the estate. - -=Sorbonne.= After its founder Robert de Sorbon, a canon of Cambrai in - 1252. - -=Souchong.= A species of black tea called by the Chinese _se-ou-chong_, - “small, good quality.” - -=Soudan.= Properly “Suden,” from the Arabic _Belad-ez-Suden_, “district - of the blacks.” - -=Southampton.= The south town on the Ant or Hantone. See “Hampshire.” - -=Southampton Buildings.= Marks the site of Southampton House, in which - lived and died the last Earl of Southhampton, Lord Treasurer of - Charles II. - -=Southampton Street.= After one of the family titles of the Duke of - Bedford, the great ground landlord. - -=South Audley Street.= See “Audley Street.” - -=Southgate.= See “New Southgate.” - -=Southwark.= A name which points to the Danish rule in England. The - earliest London bridge of wood having been built in 1014, or two - years before Canute seized upon the throne, this monarch took up his - residence on the south bank of the Thames, and holding his Court - there, styled it _Sydrike_, the Norse for “South Kingdom.” His - successors also affected the Surrey side; as we know, Hardicanute - died of a surfeit at Lambeth. By the Anglo-Saxons under Edward the - Confessor the Danish _Sydrike_ was rendered _Suthwerk_, or South - Fortification, whence we have derived the name in its present form. - -=Southwick Crescent.= After Southwick Park, the country seat of the - Thistlewaytes, at one time joint lessees of the manor of Paddington. - -=Sovereign.= So called because when first struck, in the reign of Henry - VIII., this gold coin had upon it a representation of that sovereign - in his royal robes. - -=Sovereign Pontiff.= The superior title of the Pope. See “Pontiff.” - -=Spa.= From the town of the same name (which expresses the Flemish for - “fountain”) in Belgium, the fashionable Continental resort during - the seventeenth century. - -=Spa Fields.= From an ancient public resort known as the “London Spa,” - in connection with a medicinal well discovered during the thirteenth - century. An account of the “Spa Fields Chapel,” originally a - theatre, purchased by the Countess of Huntingdon, the name has - survived to our own time. - -=Spagnoletto.= See “Lo Spagnoletto.” - -=Spain.= Called by the Carthaginians “Hispania,” from the Punic _span_, - rabbit, on account of the wild rabbits which abounded in the - peninsula. See “Iberia.” - -=Spaniards.= This famous “house of call” for pedestrians across Highgate - Heath was originally the private residence of the Spanish Ambassador - to the Court of James I. - -=Spaniel.= From _Hispaniola_, the old name of Hayti Island, in the West - Indies, whence this breed of Spanish dog was introduced to Europe. - -=Spanish Main.= The ancient designation of the waters around the West - Indian Islands in the Caribbean Sea that rightly belonged to Spain. - -=Spanish Place.= From the residence of the Spanish Ambassador during the - eighteenth century. The private chapel attached to this mansion - formed the nucleus of the present Catholic church. - -=Sparking.= An Americanism for “courting.” There may be warranty for - this in relation to “the spark of affection.” - -=Spa Road.= From a long-forgotten spa or mineral well in this portion of - Bermondsey. - -=Spa Water.= Natural mineral waters drawn from a “Spa” or well. - -=Speaker.= The official designation of the President of the House of - Commons, to whom technically, the Members address themselves, though - as a matter of fact, they address the country at large through the - medium of the Press. Since he never speaks himself, except to rule a - point of order, his title is a misnomer. - -=Spencer.= A short overjacket introduced by the Earl of Spencer. This - nobleman made a wager that he would set a new fashion by appearing - abroad in any style of garment, however hideous it might be. He won - his bet, for “Spencers” became popular. - -=Specs.= Short for “spectacles.” - -=Spelling Bee.= The name given to a competitive examination, in spelling - in American schools, and later introduced in the cities as a - fashionable pastime. From the States it reached England about a - quarter of a century ago. The term “Bee” is essentially - Transatlantic, being employed in the sense of a “hive” for any - assemblage of workers--_e.g._ “a Sewing Bee.” - -=Spindle City.= Lowell in Massachusetts, so called on account of its - numerous cotton factories. - -=Spinet.= An early form of pianoforte, so called because it was played - upon exclusively by unmarried females, as a relaxation from the - labours of the spindle. - -=Spinster.= A maiden lady, so called from the distaff or spindle, the - regular occupation of an unmarried female. - -=Spiritualist.= One who cherishes a belief in the power of communicating - with departed spirits through the instrumentality of a Medium. - -=Spitalfields.= The derivation of this name is generally given as from - an ancient priory of “St Mary of the Spittle.” This is wrong. There - may have been such a priory, but if so, like the present parish - church, its designation arose out of the “spital,” or hospital in - the sense of an almshouse, founded in the fields for the poor by - Walter Brune and his wife during the reign of Richard Cœur de - Lion. - -=Spithead.= This famous roadstead, so eminently adapted for naval - reviews, received its name from being situated at the head of the - “spit” or sandbank which extends along the coast for three miles. - -=Spitzbergen.= Danish for “sharp-pointed mountains,” relative to the - mountain peaks in these islands. - -=Spook.= Expresses the Dutch for “ghost.” Introduced to the United - States by the early settlers of New York, this term has obtained - currency on both sides of the Atlantic in connection with - Spiritualism. - -=Spooning.= This word is a play on “billing and cooing.” Courting - couples in the act of whispering “soft nothings” have their mouths - in such close contact that it resembles the manner of a mother bird - feeding her young brood. - -=Sporting Women.= An Americanism for “gay women.” - -=Spouting.= Colloquial for public speaking, because the orator indulges - in a constant flow of rhetoric, like water issuing from a pump - spout. - -=Sprat Day.= 9th November, the opening of the London sprat-selling - season. - -=Spread Eagle.= An inn sign adopted from the arms of Germany, indicative - of the fact that the wines of that country were to be had on the - premises. - -=Spreads himself.= Said of one in America who makes an ostentatious - display of self-conceit. The allusion is to a peacock spreading its - tail feathers to their utmost capacity. - -=Spring Gardens.= So called because at this north-eastern entrance to St - James’s Park unwitting pedestrians were suddenly drenched by a spray - of water through stepping on a hidden spring. This was considered - fine sport for the gallants who looked on during the Restoration - period. - -=Spring Heel Jack.= The sobriquet of the eccentric Marquis of Waterford, - who about a century ago cultivated the habit of frightening people - after nightfall by springing upon them out of obscure corners and - alleys. It was said that terror of the streets had steel springs - fitted to his heels for the purpose. - -=Square Meal.= An Americanism for a full meal, which can only be enjoyed - at the table, in contradistinction to a snack at a luncheon bar. - -=Squatter.= Literally one who squats down on land to which he has no - legal title. - -=Squaw.= Algonquin for an Indian woman. - -=Stafford.= The county town of the shire derived this name from the - ancient mode of fording the River Sow, upon which it stands, by - means of staves or stilts. - -=Stage-coach.= So called from the stages or degrees of the whole - journey, at each of which the coach pulled up to change horses and - refresh the travellers. - -=Staines.= From the Saxon _stane_, stone, the boundary mark set up - beside the Thames, bearing date 1280, and the inscription: “God - preserve the City of London.” This defined the western limits of - jurisdiction claimed by the Thames Conservancy or Water Board. - -=Stand Sam.= An Americanism for to “stand treat,” which originated among - the soldiers during the Civil War. When billeted upon the people - they demanded liquor by wholesale, saying that “Uncle Sam” would pay - for it, and it was everyone’s duty to stand Sam. See “Uncle Sam.” - -=Stanhope.= An open carriage named in compliment to the Earl of - Stanhope, author and politician. - -=Stanhope Gate.= This entrance to Hyde Park, in Park Lane, received its - name from Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, residing at - Chesterfield House close by. - -=Staples Inn.= Properly “Staplers’ Inn,” the ancient Hall of the - Woolstaplers, styled Merchants of the Staple. - -=Star and Garter.= An inn or tavern sign commemorative of the - institution of the Order of the Garter by Edward III. - -=Star Chamber.= This historic court received its name not from the stars - decorating the ceiling, as generally stated, but because it was the - ancient depository of the _Starra_, or Jewish records, at the order - of Richard I. - -=Start your Boots.= An Americanism for “Be off!” “Walk away.” - -=Starvation Dundas.= The sobriquet of Henry Dundas, created Lord - Melville, owing to his constant repetition of the word “Starvation” - in the course of a debate on American affairs in 1775. - -=State of Spain.= New Jersey. After the battle of Waterloo Joseph - Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon I., fled to New Jersey, and, - settling on an estate at Borderstown, gathered so many Frenchmen and - Spaniards around him that the Philadelphians regarded the people of - this state generally as Spaniards and foreigners. At this time - Joseph Bonaparte was nominally King of Naples and of Spain. - -=Stationer.= This term was not derived from “Stationery,” since the - latter grew out of the former. Ancient so-called booksellers were of - two kinds: the itinerants, and the stallholders in open market. Both - dealt in such books as were known at the time--hornbooks and the - like--but principally in writing materials, and as the stationery - booksellers had a more varied assortment than the pedlars, pen, ink, - and paper eventually received the name of “stationery,” and their - vendors that of “stationers.” - -=Steelyard.= The name given to a weighing machine on which a single - weight is moved along a graduated beam. This has no reference to a - “yard” measure, but to the ancient Steelyard near London Bridge, - where the German merchants of old landed, weighed, and sold their - fine steel. - -=Steeplechase.= This term originated in a race by a party of - unsuccessful fox hunters, who agreed to run a race to the village - church, the steeple of which was visible a couple of miles away, the - one who touched its stones with his whip first being declared the - winner. - -=Stepney.= A corruption of “Stebenhithe,” after the owner of a hithe or - wharf on this portion of the Thames bank in Anglo-Saxon days. - -=Sterling Money.= That originally coined in this country by the - “Esterlings,” the name given to the people of the Hanse Towns in the - eastern portion of Germany, at the invitation of King John. The - purity of the Esterling coinage was above reproach, whereas that of - England anterior to the mission of the Hansa merchants to reform it - had long become debased. - -=Sterling Silver.= Genuine silver in its natural purity as opposed to - “German Silver,” an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc first made in - Germany. See “Sterling Money.” - -=Stick a Pin there.= An Americanism for “make a note of it as a - reminder.” Dressmakers always stick a pin to mark the place where - material is to be stitched or taken in. - -=Stiletto.= Expresses the diminutive of the Italian _stilo_, a dagger. - -=Stingo.= See “Yorkshire Stingo.” - -=Stock.= This flower received its name from the circumstance that it was - largely sold in the Stocks Market (so called on account of a pair of - stocks that stood there), on part of the site of which the Mansion - House was erected in 1737. - -=Stock Exchange.= For the application of the term “Stock” to money, see - “Government Stock.” - -=Stockwell.= From an ancient well discovered in a _stoke_ or wood. - -=Stoke Newington.= Expresses the new town in the meadow adjacent to a - _stoke_, or wood, in reference to “Enfield Chase.” See “New - Southgate.” - -=Stonecutter Street.= From the lapidaries who congregated here in - ancient days. - -=Stone Jug.= See “In the Jug.” - -=Stones End.= See “Stony Street.” - -=Stonewall Jackson.= This sobriquet of General Jackson originated with - General Lee during the American Civil War. Rallying his troops after - the battle of Bull Run, he exclaimed, pointing in the direction with - his sword: “There is Jackson, standing like a stone wall!” - -=Stony Street.= So called from the nature of this portion of the great - Roman highway to Dover, in continuation of “Watling Street,” north - of the Thames. - -=Store.= An Americanism for a shop or warehouse. - -=Storey’s Gate.= Marks the site of the residence of Edward Storey, - keeper of the royal aviary of Charles II. in that portion of St - James’s Park known as Birdcage Walk. - -=Stormy Petrel.= A sea-bird, the appearance of which is regarded as a - portent of storms. Its Italian name, _Petrillo_, expresses the - diminutive of Peter, in allusion to St Peter, who walked on the sea, - because, instead of flying in the air, this bird habitually skims on - the surface of the water. - -=Storthing.= From the Norse _stor_, great, and _thing_, court, the - Norwegian and Swedish House of Assembly. - -=Stout.= This black alcoholic beverage is so called because it contains - more body and nourishment than ale or beer. - -=Stradivarius.= A violin made by the celebrated Antonio Stradivari of - Cremona; generally abbreviated into “Strad.” - -=Straight Drink.= An Americanism for a drink of pure, undiluted spirit. - -=Strand.= The name given to the north bank of the Thames (from the Norse - _strönd_, shore, border) in days when, with the exception of a few - princely houses dotted here and there, the whole of this portion of - London was open country. - -=Straphanger.= A term which has come into vogue since the introduction - of electrified railways, the trains being so crowded in the morning - and evening that straps are provided for standing passengers to - cling to _en route_. - -=Strasburg.= This name was first heard of in the fifth century, - expressing the German for a fortified town on the _strass_ or - _strata_, the great Roman highway into Gaul. - -=Stratford.= From the Latin _strata_, road, way; that portion of the old - Roman highway where the River Lea had to be forded. In Chaucer’s - time this little town, situated a long distance out of London, was - described as “Stratford-a-te-Bow,” in allusion to “Bow Bridge.” - -=Stratford Place.= After Edward Stratford, the second Lord Aldborough, - who leased the ground for building purposes from the Corporation of - the City of London in 1775. - -=Stratton Street.= After Lord Berkeley of Stratton, the owner of the - district now comprised in Mayfair, _temp._ Charles I. - -=Strenuous Life.= The antithesis of the “Simple Life.” - -=Stuarts.= This dynasty received its name from the fact that Walter, the - Lord High Steward of Scotland, married the daughter of King Robert - the Bruce. Since this Walter was the sixth of his line honoured with - such a position, he was said to belong to the Stewards, which, - eventually corrupted into “Stuarts,” resulted in a family name. - -=Stumped.= To have no money left. See “Stump up.” - -=Stump Orator.= One who harangues a crowd from the stump of a tree. - -=Stump Speech.= A term popularised in this country through the minstrel - entertainment, being an extempore speech delivered to the Negroes of - the southern states from the stump of a tree. - -=Stump the Country.= Colloquial for an electioneering campaign, derived - from the practice of political agents in the United States - addressing the people at large from a convenient tree stump. - -=Stump up.= Originally an Americanism for “put down your money.” After - delivering a speech for a benevolent object the “Stump Orator” - stepped down, and the people around laid their contributions on the - tree stump. - -=Suabia.= See “Servia.” - -=Sub.= Short for “subsidise,” or to draw something in advance of one’s - salary. - -=Sub Rosa.= “Under the Rose”--_i.e._ strictly between ourselves. It was - the custom of the Teutons when they assembled at a feast, to suspend - a rose from the ceiling as a reminder that whatever might be said - concerning their absent friends should not be repeated. - -=Subtle Doctor.= Duns Scotus, the schoolman and prince of - metaphysicians, whose subtlety of reasoning has never been equalled - in ancient or modern times. - -=Sucked in.= An expression derived from “Buying a pig in a poke.” See - “Let the Cat out of the Bag.” - -=Sucker State.= Illinois, so called from the Galena lead miners, who - disappeared during the winter and returned to Galena in the spring, - when the sucker-fish in the Fevre River abounded. The people of this - state are accordingly styled “Suckers.” - -=Suffolk.= A corruption of “South Folk,” the inhabitants of the southern - division of East Anglia. - -=Suffolk Lane.= From the ancient town house of the Dukes of Suffolk. - -=Suffolk Street.= From Suffolk House, the residence of the Earls of - Suffolk in former days. - -=Suffragette.= If this latter-day term possesses any etymological - significance whatever, it expresses the diminutive of one who claims - the suffrage or the right, from the Latin _suffragio_, to vote. A - suffragette is, in brief, a woman who ought to know better. Eager to - take upon herself the responsibilities of citizenship on a common - footing with the male orders of creation, she cannot but shirk those - which rightly belong to her own state. - -=Sulky.= A two-wheeled carriage for a single person, so called from the - popular idea at the time of its introduction that anyone who wished - to ride alone could not be otherwise than morose and sulky in his - disposition. - -=Sumatra.= From the Arabic _Simatra_, “happy land.” - -=Sumner Street.= After Dr Sumner, Bishop of Winchester, one of the last - occupants of Winchester House in this neighbourhood. - -=Sun.= An inn sign after the heraldic device of Richard II. - -=Sunday.= The first day of the week, dedicated in the Scandinavian - mythology to sun-worship. - -=Sun-down.= An Americanism for “sunset.” - -=Sunflower.= So called from the form and colour of its flower. See - “Heliotrope.” - -=Sunnites.= The orthodox Mohammedans, who accept the _Sunna_, or - collective traditions, equally with the Koran. - -=Sunset Land.= Arizona, on account of its glorious sunsets. - -=Supers.= In theatrical parlance short for “supernumeraries,” those who - form the stage crowds, but have no individual lines to speak. - -=Supper.= A term which has survived the changes of time. We still invite - a friend to “sup” with us, but the repast is more or less a - substantial one. Anciently the last meal of the day consisted only - of soup. - -=Surrey.= From the Anglo-Saxon _Suth-rey_, south of the river--_i.e._ - the Thames. - -=Surrey Street.= After the town mansion and grounds of the Howards, - Dukes of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel and Surrey. - -=Suspenders.= An Americanism for trouser braces. - -=Sussex.= The territory of the _Suth-seaxe_, or South Saxons, under the - Heptarchy. - -=Sutton Place.= After Thomas Sutton, founder of the Charter House, whom - the good folk of Hackney were proud to number among their residents - on this spot. - -=Swallow Street.= It is difficult to imagine that this once merited the - name of “Slough Street,” on account of its miry condition; but such - is the fact. - -=Swan Alley.= From the ancient town house of the Beauchamps, whose crest - was a swan. - -=Swan-Upping.= The name given from time immemorial by the Vintners’ - Company to their annual up-Thames visitation of the swans belonging - to them for the purpose of marking their bills with two nicks, by - way of distinguishing them from the royal swans, that have five - nicks. - -=Swan with two Necks.= An ancient London inn sign, corrupted from “The - Swan with two Nicks,” in compliment to the Vintners’ Company. See - “Swan-Upping.” - -=Sweating.= A word used in the original Biblical sense, and applied to - the unhealthy conditions which obtain among the denizens of the East - End of London, specifically the Jewish tailors, numbers of whom work - together in the fœtid atmosphere of a single small room. - -=Swedenborgians.= The followers of Emmanuel Swedenborg, the Swedish - mystic. Prior to 1719, when his family became ennobled, his real - name was Svedborg. - -=Swedish Nightingale.= Jenny Lind Goldschmidt, the rage of musical - London, who died in 1887. - -=Sweepstake.= Money staked on a race by different persons, the fortunate - winner among whom takes the whole amount, literally at one sweep. - -=Sweetbriar.= Expresses a “fragrant thorn.” - -=Sweetheart.= A corruption of “Sweetard,” the suffix _ard_ expressing - the intensitive in many class names, such as “Dotard,” “Bastard,” - etc. - -=Swell.= Slang for one of the upper classes, no doubt suggested by the - phrase: “The bloated aristocracy.” Also applied to an overdressed - person puffed out with the idea of his own importance. - -=Switches.= An Americanism for ladies’ hair curlers, fringes, and other - hirsute appendages. - -=Switzerland.= The English form of the Austrian Schwyz and German - Schweitz, originally the name of the three forest cantons whose - people threw off the Austrian yoke and asserted the independence of - the whole country. - -=Switzerland of America.= West Virginia, so called on account of its - mountains. - -=Sworn Brothers.= An ancient legal phrase signifying that two friends - had entered into a solemn compact to lend mutual aid and protection - and share each other’s fortunes. This custom was of Scandinavian - origin. - -=Sydenham.= Expresses the home or family settlement in the south. - -=Symmetrion Girl.= See “Sandow Girl.” - - - - - T - -=Tabard.= The famous inn sign in Southwark immortalised by Chaucer’s - “Canterbury Pilgrims,” from the ancient tunic with wide flap sleeves - still worn by the heralds. - -=Tableaux Vivants.= French for “living pictures,” specifically the - realisation of a celebrated painting or a scene from history by a - group of persons. - -=Table d’Hôte.= Most people are under the impression that this term - means a dinner as served at a hotel. This is erroneous. Its literal - signification is “the table of the host.” Until quite modern days a - traveller who desired to be served with a meal at an inn had to take - it with the landlord at his own table. - -=Taboo.= Strictly speaking, there is no such word as “tabooed,” yet we - generally find it employed in the place of “taboo.” The latter is - the European rendering of the Polynesian _tapu_, signifying a thing - reserved or consecrated to the use of one person. For a South Sea - Islander to exclaim _tapu_ when he sees anything that he fancies, is - tantamount to saying “I claim this thing; anyone else who touches it - shall die.” Amongst ourselves a subject which is _taboo_ must not be - discussed. - -=Taffy.= The generic name for a Welshman, corrupted from Davy, which is - short for David, the most common Christian name of the country, in - honour of St David. - -=Tagus.= The Phœnician for “river of fish.” - -=Tailor.= From the French _tailleur_, based upon the verb _tailler_, to - cut. - -=Take a Back Seat.= An Americanism for “You have outdone me; I’ll retire - from the front row.” - -=Take a Rise out of Him.= To take an undue advantage, to benefit by a - mean action. This originated in fly-fishing; when a fish sees the - fly held out of the water it rises to seize the coveted prey, and is - caught itself. - -=Takes the Cake.= An expression derived from the Cake Walking - competitions of the Negroes in the southern states of the American - Union. A cake is placed on the ground, and the competitors, male and - female, walk around it in couples. Those who disport themselves most - gracefully take the cake as their prize. - -=Take your Hook.= See “Sling your Hook.” - -=Talbot.= An inn sign in compliment to the Earls of Shrewsbury. - -=Talbotype.= A process of photography, by means of the Camera Obscura, - invented by Fox Talbot in 1839. - -=Talking Shop.= The nickname for the House of Commons. See “Parliament.” - -=Tally Ho!= From the Norman hunting cry _Taillis au_ (“To the coppice”), - raised when the stag made for its native place of safety. - -=Tallyman.= One who supplies goods on the weekly instalment system, so - called originally from the acknowledgments for payments that he gave - to his customers having to “tally” or agree with the entries in his - book. Why such a one should be ashamed of his old-time designation, - and now style himself a “Credit Draper,” can only be explained on - the ground that the tallyman is in bad odour with the husbands of - the guileless women whom he systematically overcharges. See - “Government Stock.” - -=Tammany Ring.= The name given to certain officials of the Democratic - party in New York who in 1871 were punished for having during a long - series of years plundered the people wholesale. Tammany Hall was the - place where they held their meetings. This was originally the - headquarters of a benevolent society, but it degenerated into a - political club. By way of accounting for the designation, it may be - added that Tammany or Tammenund was the name of a famous Indian - chief of the Delaware tribe, greatly beloved by his people. - -=Taming the Alps.= A phrase which has lately come into vogue through the - popular solicitude to prevent intrepid amateurs from climbing the - Alps without the assistance of local guides. - -=Tantalise.= A word based upon the fable of Tantalus, a son of Jupiter, - who, because he betrayed his father’s secrets, was made to stand up - to his chin in water, with branches of luscious fruit over his head, - but when he wished to drink or to eat the water and the fruit - receded from him. - -=Tapestry.= From the French _tapisserie_, based on the Latin _tapes_, a - carpet. - -=Tapster.= The old name for a tavern-keeper or his assistant, applied in - days when taps were first fitted to barrels for drawing off liquor. - -=Tarantella.= A dance invented for the purpose of inducing perspiration - as a supposed remedy for the poisonous bite of the Tarantula spider, - which received its name from the city of Taranto in Italy, where its - baneful effects were first noted. - -=Tarlatan.= From Tarare in France, the chief seat of the manufacture. - -=Tar Heels.= The nickname of the people of South Carolina, relative to - the tar industry in its lowland forests. - -=Tarragona.= Called by the Romans _Tarraco_, after the name given to the - city by the Phœnicians, _Tarchon_, “citadel.” - -=Tarred with the same Brush.= This expression originated in the custom - of marking the sheep of different folds formerly with a brush dipped - in tar, but nowadays more generally in red ochre. - -=Tart.= A punning abbreviation of “Sweetheart.” - -=Tasmania.= After Abel Jansen Tasman, the Dutch navigator, who - discovered it in 1642. - -=Tattersall’s.= After Richard Tattersall, who established his famous - horse repository near Hyde Park Corner in 1786; on 10th April 1865 - it was removed to its present locale at Knightsbridge. - -=Taunton.= The town on the River Tone. - -=Tavern.= From the Latin _taberna_, a hut of boards. - -=Tavistock.= The stockaded place on the Tavy. - -=Tavistock Street.= After the ancestor of the present great ground - landlord, Thomas Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, Marquis of - Tavistock, and Duke of Bedford, the father of the celebrated Rachel - who became the wife of Lord William Russell, beheaded in 1683. The - square and place similarly designated are included in the ducal - estate. - -=Tawdry.= A word derived from the cheap, showy lace anciently sold at - the annual fair of St Audrey in the Isle of Ely. This was called St - Audrey’s lace, afterwards corrupted into Tawdrey. The name of St - Audrey itself was a corruption of St Ethelreda. - -=Tay.= From the Celtic _tain_, river. - -=Tearless Victory.= Plutarch in his “Lives” gave this name to the great - victory won by Archimandus, King of Sparta, over the Arcadians and - Argives, B.C. 367, without the loss of a single Spartan soldier. - -=Teetotaler.= This designation of a total abstainer arose out of the - stammering address at Preston in September 1833 of one Richard - Turner, who concluded by saying: “Nothing but t-t-t-t-total - abstinence will do--that or nowt!” - -=Teetotum.= A coined term for a Working Man’s Total Abstinence Club, - suggested by the word “Teetotaler.” - -=Teignmouth.= Situated at the mouth, or in the estuary of, the Teign, - which name is a variant of the Celtic _tain_, river. - -=Tell that to the Marines.= In the old days, before the bluejackets - proved themselves as good fighting men on land as at sea, the - Marines were an indispensable adjunct to the Navy, but as time hung - heavily upon their hands they were always ready to listen to a - story. Finding that they were easily gullible, the sailors loved to - entertain them with the most extraordinary yarns, and, while on - shore, if they heard a wonderful story themselves they made up their - minds to “tell that to the Marines.” - -=Temple.= The seat of the “Knights Templars” in this country down to the - time of the dissolution of their Order by Edward II. in 1313. - -=Temple Bar.= The ancient gateway, at the western extremity of Fleet - Street, defining the “liberty” of the city of London on that side, - and originally set up as the ordinary entrance to the London house - of the Knights Templars. Taken down in 1878, the “Bar” now adorns - the park of Sir Henry Meux at Theobalds, Cheshunt, Herts. - -=Tenement House.= An Americanism for a dwelling-house let off to - different families. - -=Tennessee.= Indian for “river of the great bend.” - -=Tent Wine.= A corruption of _vinto tinto_, the Spanish for a white wine - coloured. - -=Terpsichorean Art.= After Terpsichore, one of the Nine Muses, who - presided over dancing. - -=Terra-cotta.= Italian for “baked earth”--_i.e._ clay. - -=Texas.= Indian for “the place of protection,” where a colony of French - refugees were kindly received in 1817. - -=Thaler.= Originally called a Joachims-Thaler, because this German coin - was struck out of silver found in the thal, or dale, of St Joachim - in France about 1518. From this “Thaler” the term “Dollar” has been - derived. - -=Thames.= To assert that this name has been derived from the Latin (?) - _Thamesis_, “the broad Isis,” or that it expresses the conjunction - of the Thame and the Isis, is ridiculous. The word is wholly Celtic, - from _tam_, smooth, and _esis_, one of the many variants of the - original _uisg_, water. It is quite true that that portion of our - noble river which flows past Oxford is called the Isis, but the name - is scholastic only, and cannot be found in any ancient charter or - historical document. _Thames_ simply means smooth water, or, if we - care to admit it, “the smooth Isis.” - -=Thames Street.= Runs parallel to the river on the north bank. - -=Thanet Place.= This _cul de sac_ at the eastern end of the Strand - received its name from the Earl of Thanet, the owner of the land - prior to 1780. - -=Thavie’s Inn.= A range of modern buildings on the site of an ancient - appendage to Lincoln’s Inn, so called by the Benchers in honour of - John Thavie, an armourer, who when he died in 1348 left a - considerable amount of property to the parish church of St Andrew. - -=Theobalds Road.= So called because James I. was wont to pass along it - on the way to his favourite hunting-seat at Theobalds in - Hertfordshire. See “Kingsgate Street.” - -=Thespian Art.= After Thespis, the Father of the Greek Drama. - -=Thirteen Cantons.= A tavern sign off Golden Square, complimentary to - the Cantons of Switzerland, at a time when Soho was as much a Swiss - colony as it is now French. - -=Thomas Street.= In honour of Thomas Guy, the founder of the Hospital, - also named after him. - -=Thomists.= Those who accepted the teaching of St Thomas Aquinas, in - opposition to that of John Duns Scotus relative to the Immaculate - Conception. - -=Threadneedle Street.= A corruption of, first, “Thridneedle,” and later - “Three-Needle” Street, so called from the arms of the Needlemakers’ - Company. - -=Three Chairmen.= A tavern sign in Mayfair, this house being the regular - resort of gentlemen’s servants in the days when sedan-chairs were - fashionable. - -=Three Exes.= The nickname of the 30th Regiment of Foot (XXX). - -=Three Kings.= An inn sign derived from the Magi or Three Wise Men who - came to adore the new-born Saviour at Bethlehem. - -=Three Men Wine.= The name borne by a very bad wine which requires two - men to hold the victim, while a third pours it down his throat. - -=Three Nuns.= A tavern sign in Aldgate, reminiscent of the neighbouring - priory of the Nuns of St Clare in ancient times. - -=Three Suns.= An inn sign derived from the device of Edward IV. as King - of England. - -=Throgmorton Street.= After the wealthy London banker, Sir Nicholas - Throgmorton. - -=Throw up the Sponge.= Originally a boxing expression. When a - prize-fighter had been badly bruised in the first round he often - declined the sponge offered to him by his second, or, in a sudden - fit, threw it up in the air, declaring he had had enough of it; - hence to “throw up the sponge” is to acknowledge oneself beaten. - -=Thundering Legion.= The name ever afterwards borne by that Roman legion - which, A.D. 179, overthrew the power of the Alemanni by defeating - them during a thunderstorm, which was thought to have been sent to - them in answer to the prayers of the Christians. - -=Thurlow Place.= After Lord Chancellor Thurlow, whose residence was in - Great Ormond Street, close by. - -=Thursday.= The day of Thor, the God of Thunder, in the Scandinavian - mythology. - -=Tied House.= A public-house owned or financed by a firm of brewers, - with the result that the nominal landlord is not allowed to - replenish his stock from any other brewer. - -=Tierra del Fuego.= Spanish for “land of fire,” so called from a volcano - on the largest island which throws up flame and smoke visible a very - great distance out at sea. - -=Tight.= Intoxicated, because a person in this state generally clutches - tight hold of a street lamppost or a convenient railing when unable - to walk home after a debauch. - -=Tighten your Purse Strings.= See “Purse Strings.” - -=Tilbury.= The ancient form of the name of the village two miles west of - Tilbury Fort was _Tillaburgh_, after one Tilla, a Saxon, of whom, - however, nothing is now known. A small two-wheeled gig without a - cover is called a Tilbury, after a London sportsman who introduced - it nearly a century ago. - -=Tinker.= A corruption of “tinner,” or tin-worker. This has given rise - to the verb “to tinker,” which meant originally to hammer lightly at - a thing after the style a tinman, without being able to repair it in - a thoroughly workman-like manner. - -=Tintoretto.= The better known name of the famous Italian painter, - Jacopo Robusti, because his father was a _tintore_, or dyer. - -=Tobacco.= From _tobaco_, the inhaling tube of the North American - Indians. By the Spaniards alone has the original spelling of the - name, now given universally to the fragrant weed itself, been - preserved. - -=Tobago Island.= So called by Columbus on account of its resemblance to - the inhaling tube of the Indians, the _tobaco_. - -=Toddy.= From the Hindoo _taudi_, a stimulating beverage made from the - juice of various palm-trees. - -=Toff.= A vulgar corruption of the University term “Tuft,” a young - nobleman who pays high fees and is distinguished by a golden tuft or - tassel on his cap. - -=Toggery.= A term derived from the same source as “Togs.” - -=Togs.= Slang for clothes, but originally derived from _toga_, the - characteristic male garment of the Romans. - -=Tokay.= An excellent white wine produced in the district of the same - name in Upper Hungary. - -=Tokenhouse Yard.= Marks the site of the ancient Token-House, which came - into existence through the insufficiency of small copper coinage. A - number of Nuremberg “tokens” having been introduced into this - country, tradesmen imported large quantities of them for purposes of - small (halfpenny and farthing) change, but instead of being kept in - circulation such tokens were afterwards exchanged by the inhabitants - of the city for their face value at the Token-House. About the same - time various municipalities throughout the country manufactured - their own tokens. The London Token-House was swept away by the Great - Fire and never rebuilt. - -=Toledo.= From the Hebrew _H’toledoth_, “generations,” “families,” - relative to the Jewish founders of the city. - -=Tom Folio.= The sobriquet of Thomas Rawlinson, the bibliomaniac. - -=Tommy Atkins.= This general designation of an English soldier arose out - of the hypothetical name, “Thomas Atkins,” which at one time figured - in the Paymaster-General’s monthly statement of accounts sent to the - War Office. So much money claimed by “Thomas Atkins” meant, of - course, the regular pay for the rank and file. - -=Tom Tidler’s Ground.= A corruption of “Tom the Idler’s Ground.” - -=Tontine.= The name given to a system of reducing the State Loans in - France in 1653 after Lorenzo Tonti, a Neapolitan protegé of Cardinal - Mazarin, its projector. According to this system, when one - subscriber dies, the money accredited to him passes to the others, - until the last survivor inherits the whole amount. - -=Tooley Street.= Originally “St Olaff Street” after the parish church - dedicated to St Olaff or Olave. This thoroughfare was in the time of - the Commonwealth known as “St Tulie Street,” of which its modern - name is an easy corruption. - -=Toothpicks.= A nickname borne by the people of Arkansas on account of - the Bowie Knives carried by the early settlers. - -=Topaz.= From _topazios_, after _Topazos_, the Greek name of an island - in the Red Sea where this gem was anciently - -=Tories.= Originally, during the Restoration period, the nickname - bestowed by the Protestants on their religious and political - opponents. This was in derisive allusion to a band of outlaws that - infested the bog districts of Ireland, the word _toree_ being Gaelic - for a robber. - -=Toronto.= Indian for “oak-trees beside the lake.” - -=Torquatus.= See “Manlius Torquatus.” - -=Torres Strait.= After the Spanish navigator, L. N. de Torres, who - discovered it in 1606. - -=Torrington Square.= After the family name of the first wife of John, - the sixth Duke of Bedford, the ancestor of the great ground - landlord. - -=Tothill Street.= A name which recalls the ancient manor of Tothill, - properly Toothill--_i.e._ beacon hill. Wherever _toot_ or _tot_ - appears in a place-name, it points to the one-time existence of a - beacon. - -=Totnes.= A corruption of “Toot Ness,” the beacon on the headland. - -=Tottenham.= From “Totham,” a corruption of _Toot ham_, the house or - hamlet by the beacon. - -=Tottenham Court Road.= So called ever since the days of Elizabeth - because it then led to “Tottenham Court.” This was an ancient manor, - originally belonging to St Paul’s, and held in the reign of Henry - III. by William de Tottenhall. - -=Touched him on the Raw.= Reminded him of something which hurt his - feelings. This expression arose out of an ostler’s solicitude to - avoid a sore place on a horse while grooming him. - -=Toulon.= The _Telonium_ of the Romans, so called after Telo Martius, - the tribune who colonised it. - -=Tractarians.= Those Oxford men who assisted Dr Pusey with the - composition of the famous “Tracts for the Times,” as well as those - who accepted the opinions expressed therein. - -=Trafalgar Square.= From the Nelson Column, set up in 1843, two years - before the square itself was laid out as it now exists. - -=Traitors’ Gate.= The riverside entrance to the Tower of London reserved - for State prisoners convicted of high treason. - -=Tramway.= An abbreviation of “Outram way,” after Benjamin Outram of - Derbyshire, who was the first to place his sleepers end to end the - whole length of the rails, instead of crosswise, as on our railways. - Long before this, however, the word “Tram” had been applied to a - coal waggon or truck in the colliery districts, while the rails on - which a vehicle ran bore the name of a “Tramroad.” - -=Transformation Scene.= So called because in the good old days of - Pantomine the Fairy Queen was at this juncture of the entertainment - supposed to transform the chief characters of the “opening” into - Clown, Pantaloon, Harlequin, Columbine, and Policeman. - -=Transvaal.= Expresses the territory beyond the Vaal River. - -=Transylvania.= From the Latin _trans_, beyond, and _sylva_, wood; this - name was given by the Hungarians to the country beyond their wooded - frontier. - -=Trappists.= A strict Order of Cistercian Monks, so called from their - original home at La Trappe in Normandy, established during the - twelfth century. - -=Treacle Bible.= A rare version of the Scriptures, so called on account - of the rendering of the passage (Jeremiah viii. 22): “Is there no - balm in Gilead?” as “There is no more traicle at Gilead.” - -=Trent.= Celtic for “winding river.” - -=Tried in the Balance and Found Wanting.= An expression founded on the - belief of the ancient Egyptians that the souls of men were weighed - after death. - -=Trilbies.= Colloquial for feet, because Trilby in the novel and the - play named after the heroine appears in bare feet. - -=Trilby.= A soft felt hat of the kind popularised by the heroine of the - famous Haymarket Theatre play, _Trilby_, founded upon the late - George du Maurier’s equally famous novel of the same title. - -=Trinidad Island.= The name given to it by Columbus as an emblem of the - Trinity, relative to its three mountain peaks which, when seen from - afar, he at first imagined rose from three different islands. - -=Trinitarians.= Those who accept the doctrine of the Holy Trinity as - opposed to the Unitarians; also the original designation of the - “Crutched Friars,” or Friars of the Holy Trinity. - -=Trinity House.= This had its origin in an ancient guild incorporated in - 1529 under the title of “The Master-Wardens and Assistants of the - Guild, or Fraternity, or Brotherhood, of the Most Glorious and - Undivisible Trinity, and St Clement, in the parish of Deptford, - Stroud, in the County of Kent.” The present building dates from - 1795. - -=Trinity Sunday.= That which follows Whitsunday, pursuant to the good - old Catholic custom of allowing religious exercises, specifically - the partaking of the Holy Communion, to be performed within the - octave, or eight days, of a great feast. - -=Tristan d’Acunha.= After the Portuguese navigator who discovered this - island in 1651. - -=Trithing.= See “Riding.” - -=Trump Street.= After the makers of trumpets, who, in the days of public - pageants and processions, here had their workshops. - -=Trust.= Another word for a “Combine” or “Corner,” with this difference - that its members are pledged to stand by one another, and faithfully - maintain the high prices their action has brought about. - -=Tudors.= This royal house received its name from Owen Tudor, a Welsh - soldier, who while stationed at Windsor, contracted a secret - marriage with Catherine, the widowed queen of Henry V. - -=Tuesday.= In the Scandinavian mythology the day set apart for the - worship of _Tiw_, the God of War. - -=Tuft.= See “Toff.” - -=Tulle.= From the French town of the same name, where this fabric was - first made. - -=Tumble to it.= This phrase is a vulgar perversion of “stumble upon - it”--_i.e._ the meaning or comprehension of a thing. - -=Tunis.= Anciently _Tunentum_, after the _Tunes_, who peopled the - country. - -=Turin.= Called by the Romans _Augusta Taurisonum_, the capital of the - _Taurini_. - -=Turkestan.= Conformably to the Persian _stan_, the country of the - Turks. - -=Turkey.= From “Turkia,” the Celtic suffix expressing the country of the - Turks. The bird of this name was long thought to be a native of - Turkey; it was, however, introduced to Europe from North America - early in the sixteenth century. - -=Turnagain Lane.= So called because it ends at a high brick wall, and - the pedestrian has no alternative but to retrace his steps. - -=Turnmill Street.= A name which recalls the days when an old mill, whose - sails turned with the wind, stood in the pleasant meadow. - -=Turpentine State.= North Carolina, from the turpentine found in its - great pine forests. - -=Turquoise.= From Turkey, the country where this precious stone was - first found. - -=Tuscany.= The territory of the Etruscans. - -=Tweed.= It is perfectly true that this cloth is fabricated in the - vicinity of the River Tweed, but the name is really a corruption of - “Twill,” which word, in an invoice sent to James Locke in London, - being blotted, looked like “tweed,” and the customer thought the - cloth might as well be called by that name as by its original. - -=Twelfth Night.= That which brought the Christmas holidays and - festivities to a close in former days. In the morning the people - went to church to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, afterwards - they gave themselves up right merrily to indoor amusements. - -=Twickenham.= When Pope resided in this pretty up-river village its name - was “Twitnam” for short, but it meant the same as of yore, a hamlet - located between two rivulets of the Thames. The word is Anglo-Saxon, - cognate with the modern German _zwischen_, between, and _heim_, a - home. - -=Twill.= From the German _zwillich_, “trellis work,” so called from the - diagonal ribs distinguished on the surface of this cloth. - -=Two Fours.= The 44th Regiment of Foot. - -=Two Sevens.= The 77th Regiment of Foot. - -=Two Twos.= The 22nd Regiment of Foot. - -=Tyburn.= A corruption of _Twa-burne_, “two streams,” the one from - Bayswater, the other from Kilburn, which met on the spot where the - public executions formerly took place and the Marble Arch now - stands. - -=Tyne.= Another variant of the Celtic _tain_, river. - - - - - U - -=Uisquebaugh.= From _uisge_, water, and _beatha_, life, the national - drink of the Irish people. Out of this we have derived the English - term “Whisky.” - -=Ukase.= From the Russian _ukasat_, to speak. - -=Ukraine.= Expresses the Slavonic for a “frontier country.” - -=Ultramarine.= Another name for “Saunders Blue,” introduced to England - from beyond the sea. - -=Umber.= From Umbria in Italy, where this pigment was first obtained. - -=Umbrella.= From the Latin _umbra_, a shade. The original function of - such an article was to act as a shelter against the scorching rays - of the sun, similar to those monster white or coloured umbrellas one - sees in a Continental market-place. It was Jonas Hanway who first - diverted it from its proper use. See “Hanway Street.” - -=Uncle.= How this name came to be applied to a pawnbroker was as - follows:--Before the “spout” was introduced all those pledges which - consisted of clothing were attached to a very large book, or _uncus_ - as it was called, conformably to the Latin description of the - article, since the Lombards were the earliest pawnbrokers of - history. When this _uncus_ could accommodate nothing more, the rope - from which it depended was unslung from the ceiling, and laid across - the shoulders of an assistant, who then carried the whole collection - to the store-rooms overhead. Hence an article which had been pledged - was said to have “Gone to the Uncus,” or, as the modern phrase has - it, “Gone to my Uncle’s.” - -=Uncle Sam.= The national nickname of the United States. This arose out - of the initials “U.S.,” which the Government caused to be painted or - branded on all its stores just as the Government property in this - country is marked with a broad arrow. Since it happened that the - official whose duty it was to see this marking properly carried out - was known among his numerous acquaintance as “Uncle Sam,” the - general impression obtained that the letters really applied to him, - as evidence that the goods had passed through his hands. In this way - “Uncle Sam” bequeathed his name to a great nation. - -=Uncle Sam’s Ice-box.= Alaska, so called on account of its northern - situation. Prior to the year 1867 this territory belonged to Russia. - -=Undertaker.= Specifically one who in former days undertook to be - responsible for the custody of a corpse until the moment that it was - lowered into the grave. This was the _raison d’être_ of the two - “mutes” stationed by him at the door of the house by day and by - night as guards. - -=Underwriter.= One who accepts the responsibility of insuring a vessel - or its merchandise by signing his name at the foot of the policy. - -=Unionists.= Those who are opposed to Home Rule for Ireland; now - identified with the Conservative Party. - -=Union Jack.= The first part of this name has, of course, reference to - the Union of England and Scotland in the person of James I., but the - application of the word “Jack” to our national flag is not so easily - disposed of. Nevertheless, reference to our note on “Jack-boots” - will afford the reader a key to the question. Twenty-six of such - “Jacques,” emblazoned with the arms of St George, were ordered by - Edward III. for one of his warships. Designed primarily for the - defence of his soldiers when in fighting array, they were placed in - a row along the low bulwarks while the vessel was sailing, just as - the Romans and the hardy Norsemen disposed of their shields at sea. - After this statement it should not be difficult to see how the Cross - of St George displayed on a _jacque_ lent its name at first to the - staff from which the English flag was flown, and later to the flag - itself. - -=Unitarians.= Those who are opposed to the doctrine of the Trinity, - denying, as they do, the Godhead or divinity of Jesus Christ and the - Holy Ghost. This tenet was promulgated by Lælius Socinus, an Italian - theologian, in 1546. - -=United Brethren.= Another name for the religious sect styled the - “Moravians.” - -=University.= From the Latin _universitatis_, the whole. This word - expresses the various distinct colleges and halls at Oxford, - Cambridge, and elsewhere, incorporated by a royal charter as one - great educational centre. - -=Unlearned Parliament.= See “Parliament of Dunces.” - -=Unready.= See “Ethelred the Unready.” - -=Up a Tree.= Completely cornered, yet defiant; the allusion is to the - refuge of a tree-branch against the attack of a bull stationed - beneath it. - -=Upper Berkeley Street.= See “Berkeley Street.” - -=Upper Crust.= A modern term for the aristocracy, because it was - formerly considered a mark of high honour to allow the most - distinguished guest to cut off the top of the loaf at table. - -=Upper Seymour Street.= After the Seymours, from whom the Portmans, - owners of the estate, are descended. - -=Upper Ten.= Short for “The Upper Ten Thousand,” which, at the time when - N. P. Willis first made use of the term, was the approximate number - of fashionables or really well-to-do in the city of New York. - -=Uppertendom.= An Americanism for the aristocracy. - -=Upper Thames Street.= The western portion of Thames Street between - London and Blackfriars Bridges. - -=Up the Spout.= This expression requires no elucidating. Nevertheless, - there was a time when a pawnbroking establishment had not the - convenience of a “spout,” and because this was so, the - matter-of-fact tradesman earned for himself the endearing title of - “My Uncle.” See “Uncle.” - -=Up to Snuff.= Said of one who has a keen scent for reckoning up his - neighbours. - -=Uruguay.= Expresses the Brazilian for “the golden water.” - -=Ural.= A Tartar word for “belt.” - -=Usher.= From the old French _huisher_, door, signifies a doorkeeper. - -=Usk.= A variant of the Celtic _uisg_, water. - -=Ursulines.= An Order of nuns named after St Ursula, who suffered - martyrdom at Cologne in the tenth century. - -=Utah.= After an Indian tribe, the Yuta or Utes, encountered in the - region so named. - -=Utilitarianism.= A word implying “the happiness of the greatest - number.” In this sense it was first popularised by John Stuart Mill, - after Jeremy Bentham had promulgated a similar ethical religion - under the style of “Utility.” - -=Utopia.= From the Greek _ou_, not, and _topos_, place, this compound - term signifies “nowhere,” “no such place.” Ideas and Systems are - said to be “Utopian” when they cannot be accepted by the average - reasoning mind. - - - - - V - -=Valance.= From Valencia in Spain, where bed drapery was at one time - made for the supply of the world’s markets. - -=Valencias.= Raisins grown in the Spanish province of Valencia, which - name, relative to the capital city, means “powerful, strong.” - -=Valenciennes.= Lace made at the French town of the same name. - -=Valentines.= See “St Valentine’s Day.” - -=Valparaiso.= Expresses the Spanish for “Vale of Paradise.” - -=Vamoose.= An Americanism for “decamp,” “run along,” “be off.” This had - its origin in the Spanish _vamos_, “let us go.” - -=Vanbrugh Castle.= This castellated mansion at Blackheath was built by - Sir John Vanbrugh in 1717. - -=Vancouver Island.= Discovered by Captain Vancouver while searching for - an inlet on the west coast of North America in 1792. - -=Van Diemen’s Land.= The name first given by Tasman, its discoverer, in - 1642, to what is now “Tasmania,” in compliment to the daughter of - the Dutch Governor of Batavia. - -=Vandyke.= A pointed lace collar, always distinguished in the portraits - painted by Sir Anthony Vandyck. Also a peculiar shade of brown - colour used by him for his backgrounds. - -=Vassar College.= Founded in the state of New York by Matthew Vassar in - 1861 for the higher education of women. This might be said to - constitute the Girton College of the New World. - -=Vaudeville.= The name given to a short, bright dramatic piece - interspersed with songs set to familiar airs, after Vaudevire, a - village in Normandy, where Olivier Basselin, the first to compose - such pieces, was born. The Vaudeville Theatre in the Strand was - built for entertainments of this class. - -=Vauxhall.= After Jane Vaux, the occupant of the manor house in 1615. - This name, however, would seem to have been corrupted in modern - times, since the manor was originally held soon after the Norman - Conquest by Fulka de Breante. The manor house might consequently - have been in those far-off days described as “Fulkes Hall.” - -=Venerable Bede.= The Saxon historian merited the surname of “Venerable” - because he was an aged man and also an ecclesiastic. - -=Venezuela.= Finding that the Indian villages in this country were - uniformly built upon piles in the water, the Spaniards gave it their - native term for “Little Venice.” - -=Venice.= After the _Veneti_, the early inhabitants of the district. - -=Vernier.= After Pierre Vernier, the inventor of the instrument. - -=Vere Street.= After the De Veres, owners of the estate before it passed - to the Harleys. - -=Verger.= From the French _verge_, a rod, the name borne by the - custodian of a cathedral or minster, because in common with official - attendants, he formerly carried a rod or staff of office. - -=Vermicelli.= Italian for “little worms.” - -=Vermont.= A corruption of “Verd Mont,” in allusion to its green - mountains. - -=Vermuth.= The white wine tinctured with bitter herbs appropriately - bears this name derived from the Anglo-Saxon _wermod_, wormwood. - -=Verulam Buildings.= This portion of Gray’s Inn was named in honour of - Lord Bacon, created Baron Verulam and Viscount St Albans. - -=Veto.= This word is Latin for “I forbid.” - -=Vicar.= From the Latin _vicarius_, in place of another. See “Rector.” - -=Vichy Water.= So called because drawn from the celebrated springs at - Vichy in France. - -=Victoria.= The carriage of this name was introduced in 1838, the - coronation year of the late Queen Victoria. Much about the same time - the Australian colony so designated in her honour was first - colonised. - -=Victoria Regia.= So called because it was brought to England from - Guiana soon after the accession of Queen Victoria. - -=Victoria Street.= After Queen Victoria, in the early years of whose - reign it was cut through and built upon. - -=Vienna.= From a small stream, the Wien, from which the city received - its German name. - -=Vignette.= Expressing the French for a “little vine,” this name was - given to an early style of photograph, and also to a book engraving - that faced the title-page, on account of the vine leaves and - tendrils that surrounded it. - -=Vigo Street.= In honour of the capture of Vigo by Lord Cobham in 1719, - shortly before this street was built upon. - -=Viking.= From the Icelandic _vik_, a creek, the usual lurking-place of - the northern pirates. - -=Villain.= Although signifying originally a mean, low fellow, but by no - means one of reprehensive morals as now, this term was applied to a - labourer on a farm or a country seat. To argue this point with the - humble day-labourer who trims the shrubs at a suburban villa in our - own time, would serve no useful purpose. - -=Villiers Street.= One of the group of streets the names of which - perpetuate the memory of George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, whose - town mansion hereabouts was approached from the river by the old - water gate, still in existence. - -=Vinegar.= From the French _vinaigre_, “sour wine.” - -=Vinegar Bible.= So called from the substitution of the word “vinegar” - for “vineyard” in the headline to Luke xx., printed at the Clarendon - Press in 1717. - -=Vinegar Yard.= Wherever this corrupted term is met with in London it - points to a “vineyard” originally belonging to a religious order. - That in Clerkenwell was attached to the Priory of the Knights of St - John of Jerusalem, that adjoining Drury Lane Theatre to St Paul’s - Convent in what is now Covent Garden. - -=Vine Street.= Recalls the existence of a vineyard at Westminster and - off Piccadilly, anciently held by the abbots of the venerable pile - of St Peter’s at Westminster. - -=Vintry.= This ward of the city of London was anciently the “place of” - the vintners, or wine merchants who came from Bordeaux. - -=Virginals.= An early example of keyed musical instrument resembling the - pianoforte. Also this was played upon with some degree of skill by - Queen Elizabeth, the so-called “Virgin Queen,” and is said to have - given her name to the instrument. It was, however, well known long - before her time, having been used by nuns in convents to accompany - hymns to the Virgin. - -=Virginia.= Named by Sir Walter Raleigh in honour of Elizabeth, the - “Virgin Queen.” - -=Virginia Bible.= A translation of the Scriptures into the native tongue - of the Indians of the state of Virginia, first printed in 1661. - Copies are said to be worth at least £200. - -=Virgin Mary’s Body Guard.= The 7th Dragoon Guards, because this - regiment once served under Maria Theresa of Austria. - -=Voltaire.= The anagrammatic literary pseudonym of François Marie - Arouet, formed as follows:--“Arouet l. j.” (le jeune). - -=Volume.= From the Latin _volvo_, I roll. The earliest documents or - writings consisted of long rolls of the Egyptian papyrus, and when - these were rolled up each one corresponded to what the moderns - called a volume. See “Roll Call.” - - - W - -=Wadham College.= Founded at Oxford by Nicholas Wadham in 1613. - -=Walbrook.= From a pleasant stream of clear water which, after skirting - the wall of St Stephen’s Church, behind where the Mansion House now - stands, ran southward, to empty itself into the Thames at Dowgate. - -=Waldenses.= The followers of Peter Waldo, a merchant of Lyons, who - towards the end of the twelfth century had the four Gospels - translated for the benefit of the people, and was unsparing in his - denunciation of the clergy. With the Albigenses of Languedoc these - people, who entered with their leader into the valleys of Dauphine - and Piedmont, may be regarded as the earliest of the Reformers. - -=Wales.= This Celtic territory, which was never even penetrated by the - Anglo-Saxons, received the name of “Wallia,” signifying the country - of the _Wahlen_ or _Wahls_, foreigners. - -=Walham Green.= The original spelling of this name “Wahlheim,” expressed - from the Anglo-Saxon point of view a home or settlement of the - _Wahls_ or foreigners. - -=Walk a Virginia Fence.= An American phrase applied to a drunken man. In - Virginia the rail fences are constructed in a zig-zag manner, whence - they are also called “worm fences.” - -=Walking Gentlemen.= In theatrical parlance, one who plays the part of a - gentleman or noble on the stage; he may not have much to say, but - his bearing must be above reproach. The plays of Shakespeare abound - in parts of this kind. - -=Walk the Chalk.= An Americanism for to act straight or keep in the - right path. - -=Wallop.= In the year 1514 the French fleet ravaged the coast of Sussex, - and burned Brighthelmstone, now Brighton, whereupon Sir John Wallop, - one of the best naval commanders of his time, was sent by Henry - VIII. to make reprisals. In this he succeeded only too well; he - burned twenty-one French coasting villages, demolished several - harbours, and thrashed the enemy to his heart’s content. His men, - however, proud of the achievement, declared that they had Walloped - the French; and thus it was that a new synonym for “thrash” came to - be incorporated into the English language. - -=Waltham.= From the Anglo-Saxon _Waldheim_, the home or settlement in - the wood. - -=Waltz.= From the German “Waltzer,” the name of the dance, and - _waltzen_, to roll, relative to the revolutions made by the pairs of - dancers. - -=Walworth.= Originally a settlement of the _Wahls_, or foreigners, - descendants of the Danes (see “Southwark”). This district became in - Anglo-Saxon days a _worth_, or manor, from which Sir William - Walworth, the Lord Mayor who slew Wat Tyler, derived his family - name. - -=Wandsworth.= Anciently described as “Wandlesworth,” the manor watered - by the River Wandle. - -=Wapentake.= Expresses the Saxon for “a touching of arms.” This - territorial division, which obtained in Yorkshire in the time of the - Anglo-Saxons, and corresponded to the “Hundred” elsewhere, received - its name from the periodical meeting of the champions of each - hundred to touch spears and swear to defend the common cause. - -=Wardour Street.= After Wardour Castle, the seat of the ground landlord, - Lord Arundel of Wardour. - -=Wardrobe Terrace.= Marks the site of the ancient “Wardrobe,” when our - sovereigns resided in what was styled “Tower Royal” hard by. - -=Warwick.= From the Anglo-Saxon _Wærwic_, “war town,” so called on - account of its permanent garrison of soldiers. - -=Warwick Lane.= From the town mansion of the Beauchamps, Earls of - Warwick. - -=Warwick Road.= After the Earls of Warwick, owners of the Earl’s Court - estate before it passed to the Holland family. - -=Washington.= Laid out under the superintendence of George Washington, - the first President of the United States. This seat of the - Government was honoured with his name. - -=Water Lane.= Prior to the construction of Victoria Street this winding - lane led down to the Thames. - -=Waterloo Bridge.= So called because it was declared open 18th June - 1817, the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. - -=Waterloo Park.= After Sir Sidney Waterloo, who presented it to the - public. - -=Waterloo Place.= So called as a military set-off to Trafalgar Square - when the Duke of York’s column was erected by public subscription in - 1833. The statues of famous British generals around this open space - are quite in keeping with the design. - -=Water Poet.= The literary sobriquet of John Taylor, who was a Thames - waterman. - -=Watling Street.= A corruption of _Vitellina Strata_, “the road of - Vitellius,” so called because this great Roman highway from Dover to - Cardigan in Wales was projected by the Emperor Vitellius, and those - portions of it in London and elsewhere were constructed during his - reign. - -=Watteau.= See “Á la Watteau.” - -=Way Down.= An Americanism for “down the way to” _e.g._--“Way down the - lone churchyard.” - -=Wayzgoose.= A printers’ summer outing, so called from the wayz or - stubble goose which, when the outing took place later in the season, - was the invariable dinner dish. The term _wayz_ is from the Dutch - _wassen_ and German _waschen_, to grow; hence a goose that has - fattened among the stubble after the harvest has been gathered. - -=Wedding Breakfast.= The nuptial banquet had in Catholic days a real - significance, when, having fasted from midnight, the entire party - attended Mass, and partook of the Communion. At the close of the - marriage ceremony the priest regaled them with wine, cakes, and - sweetmeats in the church porch by way of breakfast. - -=Wednesday.= In the Scandinavian mythology this was “Wodin’s Day,” or - that set apart for the worship of Odin or Wodin, the god of magic - and the inventor of the Arts. - -=Wedgwood Ware.= The style of pottery invented or introduced by Josiah - Wedgwood in 1775. - -=Weeping Cross.= A cross set up on the way to a churchyard where the - coffin was rested for a brief space while prayers were offered up - for the soul of the deceased. The wailing of the women generally - interrupted the proceedings. - -=Weeping Philosopher.= Heraclitus of Ephesus, who voluntarily embittered - the declining years of his existence by weeping over the folly of - mankind. - -=Wedlock Street.= After Welbeck Abbey, the seat of the Duke of Portland, - the great ground landlord. - -=Wellingborough.= Anciently “Wellingbury,” on account of the medicinal - wells or springs which abound in its vicinity. - -=Wellington.= This province and capital city of New Zealand received the - name of the Duke of Wellington. - -=Wellington Boots.= After the Duke of Wellington. - -=Wellington Street.= In honour of the Duke of Wellington, because it - leads to Waterloo Bridge. - -=Wells Street.= A corruption of “Well Street,” after Well in Yorkshire, - the seat of the Strangeways family, from whom Lady Berners, owner of - the estate, was descended. - -=Welsher.= The name borne by an absconding bookmaker on a race-course - was originally a “Welshman,” in allusion to the old ditty: “Taffy - was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief.” - -=Welsh Rabbit.= A popular corruption of “Welsh Rarebit.” - -=Wesleyan Methodists.= The name borne by that portion of the Methodist - sect which worship in chapels and so-called churches, which was far - from the intention of their founder. See “Primitive Methodists.” - -=Wesleyans.= The followers of John Wesley, or “Methodists” in general. - -=Wessex.= The great kingdom of the _West Seaxe_, or West Saxons, under - the Heptarchy. - -=Westbourne Park.= The district formerly traversed by the west bourne or - stream between “Kilburn” and “Bayswater.” - -=West Indies.= Those islands in the Caribbean Sea, which Columbus - imagined to form part of the great unknown India, as approached from - the west. - -=Westminster.= This name has been from time immemorial given to the - district of which the ancient fane tautologically styled - “Westminster Abbey” is the centre. One does not speak of “York - Minster Abbey” or “Lincoln Minster Abbey.” A minster is a great - church in connection with a monastery. Since the Reformation the - abbeys have been swept away, the Minsters remain. The earliest - mention of “the West Minster” occurs in a Saxon charter of 785, in - contradistinction to “the East Minster” that stood in those days - somewhere on Tower Hill. All trace of this has been lost, yet it is - possible that St Katherine’s Hospital, now displaced by the docks of - the same name, grew out of it. - -=Westmorland.= The land peopled by the Westmorings, or those of the - Western moors. - -=Weymouth Street.= After Lord Weymouth, the son-in-law of the ground - landlord, the Duke of Portland. - -=What’s the Damage?= This expression arose out of the damages awarded to - a successful litigant in the Law Courts. - -=Whig Bible.= So called owing to the substitution of the word - “placemakers” for “peacemakers.” - -=Whigs.= An abbreviation of “Whigamores,” first applied to the Scottish - Covenanters in consequence of a rising among the peasantry among the - Lowland moors called the “Whigamore Raid,” and finally to that - political party which strove to exclude the Duke of York, James II., - from the throne because he was a Catholic. The term “Whigamore” - arose out of the twin-syllabic cry “Whig-am!” of the teamsters and - ploughmen of those districts of Scotland to drive their horses. - -=Whisky.= An English form of the Irish “Uisquebaugh.” - -=Whitby.= So called by the Danes when they took possession of this abbey - town on the cliffs, literally “white town.” - -=Whitebait.= On account of its silvery whiteness and because it was at - one time used exclusively for baiting crab and lobster pots. - -=Whiteboys.= A band of Irish insurgents who wore white smocks over their - ordinary garments. - -=Whitechapel.= As in the case of Westminster, this name now expresses a - district, and “Whitechapel Church” sounds ridiculous. Its ancient - designation was the “White Chapel of St Mary.” - -=Whitecross Street.= See “Redcross Street.” - -=Whitefriars Street.= In olden days this was the western boundary of the - Carmelite or White Friars’ Monastery, built in 1245. - -=Whitehall.= The central portion of the wide thoroughfare between - Charing Cross and Westminster. This received its name from the - Banqueting-hall of white stone, originally part of a palace designed - by Cardinal Wolsey for the London house of the Archbishop of York, - and now the United Service Museum. - -=White Hart.= An inn sign from the device of Richard II. - -=White Hart Street.= After an ancient inn, “The White Hart,” removed - during the reign of George I. - -=White House.= The official residence of the President of the United - States at Washington, so called because it is built of freestone - painted white. - -=White Quakers.= An offshoot of the Quaker sect, about 1840, who adopted - white clothing. - -=White Queen.= Mary Queen of Scots, who appeared in white mourning for - her murdered husband, Lord Darnley. - -=White Lion.= An inn sign from the badge of Edward IV. as Earl of March. - -=White Sea.= So called because during six months out of each year it is - frozen over and covered with snow. - -=White Swan.= An inn sign complimentary to Edward III. and Henry IV., - whose badge it was. - -=Whit Sunday.= A corruption of “White Sunday,” so called from the - earliest days of Christianity in England because the catechumens or - newly baptised attended Mass, and received the Sacrament dressed in - white, on the Feast of Pentecost. - -=Whittington Avenue.= After Sir Richard Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor - of London, who resided in this neighbourhood. - -=Whittington Stone.= The name of a tavern on Highgate Hill, opposite to - which is, according to tradition, the identical stone on which Dick - Whittington, the future Lord Mayor of London, rested while listening - to the bells of Bow Church chiming across the pleasant fields. - -=Wicked Bible.= Wilfully or otherwise the word “not” is omitted from - this edition of the Scriptures, so that the passage in Exodus xx. - 14. reads: “Thou shalt commit adultery.” - -=Wide-awake.= The slang term for a soft felt hat, because, having no - nap, it must always be wide awake. - -=Widow Bird.= A corruption of “Whydaw Bird,” from the country in West - Africa where it is found. - -=Wigmore Street.= In common with several neighbouring streets, this - perpetuates one of the titles of Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford and - Mortimer, who in 1717 was created Baron Harley of Wigmore in - Herefordshire, the ground landlord. - -=Wilburites.= The orthodox or strict members of the Society of Friends - in America under John Wilbur, as opposed to the “Hicksite Friends.” - -=William the Lion.= The surname of this King of the Scots was due to his - selection of a lion rampant for his crest. - -=Willis’s Rooms.= See “Almack’s.” - -=Will Scarlet.= A euphonism invented by Robin Hood for William - Scathelocke, the real name of one of his merry men. - -=Wilton.= See “Wiltshire.” - -=Wiltshire.= A corruption of “Wiltonshire,” or the Shire of Wilton, - which name in its original form, “Willy Town,” expressed the town on - the River Willy. - -=Wimbledon.= Originally _Wibbadon_, expressing the Celtic for a - low-lying meadow or common belonging to one Wibba. - -=Wimpole Street.= After the country seat of the Harleys on the - Herefordshire and Cambridgeshire border. - -=Winchester Yard.= From Winchester House, the ancient town mansion of - the Bishops of Winchester. - -=Windermere.= Expresses the Anglo-Saxon for “clear water lake.” - -=Winchester.= Inhabited by the _Belgæ_, this stronghold, called by them - _Cær-Gwent_, “fortified enclosure on the plain,” was after the Roman - invasion made a great centre of military activity under the - Latinised name of _Venta Belgarum_, which the West Saxons changed - into _Wintancæstre_, “the camp town of the Winte,” whence its modern - name has been derived. - -=Windmill Street.= A name suggestive of peaceful rusticity. The - thoroughfare in Finsbury so denominated marks the site of three - windmills that were erected on a mound formed by the deposition of a - thousand cart-loads of human bones from the Charnel-house of St - Paul’s Cathedral by order of the Lord Protector Somerset in 1549. - -=Windsor.= Anciently described as “Windlesora,” the winding shore. - -=Wine Office Court.= From an ancient office where wine licences were - issued. - -=Winnipeg.= Indian for “lake of the turbid water.” - -=Wirepuller.= In allusion to the manipulators of the figures at a - marionette show. - -=Wisconsin.= Indian for “wild-rushing channel.” - -=Within an Ace.= Since the ace in a pack of cards is the unit of pips, - he who accomplishes anything by the merest shave does so within a - single mark. - -=Wizard of the North.= Sir Walter Scott, so called on account of the - enchantment which, through his novels, he exercised over the - inhabitants of North Britain. - -=Woburn Square.= After Woburn Abbey, the ancestral seat of the Duke of - Bedford. - -=Woke up the Wrong Passenger.= An Americanism for having made a mistake - in the individual. This originated in the Mississippi steamboats, - the stewards on board of which often call up the wrong passenger at - the stopping-places by night. - -=Wolverhampton.= Anciently “Wulfrune’s Hampton,” so called from the - church and college of St Peter founded by Wulfrune, the sister of - King Edgar, in 996. - -=Wolverine State.= Michigan, on account of the prairie wolves which - formerly infested this region. Its people are called “Wolverines.” - -=Wood Green.= In old days this was a glade in Hornsey Wood. - -=Wood Street.= In this locality congregated the turners of wooden cups, - dishes, and measures of olden times. - -=Woolly Heads.= An Americanism for the Negroes of the southern states. - -=Woolsack.= The seat reserved for the Lord Chancellor in the House of - Lords, being a large sack stuffed with wool, and covered with - scarlet cloth, its object being to keep him in constant reminder of - the great importance of the woollen manufacture in England. - -=Woolwich.= Anciently described as _Hylwich_, “hill town.” - -=Worcester.= Known to the Anglo-Saxons as _Hwicwara ceaster_, “the - stronghold of the Huiccii.” The latter portion of the name, however, - proves that this must have been a Roman encampment; the _Huiccii_ - were a Celtic tribe. - -=Worcester College.= Originally known as Gloucester Hall, this Oxford - foundation was in 1714 enlarged and endowed as a college by Sir - Thomas Cooksey of Astley, Worcestershire, who, not desiring his name - to be handed down to posterity, called it after his native county. - -=Work a Dead Horse.= A journeyman’s phrase implying that he has to set - to work on the Monday morning upon that for which he has already - been paid on the previous Saturday. - -=World’s End.= A famous house of entertainment during the reign of - Charles II., so called on account of its immense distance in those - days out of London. Like many other places of outdoor resort, it - exists now only as a public-house. - -=Wormwood Street.= From the bitter herbs which sprang up along the Roman - Wall in ancient times. - -=Worsted.= After a town in Norfolk of the same name where this fabric - was of old the staple industry. - -=Writes like an Angel.= Dr Johnson said of Oliver Goldsmith: “He writes - like an angel and talks like a fool.” The allusion was to Angelo - Vergeco, a Greek of the sixteenth century, noted for his beautiful - handwriting. - -=Wych Street.= This now vanished thoroughfare was anciently _Aldwych_, - “Old Town,” so called because it led from St Clement Danes Church to - the isolated settlement in the parish of St Giles’s-in-the-Fields, - which in our time is known as Broad Street, Bloomsbury. - -=Wye.= From the Welsh _gwy_, water. - -=Wyndham College.= The joint foundation at Oxford of Nicholas and - Dorothy Wyndham of Edge and Merefield, Somersetshire, in 1611. - - - X - - -=X Ale.= The original significance of the X mark on beer barrels was - that the liquor had paid a ten shilling-duty. Additional X’s are - simply brewers’ trade marks, denoting various degrees of strength - over that of the first X. - -=XL’ers.= See “Exellers.” - -=XXX’s.= See “Three Exes.” - - - Y - - -=Yale University.= After Elihu Yale, formerly Governor of the East - Indian Company’s settlement at Madras, whose princely benefactions - to the Collegiate School of the State of Connecticut, founded by ten - Congregational ministers at Killingworth in 1701, warranted the - removal of that seat of learning to New Haven fifteen years later. - -=Yang-tse-Kiang.= Chinese for “great river.” - -=Yankee.= A term popularly applied at first to one born in the New - England states of North America owing to the fact that _Yankees_, - _Yangkies_ and similar perpetrations were the nearest approaches to - the word “English,” which the Indians of Massachusetts were capable - of. Afterwards it came to be applied to the people of the continent - generally. - -=Yankee Jonathan.= The nickname of Jonathan Hastings, a farmer of - Hastings, Mass., on account of his addiction to the word “Yankee,” - used adjectively for anything American. Thus he would say “a Yankee - good cider,” “a Yankee good horse,” etc. - -=Yankee State.= Ohio, so called by the Kentuckians on account of its - many free institutions. - -=Yarmouth.= The port situated at the mouth of the Yare. See “Yarrow.” - -=Yarn.= A spun-out story bears this name in allusion to the thread out - of which cloth is woven. - -=Yarrow.= From the Celtic _garw_, rough, rapid. - -=Yeddo.= Japanese for “river entrance.” - -=Yellow Book.= A French Government report, so called from its yellow - cover. - -=Yellow Boy.= Slang for a sovereign. - -=Yellow Jack.= A yellow flag which is flown from a vessel in quarantine - and from naval hospitals as a warning of yellow fever or other - contagious disease on board. See “Union Jack.” - -=Yellow Press.= By this term is meant that section of the Press which is - given up to creating a scare or sensation. It has been derived from - what in the United States bears the name of “Yellow-covered - Literature,” consisting of trashy sensation novels, published - chiefly for railway reading. - -=Yellow Sea.= From the tinge imparted to its waters by the immense - quantities of alluvial soil poured into them by the Yang-tse-Kiang - River. - -=Yendys.= The literary sobriquet of Sydney Dobell, being simply his - Christian name reversed. - -=Yeoman’s Service.= Originally that rendered to the State in time of war - by volunteers of the Guilds or City Companies. The term “Yeoman” is - derived from the German _gemein_, common, and applied in the sense - of enlistment for the common good. - -=Yokohama.= Japanese for “Cross Shore.” - -=York.= The _Eboracum_ of the Romans, a Latinised rendering of the - British _Eurewic_ (pronounced _Yorric_), “a row of houses on the - Eure,” which river is now called the Ouse. - -=York and Albany.= An omnibus stage in Camden Town named after - Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, the second son of George III. - -=York Gate.= The water gate, still standing, built for York House, of - which no other vestige remains. - -=York Road.= This long road, parallel to the Great Northern Railway at - King’s Cross, owes its designation to the circumstance that the line - in question was originally styled the “London and York Railway.” - -=Yorkshire Stingo.= A public-house sign indicating that the celebrated - ale of this name, due to the sting or sharpness of its taste, is - sold on the premises. - -=York Street.= In Covent Garden, after James, Duke of York, the second - son of Charles I., and brother of Charles II., subsequently James - II. In Westminster, from the erstwhile residence of Frederick, Duke - of York and Albany, son of George III. - -=Young Buffs.= The 31st Foot, whose uniforms were very similar to those - of the Buffs, or 3rd Foot--viz. scarlet coats faced and lined with - buff, and the remainder wholly of buff-coloured material. Soon after - their formation in 1702 they distinguished themselves greatly in - action, whereupon the General rode up, exclaiming: “Well done, old - Buffs!” “But we are not the Buffs,” some of the men replied. “Then, - well done, young Buffs,” was the retort, and the name stuck to them - ever after. - -=Young Nipper.= See “Nipper.” - -=Yucatan.= From _Yuca tan_, “What do you say?” which was the only answer - the Spaniards were able to obtain from the aborigines when they - asked them the name of the country. - -=Yuletide.= Christmastide, from the Norse _juul_, Christmas. - - - Z - - -=Zadkiel.= The literary sobriquet of Lieutenant Richard James Morrison, - author of “The Prophetic Almanack,” after the angel of the planet - Jupiter in the Jewish mythology. - -=Zantippe.= After the wife of Socrates, whose name has become proverbial - for a bad-tempered spouse. - -=Zanzibar.= A European inversion of the Arabic _Ber-ez-Zuig_, the coast - of the Zangis, or Negroes. - -=Zeeland.= Expresses the Dutch for “Sea-land,” land reclaimed from the - sea. - -=Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas.= Duluth, so called from its - picturesque situation at the western extremity of the Great Lakes. - -=Zoroastrianism.= The religious system of the “Parsees” or - Fire-worshippers, introduced into Persia by Zoroaster _circa_ B.C. - 500. - -=Zounds.= A corruption of “His Wounds,” or the Five Sacred Wounds on the - Body of the Redeemer. This oath was first employed by John Perrot, a - natural son of Henry VIII. Queen Elizabeth was much addicted to the - exclamation “His Wounds,” but the ladies of her Court softened it - into “Zounds” and “Zouterkins.” - -=Zurich.= From the Latin _Thuricum_, in honour of Thuricus, the son of - Theodoric, who rebuilt the city after it had been destroyed by - Attila. - -=Zuyder Zee.= Properly _Zuider Zee_, the Dutch for “Southern Sea,” - relative to the North Sea or German Ocean. - - THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Transcriber’s Note - -Hyphens in words that occur on line-breaks are retained or removed based -upon the preponderance of other instances in the text. - -There are numerous cross-references in this text. There are several -reference to an entry for “Wassail”, which is not present as a separate -entry. The entry for “Pig and Whistle”, provides a description of the -word. Similarly, the reference to “Cop” in the entry for “Fair Cop” -likely refers to “Copper”. - -Where odd spellings are encountered without any other occurences, -allowances are made for the author’s possibly idiosyncratic manner, and -these are merely noted, but retained. - -Errors deemed most likely to be the printer’s have been corrected, and -are noted here. The references are to the page and line in the original. -The following issues should be noted, along with the resolutions. - - 21.27 Verses w[r]itten in praise or dispraise Inserted. - - 37.27 an officer in the First Del[e/a]ware Regiment Replaced. - - 40.30 From the way in which [b/h]e adjusts Replaced. - - 43.33 generally a hired assas[s]in Inserted. - - 94.30 After William Farrin[g]don Inserted. - - 101.5 [w/t]hen Prince of Wales Replaced. - - 117.13 in the river near[ near] Fort Niagara Removed. - - 123.34 [I/A]n inn sign anciently depicting Replaced. - - 134.28 Harvard U[u/n]iversity Inverted. - - 138.9 It was according[ing]ly in the heel Removed. - - 157.22 Maize, brought f[r]om the West Indies Inserted. - - 163.30 at the memorable s[ei/ie]ge of Ostend Transposed. - - 169.11 appl[i]ed to dried beef Inserted. - - 172.37 the great [lexocographer] _Sic_: - lexicographer - - 179.12 K[ah/ha]n. Transposed. - - 199.3 from the Lat[a/i]n _liber_ Replaced. - - 201.7 A distingu[i]shed musical executant Inserted. - - 208.37 in the manufacturing dist[r]icts Inserted. - - 216.4 in the her[io/oi]c defence of the city Transposed. - - 223.30 After the magnific[i]ent sepulchral monument Removed. - - 224.1 Maydew Che[e/r]ries. Replaced. - - 254.23 wore a grogram clo[c/o]ak Replaced. - - 277.3 From the Spanish _[pegueno] nino_ _sic_: - pequeno - - 285.22 and other public announc[e]ments Inserted. - - 309.32 his invention of [“]Prince Rupert’s Drops,” Added. - - 320.36 to the queen of[ of] Henry III. Removed. - - 327.9 A corruption of [“]St Chad’s Well,” Inserted. - - 329.33 being an abbrev[i]ation of “Companionship.” Inserted. - - 337.31 Called by the Ca[r]thaginians “Hispania,” Inserted. - - 340.27 Al[g]onquin for an Indian woman. Inserted. - - 354.27 A tavern sign off[,] Golden Square Removed. - - 358.15 the nickname be[s]towed by the Protestants Inserted. - - 366.5 Ur[a/u]guay. Replaced. - - 374.12 by weep[l/i]ng over the folly of mankind Replaced. - - 377.36 The [othordox/orthodox] or strict members Replaced. - - 381.26 and similar pe[r]petrations Inserted. - - 383.37 [Y]uletide. Restored. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Phrases and Names Their Origins and -Meanings, by Trench H. 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