A BOOK OF

ENGLISH ~D~D Being

A VAOE' MEGUM C::~NTAINING ENGLISH IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS & V/OROS \VITH EXAMPLES

Edited a11d Revised l?J

PROF. S. K. BAGCHI, j\/l.A. V1C'l'OP.I.~ COLLEGE, GWAL10R

Author of New College C.c-r:nposifion Etc.

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AGRA

GAYA PRASAD & SONS

Ed11catio11a/. Pt1blishers : .... _ ......

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PREFACE

In the first edition this book appeared as the handi-work of Mr. S. L. 1'Iaitra, late I-lead Master, Baptist Mission High Scl1ool, J}9fa,., .. ,_

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A Boo.k of Englisl1 Idioms .

INTRODUCTION .. . IJanguage is the expression of the mind. Thoughts,

ideas and concepts apprehended by the rriind are ex~ pressed througl1 \Vords. If we a1e"to u11derstand the speech of our fello\v beings and to enter into tbei1 tninds it is essential that words and tl1eir con1binati.on:s s11ould be l\:nown tho1oughly. 1'1:en's mind:; are not always logioal, for in addition to reason a man pos-

. sesses also a fac11lty of f anoy. He has, the1efore, al~o a fanciful way of tl1inlcing poetic, peaulia.1 . and strange ; and 11is fanciful tho11ghts he expresses. thr611gh Idjonis. I

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INTRODUCTION

acquired from dictionaries and grammars ; good reading with the idiomatic eye open is very essential .

Metapho1 plays a very important part in idio1na-tic phraseology and very often ldio1n consists in the use of a word or words in a metaphorical seni:;e. For example, when a per::;on is asked to l1old l1is to11gue it does not mean that he should actually hold his tongue \\7 ith his fingers; it is figuratively used and means that he is required 11ot to t.alli: but to .JJe sile11t. There a1e a good many exan1ples of this character not only in the English language hr.it in e\-ery language.

Tl1e Cl1a1acler of Idiom is fixed. The exact \Vo1ds of an Idion1 sl1ould always be very carefully noted. for, generally the \vord or words of an Idiom .can not lJe substituted by another without spoiling the idion1~tio character. For instance, How dt1 !/Ou . .do ? P1tlled to pieces ; J(illing two birds tt1ith one st

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INTRODUCTION 3 ---- ------------------------------------ ---~ ~ ------

he, nil{ he' (\vhetbe1 he will. or i1ot),. and therefore may not be introdt1ced elsewhere.

Each and eve1y language gives its O'VITn special and . peculiar n1eaning to aerti:tin words and phrases. Thii;: peculiarity of the meanin~ of idio1natic expres-sions should' he oa1efully studied by 'every student. As an idio1n is not the expression of logical thought it takes a fo'reig11 stt1dent some tin1e to pick up the fancy that coined it.; but it is onlJ1 th1ough this lang .. uage of fanoy that we con1e to l\:now the n1ind of the Englishman.

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A 4 Al~ove

CHAPTER I

A A--Al :first cla~s. ve1y good. Originally it applied'

to a vessel oi Lloyd's (ship) of the best construction. and in the best condition to sail. W. D. Howells.

They say tl1e snow's all pacl;;:ed do~vn already,. and the going is Al.

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AJJack l'AKEN ABA0K (fig) taken by surprise . .Aback is originally a nautical word said of sails

pressed backward against the mast by the wind. He is q11ite ta/cen abacl' at my refusal.

ABC THE ABC OF ANY SUBJECT its rudin1ents; its ele1nentary principles.

Father and mother Jived in I(ing Street, Soho. !' He was a fiddle-maker, and taught me the ABC

of that science at aid times. Reade. Aili

5 Accottnt ---- - -- --- - - ----~----- - --- - --- -----"'-----------.. _, ...

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Account 6 Act --------- --- -------- ----- -----------

To GIVE A GOOD ACCOUNT OF to be suocessful with.

The terrier gave a good account of the rats (was successful in killing many of them). J. Mr Dixon. To LAY ONE'S ACCOUNT WITH to expeot; to look

forward -to. The Jurors must have laid thei1 accou11t with

appearing (expected to appear) before t.he Star Chamber. Hallan1.

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To TAKE INTO ACCOUNT to make allo\vance for ~ to take into consideration.

As to its adventurous beginning and all these-little circumstances \vhioh gave it a distinctive oharaoter and relish, he took the1n i1zto accou'Pt.-Diokens. To MAKE NO ACCOUNT OF-tu overlook.

The father made no account of his sons neglect of duty towards the poor man. THE GREAT ACCOUNT the day of judgment e. gr

Sinners tremble at tlie g1eat ar,count. GoNX l'O HIS ACCOUNT dead; e.g. The poor

fellow is go1ze to his accou11f. _ ON NO ACCOUNTS Certainly not ; e. g. On no accounts will you be successful in this case.

TURN A THING INTO ACCOUNT make it profitable~ e. g. You should try to tu11z i'liis occasio1i into account.

LAY ONES ACCOUNT WITH be prepa1ed for; e. g, You must lay your account with this possibility of loss.

Act To ACT A PART to behave hypoc1itically; to conceal one's real feelings ; to act a part is either really or fictitiously to a

Act 7 Addle ---

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ACT OF GOD-an event whicl1 ca11no~ be p1even-ted by hurrian "foresight, but is the tesult of uncoil-t1ollable 11atural forces; fo1 example when, the

.ship is struck by lightening and destroyed. The act of L-tod~ fire,. and all the dangers and.

accidents-of tbe sea, are not accepted as ordinary

risks J.M. Dixon. . '

ACT OF GRACE a favour, especially a pardon

. granted by a so:verejgn. . The sentence of death passed on the prisoner

was oommtlted to one of transportation for life tl1-rough an act of grace of _King Georage V. ro. ACT UP TO to come. up in praQtice to some

expected standard; to behave in a suitab1e way; to fu1fil what one professes to regard as duty.

It isn't among sailors and :fishermen that one finds genuine -blackgua1cli!'

Dixon. - ADAM'S APPLE:._the projection in th~ neok, un:de-r

the chi.n, so called , from an. i.dea that part of th"e farbidlen fruit stuck in Adam's throat.

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Having the noose adjuf->ted and secured_ by tightening above his Ada~'s - apple, Daily 11ele-graph, 1865. .

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. ~OT TO KNOW A~iAN FROM ADAM to. be' quite unacquainted with him. . .

. '~ T.o my kno\vledge," again interp-osed - Mr. Lethbr.idge, '~.I have never . seen his _ face. I

Rbol.11dn't l'now him from Adam if he stood before . . me now.'' B. L. Farjeon. .

. Adule AN ADDLE p ATE-a a~n~e ; e., g. What an. adcllc pate you a~e.

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Addreses 8 Air --------------- ----- --- ----------

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Addresses To p .A. y ONE'S ADDRESSES TO to court; to approach a lady as a suitor for her hand in

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marriage. He was said to be paying addresses to Lady

Jane Sheepshanks, Lord Sot1thdo\vn's third dau-ghter. Thackeray.

_.\.do MAKE ADO Make a fuss ; e.g. niake much ado about nothing?

Why do y_ou

Advantage TO ADVANTAGE-favourably. To see the lower portion of this glacier to

advantage. Tyndall. TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF to a'rail one's self of

any opportl1nity, often implying an unfair sense~ Here was material enough for the craft of

William to take advantage of. Freeman. After AFTER ALL nevertheless; when all things

consirlered, as a result of, and so, inspite of, Generally used to introduce some circumstance of a more favourable nature.

Yet after all he was a mortal. W. Irving. AFTER A MAN'S OWN HEART to one's 0\\7 n

liking; exactly what he li1ces or admires. . It ~as indeed, a representative gath,ering, after

the TaTbe1ts' ownliearts. Hugh Oon\vay. Agog-ALL AGOG. Eager, on the look out; e.g. He

is all agog for mischief. Agree. AGREE TO DIF'F'ER abandon atte.npt to con-

vince each other ; e. g. On this matter '\\Te agree to differ.

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Air T.AKE THE AIR to go out; e. g. Let . us take the air.

TAKE AIR to become known; e.g. Tnese matters have t alcen air.

IN THE AIR.- prevalent or vague ; e. g. Opinion against child marriage is i1z the air ; the plan is quite i11 the air. -

DOlNG THINGS WITH AN AIR. with confident bearing.

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GIVE ONESELF AIRS of affected ma1iners. e. g. HA rrivAs himsAlf hifr sii,.i:i_

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All Alpl1a

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~.\ll ALL .A.LONG during its who1e existence;. the whole time. .

This in1po1t \Vas o.ll alO"Ttg felt to be a gt'eat burden. Freeman. .

To BE ALL THINGS TO ANOTHER to aooommo-date oneself in eV""ery way to his wants, moods, or

caprices. She had sworn that more than ever she would

be all f:hings to her husband. Marion Crawford. ALL TN ALL (a) supreme ; of the first importanoe.

The then Prime Minister was all in all at Oxford. -A. Trollope. (b) tb.e dearest object of affection.

Mamma and I are all in all together, at1d we shall remain together. A Trollope.

This.child i.s all in all to me. (c) Altogether; completely ; entirely.

Trust me not at or all in all. Tennyson. To BE ALL ONE-to make no di.fferenoe.

Mr, Ca;rker presently tried a oanter Rob was still in attendanoe then a smart gallop. It was all oue to the boy. Diokens. . ALL THE SAME neverthelesi;; notwithstanding . . The Captain made us trim the boat, and we

got heT to lie a little mo-re evenly. All the sa~n~. \Ve \Vere afraid to breathe. R. L. Stevenson. ALL BUT everything short of; almost.

The boy stood on the burning deck. Whenoe all but he had fled. Mr!!. Hemans.

ALL 0"\7ER-thOTOl1.ghly j entirely. ALL .. pvER '\"\71TH (also. colloqually All:up with) finished, done

w~. . . He is atl ove1: mud. It is all over with hi1n. :

ALL AND SUNDRY . every one without distinction. Einally, he. i_nvited all .and sun.dry. to :Partake,

freely of the oatet1 cake and ale that he had l1imself brought from Ballymena . 1:1all Caine.

Alplt

Amends 10 Api:oin\

Amends MAKE AMENDS FOR to compensate;. e.g._-We must 1nalce arnends fu1 this los8. . Appea1ance To KEEP UP AP-PEARANCE to keep an

outward show with intent to conceal the absen~e of the inward reality; to .behave in a see1nly way before other~.

Even poor people lilce to lceep 1ip appea1ar1ces.-Rowe and Webb.

Apple APPLE OF ONE'S EYE a 211t1ch prided trea-sure; something especially dear. The ''apple of the eye'' is the eye ball, so called fro1n its round shape ; something very delicate and tende1.

Keep me as the apple of tlie r~?JP., l1ide me under the shadow of thy wings. 'Bible.

He kept him as the apple of his e"e. Bible. APPLE OF SODOM. any fair bt1t disappointing

. thing. It is described by Josephus as fair to 1001~ upon, but turning, when touched, jnto ashes. .

Like to the apples on the Dead Sea shoret-. All ashes to the taste. Byron.

APPLE OF DISCORD. any ca1se of envy and con-tention, something which causes E-trife. Eris, the' goddess of discord, threw a. golden apple among the goddesses, with the insc1iption ''For tl1e most beau-tiful.'' Three godd asses claimed the prize Aphro-dite (Venus), Pallas (Minerva) and Hera (Jt1no) and quarrelled over its possession. Paris, son of Priam, of Troy was appointed arbiter, and decided jn favour of Aph1od1te (V ent1s);.

This great. and \vealthy church, constantly . . formed an apple of discord (a subject of quarrel).

-Freeman. APPLE PIE ORDER extreme neatnesR ; cpmplete

order. .

Susan replied that her aunt wanted to put the-hot1se in apple-pie order. . Reade. .

ApJlOint .APPOlN'IED LOT. 'priscrited or o"dained fate; e.g. No man cari change his appointed lot.

\VELL APP()INTED . Nicely equipped; e.g. We. ha\e .a icell appointed fleet in the sea. : :

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11 Arm ------------------------------~ April APRIL-FOOL 011e sent on a bootless errand

on the 1st of April a day reserved for such pracft tioal joking. .

We retired to the parlour, where she repeated to n1e the strongest assuranoes of her love. I thought I was a mad man. Alas! I was ,only an .April fool Thackeray. . .

Apron--TIED TO APRONSTRINGS ruled by the mother o't' wife ; e .. g. He is still tied to his mother's apron ... strings. .

Arab A STREET ARAB A neglected or hon1eless boy or gi1l; one of the unoared-for children of a large oity.

This hero a11d heroine began life as street Arabs of Glasgow. Pall Mall Gazette, 1883.

A11n ARM IN ARM walking in friendly fashion with the arms li.nked .. .

It was an :agreeable surp't'i.se to her, therefore, to perceive them walking upto the house together with arm i11 arm. Mrs. Oliphant. . IN ARMS oarried about. 'Generally used with

the word cliild or infant.. . ... One of these passengers being a ohild, still

young enough to be passed as a oh}ld in arms. -Hugh Cot;iway. . . . . AT ARM'S LENGTH--ata oertain distance; away

from any friendliness or familiarity. . But no, she never alludes to it ; she keeps me

at arm's length. Murray's .JJfagazine, 1887. . \VITH OPEN AR'1'1S warmly; affeotionately; with

hearty welcome. . . . . The Stan hopes \Vere all known. by 'nan1e in

. Barohester, and . Barobef,te1 . was prepared to reoeive them witli open arms. A .. Trollope. . RIGH'r .\RM the main suppo1t; one's ::,taunohest friend. . . .

Sir L!Lunoelot,. my 1iglit a71n; the n1ightiest 9f n1y Kn1ghts Tennyson. . . . . UNDER ARMS bearing arms ; in ma1tial array ..

In a moment troops were itrzdor.. arms {in battle ' . a-rray) .. Robertson. ,

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Arm 12 .' .:\xe '

UP IN ARMS roused to anger; ready: to figlit, ''I'll knook, I s\1\real', till I have your neighbou1s

up ir1 airns,'' said Ralph. Dickens. ARiY.lED AT ALL POINTS fully prepared; e. g.

In the trial for murder the witnesses were a111ied nt a (l points.

ARMED CAP-A-PIE so . from head to. foot.; e.g. The robbers were a.1med cap-a-pie. .

ARMED TO THE TEETH The sameas above. ARMED NEUTRALITY .A nation outwardly neu-

tral but inwardly prepared to rt- sist by arms any aggression made against itself. .

,Ass TO MAKE AN ASS OF ONE'S SELF to behave foolishly. The ass is taken as the type of folly.

Do not mal'e such an ass of you1self as to sup~ pose that. A Trollope.

THE ASSES' BRIDGE a humourous nan1e for the fifth proposition of the First Book of Euolid, be-cause of the difficulties it pre5ented to beginners.

He never crossed the asses' Bridge. .All the l'~ear Round, 1860.

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Assurance To MAKE ASSURANCE DOUBLY SURE to take .every p-eoaution.

' I'll nial'e assurance double su1e. And take a bonrl. of fate. Shal{espeare .

j\.t AT THAT n10-reover ;. in additio11 .. .d. favourite American phrase.

It comes nearest (the Irish car). to riding on horse bacl\:, and on a side saddle at tliat, of any vehicle travelling I ever saw. J. Burroughs. AT MOST Taking highest estimate ; e. g. At

11iost you oan oall him literate. . . AT ONE-inharmoney \vith; e. g. -;\1ot1r plan is

af one with mine. AT ALL EVENTS In any oase ; . e. g. At all

events he will go today. . Ax:e-AXE TO GRIND a p1ivate pu1pose to ser\re,

\Vhen I see a merchant over-poJite to his custon1ers, begging them to take a little brandy, and thl'owing half his goods on the .oounter, thinks I, that man has an axe to grind. Charles Miner.

13 :Back - -- -~----

B Balle THE BABES IN 'IRE WOOD sjmple. t1"\.1stful

children. It .11as . come into use from an old ballad whjch describes the sad fate of t\vo orphan children,-cruel1y treated by a bad uncle. (Slang)

Yet those babes i12 the wood, uncle San1 and Aunt Fanny, trusted six months of our existence to his judgment. Harp(1r's Monthly, Septembe1 1887.

B~'\.BES .AND SUCR.LlNGs-utterly inexperienced ; e.g. They .. are mere babes and Buclclings so far as this matter is ooncerried.

'Bal>el To RAISE .A B.Ai3EL to . stark a confused noise of talk ; e. g. Every evening the radio r

Back 14 Bad

He was determined that Morris should not back out. of the scrape so easily. Soott. ON ONE'S BACK prostrate; helpless.

But here he was, on his bnck.- Wm. BJaclc. To GI\7E THE BACK. to leave or quit.

Had even Obstinate himself but felt \\Tath I have felt of the powers and ter1ors of what is yet unseen, be \\Tould not thus rightly have given us tlie baclc. Bunyan. To TURN ONE'S BACK UPON to

forsake. desert ; to

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''Uncle." Faid Mrs. Kenwigs, '' to think that you should have turned yo11,r back upon me and my children.'' Dickens. ON, UPON THE BACK OF weighing do\\Tn as a

burden. BACK AND BELLY clothing and food ; e.g. They

have to go almost withot1t baclc and belly. BacklJ,111e TO THE BACKBONE-tboroughly : staun-

chly. . Ballacls and Pqe11zs of Trag!c L1fe is Mr. GeorgE

}.1:eredith 1:0 the baclcbone. Rontledge's Alniaiiac 1888.

Backstair BACK-STAIR INFLUENCE-Secret influenoE exerted in a 111anner not legitin1ate.

Bacon--TO SELL ONE'S BACON to sell one's body. To the Kaiser, therefore, I sold niy bacoii, And

by hi1n good cha1ge of the vvhole is taken.-Schiller. To S.o\ \TE ONE'S BACON to escape from personal

injury, generally jn an undignified manner. But as he ran to save Jiis bacon . By hat and wig he was forsal{en. Co111be .

Bad TO GO TO THE BAD to go to ruin ; sink into poverty and disgra11e.

He went, a::; the oomn1on saying expressively phrases it, f.o tlie bad. Pall },fall Gazette. rro THE BAD in debt ; in deficit.

Bad 15 Bag

He \vas betV1Teen 70 and 80 to the bad Pall .Wall Gazette. Tl) GO BAD to decay ; to spoil.

It goes bad more readily than cool\:ed butcher's ineat. Daily News,1884. BAD BLOOD-.angry and vindi.otive feelings.

At the battle of Poona he ragai.ned his autho-1"ity, a11d whatever bad blood had flowed between them \Vas oheol\:ed by tl1e prospect of approaching dange'l'. J.M. Dixon. BAD DEBTS-debts that cannot be recovered;

debts of \vhioh there is no hope that they will ever be paid. .

Among his assets be had jncluded a number of bad deb1's. J. M. Dixon. BADLY OFF i11 unfortunate oondition; e.g. After

losi.ng bis job he has been badly off. BAD FORl\1.-want of breeding ; e. g. Personal

attack i.s in bad form. BAD RAT a. person of bad ohara.cter.

Bag BAG AND BAGGAGE co.npletely; leaving no~ prope1ty behind. The phrase was originally used of the co1nplete evaouatio:q. by aa army of an enemy's territo,.y. and is now employed generally to signify the \Vi~hed for depaTtt11e of an Ull\,Telcome g'1est. .

The Tl1rks ...... their Zaptieks and muncliss ..... . tl1ei1 Kal111alzams and thei1 Pashas, one and all, b1.1g and bciggag~~ shall, r hope, clear out from the Province ttiey have ciesolated and profaned. -Gladstone. BAG OJi' B_1NES _an en1aciated Jiving being.

IN TH'E BOTTOM OF THE BAG :remaining as a lastresou1oe. .

THE WHOLE BAG OF TRI ORS . every expedient. TO GivE ONE THE BAG TO HOLD. to e11gage any

one and mean\vhile disappear. To LET THE OAT OUT OF TaE BAG to disclose the.,

secret.

Bag 16

Sunning to be sure, very nearly let f lie C(lf. out of the bag one afternoon. W. E. Norris.

B.~GMAN a familiar name 01 a commercial tra-veller. .

Eait TO BAIT A TRAP to put a bait in a .t1ap ; P. g. The pron1ise of high interest is only baiting the tTap for the unwary.

Baker A BAKERS DOZEN thirteen. Ball Tu OPEN TH'E BALL to be ~in.

\Valtz and the battle of Austerlitz are said to have opened the ball together (commenced tl1e ope1ations of the yea1 together). Byron ..

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To LEAD UP THE BALL to 01Jen a dance. . Said of the most distinguished couple \vho occupy the leading place. .

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1\1r. Thornhill and my eldest dat1ghter led up the ball. Goldsmith.

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Td HAVE THE BALL AT ONE'S FOOT . to have a thing in one's power ; to be in n, position to 9om-mand suooess. ,

The crisis in George Dallas's life had. arrived -tlie ball was at 1Ais feet. E. Yates.

' TO KEEP 'fRE BALL ROLLING To 1\:eep fron1 flag-gtng ; tQ keep a conversation going.

If .the 8paniards had not lost two armies lately, \Ve should lceep up the ball for another year (con-t.i.nt1e the entel'prise for another year.)-We11-ingtort.

TO TAKE DP T!1E .BALL To tal\:e one's tt1rn jn anytl1ing. To take one's turn in spealcing or in any i::ocial matter.

Rosencrantz took up the ball. George Eliot.

I~an UNDER A BAN Prohibited by public opinion ; . e.g. Sucl1 conduct is u11dcr a llan in.sccie'cy.

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Bal". .. 17 I Bargain."'

Bar THE BAR SINISTER A. well .. known heraldio in-dication of illegitimacy ; The real word is Baton-siniste1. Bar sinisfer.--is a dimintive of a bend .. sinister ; the sign of illegitimate birth .

That was Paston Carew, the Clinton with the bar-sinister across the shield. Mrs. E.~ Lynn Lynton. . : TO APPEAR AT THE BAR. To. be formally referred '

' I for trial. Warren Hastings b!l..d _to nppear before tlie bar 'of

House of Lords after relinquishing .his office of Governor-General of India_. To BAR.' OUT. To shut out~ .

Revolts, rep11blics, r.evol utions, most No graver than a sohool boys' baning out.

Tennyson. To EA'.1' FOR THE BAR,--To prepare oneself tobe a.

bal'rister. Those study~ng for entrance to. the bar are required to be present at a certain numbe.r of dinners in the Temple or Gray's Inn. .

If you bind him with leading-strings at Col~ lege, he will break loose while eating for the bar. in the London A. Trollope. .

To BE CALLED TO.THE BAR. To be admitted as

a barrigter. e r;. He was r.alled to the ba1 in 1940. TQ BE C,A.LL'ED WITHEN THE BAR. Te be ap-

pointed K .. C.; e. g. Only last yea-r he was calle

Bargai11 18

'l.'o STRIKE A BARG.A.IN. To come to terms about a purchase. rhe Striking Of hands \"\TaS a _sign Of a bargain being concluded.

Mr. Miles answered by offering to bet he should make the best servant in the street; and strange to say, 'the ba1gai1i was st1ucli:, and he did turn out a model servant. C. Reade.

Bark 1-fIS BARK IS WORSE THAN HIS BITE his angry . expressions are wor:Se than his actual deeds ; he

uses strong language, but acts with mildness. However, I dare say you have learned by this

time that my father's ba1lc is worse thart liis bite. -Sal' ah Tytler .

Barn. A BARNDOOR a target too large to be missed; e,_g. That post is almost a ba1ndoor for you.

Basket To BE LEFT IN THE -BASKET to be neglected . or thrown over.

Whatever he wants, 'he has only to ask it; And all. other suitors are left in the Basket.

-Barham .

Bat ON HIS OWN.~.AT. on his own. account. Taken -from the game of oriokt. ;

-Titmouse has. left Tanker and Co. and. is now on his own l>a:. J. M. Dixon. . - Bato1~. BATON. SINIS_TER the badge of _bastady. e. g.

1n this coat of arms there is a bato11 sinister. . '

Beans . FULL OF BEA~S in high spirits ; e. g. The - boys were full of. beans when they were let off early

from the school. : -

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.... GIVE PERSON BEANS punish or -scold him ; '!-. g. The teacher gare the bo'l}S beans for their inischief.

Bear TO BEAR HARD ON' to be unfriendly to. Ceasi:Jr doth bear ha1d on n1e. . _

TO BEAR OUT A MAN to lend him support; to cor-roborate .

Every one :will bear me out iri saying that the mark by which you know them.- is their genial

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19 ~Beard

and hea'rty fresh11ess and youtp_fulness;.~f :~h~raoter. ' H uglies. : . .

Td BEAR .A HAND to give assistance ; 'to join .otbel'R in work: . ' " : '

We we1"e so short of mert' tliat every one on boa-rd had to bear a lia:nd. R: L. Stevenson.- .: To BEAR DO"TN 'UPON ' to swo'op upon. ' '

As . soon as. they got on the quarter, deok A.rthu:r perceived a tall, well-preserved man with :an eye glass,. whom. he seemed to know,bea1ing

d1wn upon them. ' H. R~ Haggard. ' .. To BEAR IN 111ND to remember ; to reoolleot.

It.will. be 001ne i1i mi1id that ;M:r. Aub1ey had given bail to a ve1y ]arge amount. S. Warren. A BEAR LE.ADER one who. acts as. 'a, companion

to. a per::;on of distinction ;. the. tutor or governor of .. .a youtl1 at the university. or on.travel ... : .-..: .. :

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It was somewhat .beneathi the .. dignity ~f a gentleman. cavalier to_, aot as -bea1 leader to the j'oskias and , simpering .city .. madams that . came to see the curiosities. G. A. Sali>.,. . .

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. To PI .. AY. '.rHE BE.AR WITH ' to injqre ; to damage. 1 Slan ) '\ g . . , . . ' . . . . The last storm has played the' .b:ia1' '.toitii the

" 'or ops of se'veral 'districts.; ! . . . . . . A BEAR GARDEN a scene of tun1ult. :.

. . l\fr. Trollope visited 'the :Chamber .. \vhilst at

Paris, and heard Soult and Dupin. . He- :thought , .. it a bear gai:den. Temple Ba1; -1887. . .

BE.AR THE BRUNT OF to endure the. ii1ain shook . of ; e. g. The centre of. the army has . "to btia1 tlze bril.nt. of the battle .. . '' .

. . . - . . ' ... ' {' ~ ~EAR 'SWAY to .exercise aut.b_ority e: g.'. South

'Afric'a \vjll never be settled till 'England bea1s sway over the whole region. -' - -' Be~lt'

'

'

:Beard 20 -Beat

- . -- The Douglas in the hall ? 11farmio12, Soo_tt. To BEARD A i\iAN To oontradiot or oppose a

man to his face ; e. g. . I have been bea1ded by boys. Beat TO BEAT .ABOUT THE BUSH. . To approach a

subject in an indirect way; to avoid a direot state-

ment of what must be said. -No ; give me a ohap that bits out straight

from the shou]del', can~t you see this_ is wortli.. a hundred J onses beati11g aboztt tl1.e bztsh and dro-ning us all to sleep. C. Reade. . To BEAT -powN. To t~y to reduoe the .price of

goods. . . : . . . Perhaps his patient would try to beat liim down

and Dr. Benjamin made up his mind to hav& the whole or nothing .. 0. \V. Holmes. . . To BEAT A RETREAT. to retreat or. to retire. It

is a militar-y phrase and refers to the beating of the drums as a -sign for making a ietreat.

She introduced Percy io him. The Colonel -was cut but grumpy, and Percy soon beat . a retreat. Reade. -

TO BEAT THE Alli To fight to no purpose-. or against an imaginary enemy.; to struggle in vain.

So fight I not as -one that beateth i:lie air . -B~e; . - .

To BEAT UP THE QUARTERS OF 110 visit witl1out ceremony. ,

Sunday coming round, he set off therefore-afte:r breakfast, once more to beat iLp Captain Cuttle's quarte1s. Dickens

- ..

. . To BEAT BLACK _,AND BLUE. To thrash; e~ g, ~-. 1n th.e party fight we beat our opponents blaclc and blue.

- . B_EATS COCKFIGHTING Is extremely -exhilar~~ 1 tmg ; e. g. Some of the Indian games beat cockfi' gMin~ .

BEATEN TRACK Routine method; e. g. T n offi oial work don't leave the beaten t1aclc. --

Beat 21 Be di . - -- -- ----------------------

To BEAT OUT to forge, to mal\:e gold or silver leaf out of metal. "

To 13EAT THE BOUNDS. to trace out the boun. daries of a parish in a periodic survey, certain natural objects 'in the 1 ine of journey bei:ilg for ..

. mally struclc with a rod, : To BEA'l' THE BRAINS to try hard. to remember

.

.or devi.se something.- TH.AT BEATS THE DUTCH -that is astonishing .

It beats the Dutcli (it is wonderful). how the -thief can. have got thro11gh so small : a hole.--J. M. Dixon. '

. .

'

Bed. 22 Beg

She has . .

- . -BROUGHT TO BED in . childbirth ;- e. g. been lJroziglit to bed today.

Bee IN A BEE-LINE the most direot 1oad from one point to another, like the honey-Laden bee's way

home to the hive. I'm going to get home as soon as I oan-

strilce a bee line--W. D. Howells. A BEE IN ONE'S BONNET a whim sical ororazy

fa11oy or some point; to be crazy in a certain direction.

What new bee will you put 1tndP1'- 11our 'bo1znet next, sir? G. A. Sala.

Been Y6U~YE BEEN AND DONE IT you have commit-. '

t~d an action that may have very serious conseque- nces. A re1nark general_ly made half. in wonder,. half as warning.

I say,_ young f_E.llow, you've been and done -it-Diokens.

Beer '' your pianist does not i:liinlc sniall 7Jeer .. 0-f himself~'' George Elliot.

Beg_, TO GO BEQ-GING O_R A-B_EGGING to find _no one-to claim ; to be -so plentiful as to. be thought not worth accepting. Generally said of things that

" have been highly prized at' qther times.

. .Plac_es ~i}\:e Annerley. Hall don't go begging ._. _ , Florence Marryat.

To BEG THE QtJESTION to a~sume that which.. requires to be proved ; to take for granted the very point at issue. _ _ . . -

_ '' Faosirpiles l'' exclaimed the old n1an angrily ~'' why not frankly . say that they al"e by the same: hand at once ?'' -

'' But that is .begging tlie whole. que.tion ,'~ argued. honest Dennis, . his. good and implastio nature leading him into the self-san1e error into which

, . be had fallen at Charlecote Park._ James Payn. To BEG 'OFF to obtain another's release .tarough

. ei;i.tFe~ty, -to ,s~e.k that one's self. may -be relieved of some penalty or .liability. . ,, ' '

,

23 Best - ' '

Beggars BEGGARS ST:3:0ULD NOT BE CHOOSERS those wbo ask for favours sl1ould submit to. the terms im-posed. upon them.

TO BEGGAR DESCRIPTION something beyond the power of description ; e. g. The sunset glow on the hills is so glo-ri.ous as to beggar desc1iption.

Bell EIGHT BELLS Half nours of \Vatch on a ship. The unwelcome cry of '' All starbowlines

ahoy ! eig11:~ br.ll.s, there below l do you hear the news ?'' (the \1sual formula of calling tbe watoh). roused us. R. H. Dana, Jun. TO BEA.R OR CARRY O]'F THE BELL to name OT

gain the firFt plaoe ; to be viotor. in a iaoe or other context. (provinoialism).

The Italians have ca11ied awt.1y if~e l1ell from all otl1er nations. as may appear both by their b'ooks

and works. Hakewell. To BELL THE CA.T to take the leading part in

any hazardous mov.etnent, from the ancient fable . of the mice wl10 proposed to hang a bell round

the oat's neck~

And fro~ a loophole whil.e I seep. . . Old BP-ll-f:lie-Gat came from the keep. Scott.

. .

Belt To HlT BELOW THE BELT to stTike another unfairly. .

, To refer to his private distl;esses in a public discussion was hitting belotv tlie belt J. M. Dixon. ,

Bencl1 To BE ON . THE BENCH to be a judge ; e. g. He has been taised to .the renob ..

, THE BENCH AND THE BA.R The j\\dges and tl1e barristers.

.,_ ' - ' - .. - ' .- . _,

'Bertl1 To GIVE A WIDE BERTH to keep well away from ;_ generally to avoid a person.I .

I have had letters wa:rnilig rrie that -I bad better give Balli1iascro6n .a wid~- bertli if I. happen to be in that pan of Ireland. Wm. Black.

' ,

Best A.T TH'E.BEST OR . .A.T BEST In the best possible,.: wa.y~ taking the most favourable view possible.

' ', . ,,

'

:Be~t ----------- ---------------------

I advise yot1 not to accept the situation~ _4.t the besl you will be a mere favourite. ren1:lvable, on the slightest whim of a capricious won1a11.-J. M. Djxon. To HAVE THE BEST OF IT. to gain the advantage

in a contest. ''In your argument yesterday, Charles, the

strange gen tlen1an had t.]ie. best of it,'' said his wife. J. M. Dixon. FOR THE BEST with the best intentions .

To .PUT .ONE'S BEST FOOT FOREMOST to do the best, or to make the best show one can. .

To 1\1:AK'E THE BEST OF ONE'S w AY to go by the best possible road; to go as well as oan be don~ in the circumstanoes.

With these awful remarlts, Mr. Kenwigs sat down in a chair, and defied the nurse, wl10 made the be.st flf her wa.1/ into "the adjoining roon1.- Dickens.

'

TO MAKE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS to manage so as to get the good things of earth and be sure of a good place in heaven.

There have b.een. great Captains, great States-man, ay, great so-oalled Christians, f'eeking to

nialce the besf. of both ioo1lds~ Sarab T1ollope. Bet You BET I assure you. (Slang) '

:My father~s rich, you 1Jet. Henry .Jun.

James,

Better. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE-indissolubly. in bond. ' .

Eaoh b!:il1eved, . and indeed pretty plainly as-serted, . ttiat they . could live . more handsomely

. asunder'; l ut, alas J they were united for . bette1 or for iv1>rse. Maria Edgeworth. . . , To GET THE: BETTER OJ!'. : to . overcome ; to . gain

the advantage over; to be stronger than:

'

1Better 25 -----.....;

--- -------------------- -~------ -- -- -

.

. 1 got tlie bette1 of m:y disease, "however, but I was so weak that I spat blood whenever I attem pted to write. H. MaoKenzie. To BE BETTER THAN ONE'S WORD--to do n1ore

than Olle promised; e.g. You may depend on him for he wilt be better than his ivord.

THINK BETTER OF lT Change one's mind; e. g. I an1 sure he wi11 think bette1 of 'it.

'KNOWS BETTER THAN TO DO SO is not stlOh a '

fool as to do so. I KNOW BETTER I do not believe it.

Better 11alf a man's wife, a ooni.plimentary te1m for a woman. It once applied seriously to either wife or husband, and even the soul as opposed to the body.

''Polly heard it,'' said. Toodle, jerking his hat over his shoulder in the diratioli of the door,

. 'with an . air of perf eot. oon'fidenoe in his better half. Dickens.

.. ONE'S. BETTER SELF the . '1lgher pa1't of one's nature, including conscience and good judgment.

.. ONE'S BETT~RS SUPERIOR .IN: RANK ONE'S '.BETTE.Ii 'FEELINGS . the hi.gher nature.

' - J ' ' ' - , i '

'To l1e l1etter oft'-7'"to be in superior circumstances. .. Since joining hi~. work he is bette1 off.

' ' ' . . .

'

Bet,v.een BETWE'EN YOU .AND ME .AND THE POST OF THE , DOOR POST a phrase u.sed .when anything is

spol\:en confidentially. . . '

But understand tbat: the: name of Dangerous . iH to ren1ain a.secret between you and 1ne and

. . -tlic po~t. G. A. Sala. . . . .' . .

Bct,\een )'Oll an(l me and tl1e bed post don't reveal . a \'Tord of what I say. It has oome into use because . -generally talkR in the bedroom is bet\veen husband

and wife and is al\vays oonfidentia.1; _: Bet,veen Oltrselves. in .. confidence.. , .

' . . '

Steyen has a touqh of the, gout, and so, bf.f.ween 1)urselvcs has your brother .. ...:... Thackeray .

26 Bid

------------- - -- --- --- --- -- --------- - --- -----

Bet,veen Sc)'lla and Cbaryl)clis - bet-.yeen t\vo menao-ing dangers. Avoiding one, you fa.II into the other. Scylla was a iook and Ctiar11bd1.s a \Vhirl pool on the coast of Sicily, ar.d the narrow passage between was very much feared by mariners bevause of its double danger. Now they are looked on as harmless.

You have ?JOiir Scylla a12cl yozi1 Gliarybcli.!, as pastor of the congregation. If you preach the old theology, you \vill lose the-youngm~n ; and if you p1eaoh the ne"', you ,ill alienate the old men. J. M. Dixon.

Bet,vee11 t'vo fires subject to a (louble attaok, a posi--tion of peouliar danger in war. If any pe1son gets between two parties who aie firing at eaoh othe1, the .position is dange-rous to hin1, hence Lt means to be assailed on different sidei; by contending dif ~ fioulties of a very disagreeable or dangerous nature.

Poor Dawson is betrveen ;'zvo fire.; ; if he whips the child, its mothe1 scolds him, and if he, lets it off, its grandm'other comes down upon him.-

- J. M. Dixon. - . ' '

To fall be_t,veen t'vo stools to lose both of two things. between the choice o'f \Vhioh one was hesita1_ing,. to adopt two plans of action, and to fail. .

What on earth she should do ? l!~all' to the - - ground between two stools ? No, that was - a

man's trick; and she '''as a woman, every inch. -0. Reade.

Between 'vind and 'vater that part of a ship's side which is now in, now out of, the \Vater owing to.-

the fluctuation of waves: ariy vulnerable point. 'l'he phra~e is used figurat_ively. _ .

- That shot _ was: a settler ; it struck -poor Sale - right bettveen .wind a?zd tVai:er '(in the most suscep-

tible place}. ' Haliburton. . Bid To BID FAIR TO to seem likely.

In the eastern -countries the old race of small .

..

.

Black ' ' 30 Bla11kct \

'

She now hated iny sight, and made . hon1e so disagreeable to ine that . ,V-ha t is called by school boys Blaclc l.fvndrzJJ was to me t_he wh~test _in the \vhole yea i. Fielding. . . . .

Blac/1- Mail hush money. extorted under th1eat of expositre, esp. of a ba.seless charge. . .

Blaclcnza1z, I suppose, is an honest inan paying tl1rough his nose for the . sins of his yo\1th .. -J. M. Dixon. .

Blackdraugh.t_ a dose. fo1merly given by physi-cians to ielieve st6n1ach ail1nents. . . Go,, eiij.oy your -blacli d1auglits of ~eta phys-

ics. Thackeray. . . . . . ' . ~ -

To beat or pincl1 another black and blue to pinch or beat hi1n until.the1e is a bruise with.a vivid polot1r. : . . . :

'' Will go .down arn1 in arm.'' . '' B11t you pincli blaclc and blire.'' Dickens.

BLACK AND WHITE-\vritten definitely on paper in inl\:. : . . .

''I have found: it a.11 out. Here is his name in blacl

31 Blood

Bless -To BLESS ONESELF to be astonished. Could Sir: Thomas look in upon us just now,

. ' he would bless. lii?1iself, for we a.re rehea1sing all .over the house. Jane Austin .

. . To BLESS ONE SELF W1TH in one's possession. It is generally u.sed of coin, especially siJve1 coin.

-- \vhich people' ciossed thei1 paln1s with for good luck. .

What! Yoti trun1pery, to come and take up an honest house without cross or coin to

. bless yourself with. -Goldsn1ith~ . BLESS YOU an exclmation of \l'arying signifi ..

cance. It is apiotl.s wish or benediction common . in Ireland; and con1n1only used after sneezing, to

avert evil' oonseciueri.ces. . . ''. Ble.

Blood 32 Bloocl.

-

' .

Mr: Ca1lyJe bas been hearc1 to say that Rha:-, . da111anthus wot1ld certainly' give Macat1lay fo11r

dozen lashes \vhen he went to the shades for his treat111ent of Marlborough. This is quite charac ter for the Scotch apostle of blood at1d iron.-J. Cotter Mti.rrison.

. HIS BLOOD w .AS UP- he \Vas excited or in a passion. _ _ That is the way of doing buDiness a . ct1t and

thrust style, without any flottrish ; Scott's style when blood was up.-Christopher Warren. .

. . A PRINCE OF TH~ BLOOD- a noblen1an -\vho is a near ielation of the Royal family. . . He had a calm, exhausted smile_ which-as

though he had been a p1nre of the blood . \vho ha.s passed his life in acknowledging the plaudits of the . populace sugg'ilsted tl1e ravages of affabi1ity.-James Payn. BLOOD IS THICKER TH.AN "\V ATER Kinship will

cati.se a man to befriend his relatives ; it is . bette1 to tr11st a kind kinsman than a stranger.

''I am a\vare there is a family tie, or I shoti.ld nat have ventured to trou.ble you.'' ''Blood is thi'clcer t?ian water, isn't it? ''-A. Trollope~ IN COLD BLOOD-free from pa.ssicin; deliberately.

Tb.e Stlggestions of such a contigency whi

. . '

' '

Bioocl Bll.1e --- ---------- ---------------------------

FLESH AND BLOOD. -the anin1al. natti.1e ; e. g. lt-rlesli and blood 'can npt bea~ this.

BAD BLOOD ill feeling; e. g. There is bad blood bet\vee rl the two brothers.

' ' .

. - . . BLOOD OUT OF A STONE - pity fro1n the ,pitiless ; e. g". The su:fferiri.gs of the people . are severe . enol1gh to force blood oiit of a stone.

Blow .-To BLOW QVER to pass away as a da.nger 01 scandal ; to be heard of no n1ore.

,. '' G1aciot1s me l an exect1tion .,,, said Lady Olonbrony ; ''but I heard you talk of an

execl1tion tnonths ago, my lord, before n1y son \\Tent to Ireland, and it blew over ; I heard

no niore of \t.'' -Maria Edgeworth. 'J~o BLOW UP to scold. ''

'

. If I hadn't been p1otl.dof the house I .shot1ldn't - le bloivir1g 11ou up. Hughe:3. To BLO"\V:OFF to escape foroibly.

. '

To BI ... OW HOT AND COLD to be favourable and . : unfa vou:rable by turns ; to be irresolute. .

' ' .

. TO BLOW ONE'S OWN TRUMPET to sound one's ' '

O\VD praises. . ' ' ' . '

BLOWN UPON having a bad. reputation; un-sotl.nd ; damaged. . _ . .

, . My :credit \Vas. so blowti upon that I oould not . . 11ope to raise a shilling. T haolceray. .

- - ' '

Bll?e THE BLUE RIBBON::..:_ (a) . the., Order of the Garter. . . . . .

I therefore make no vain boast. of a blue rbbo1i ' being seen there; :thus denoting the .

presence of the Knight of the. most noble orde:r .. of the Garter. G. A; 8ala.

(b) The phrase is 'alsou~edt~ signify~' a dis-tinction of th~ highest kind.''

li1 1840 he ''"as eleoted to a fello\vship at Oriel, then the l1lue rfbbon of the university. -At 1ic'l:eu.?1i, 1887.

:Blue

34 Blue

------------ ---------------------

(c) A badge worn in England and Ame-rjca by those who do not d1ink intoxicating-liquors. T11i.s Society was founded in America in 1178. . .

Of course, Mr. S111ith didnt smoke, and sup-ported a blile 1ibbo11 as proudly as if it bad been the Orde-r of the Ga:rter.-Besant. . ,.. A BLUE FUNK it is a Slang idiom and means a

great terror; a condition of f~ightened su~-se. Altogether I was in the pitiable state known

by s :hool-boys as a blue fun le. H. R. Haggard. A BLUE MOON a phenomenon whioh happens

very rarely. BLUE BOOK British official parliamentary Re-

ports, so called because . they are bound in blue '

covers. . THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL Chl"ist's HospitaJ in

London ; a great public sohool socalled because the boys attending 'it 'weal" a uniform' with a blue coat. . .

BLUE J AOKwrs~-.Sailqr of the British Navy, \vho wear jackets of blue .serge. _ : ONCE lN A BLUE MOON-very seldom indeed.

BLUE MOONSH1NE fantastic nonsense. It is the subject of a short poem of three stanzas in Havveis's Comic Poets of ilig Ni11eteentli (.'e11f'ury.

IN THE BlltJES melancholy; low-spirited. If we had been allowed to sit idle, we should

all have fallen in tlie blue.J .. R. L. Steven~on .

. . .

THE BLUE AND YELLOW the Edinburgh Review, so called from the ooloar of its cover.

. . . . .

Shortly afterwards, and - very little before -. : . -the appearance. of tlie Blue and Yellou1,- Jeffrey

made another innoration. George Saint.slJt1ry in Mac1nillans Magazine, 1887. . . .

' . " . ~ ..

THE 1iAN IN BLU~tlie polioeman .

Those kinds of sin which bring upon us the . nia11 i?l blue are such as wethin1{ \Ve shall never

Blt1e . ., 5 . .) Bl'under

I To LOOK BL-CJE-to do\V n.-s1)irited.

seem disoonoerted ; to be

Squire Brown looJ, .. ~ rather blue at having to pay t\-x.ro pounds ten Rhillings for the posting ex-

penses from 0 xf ord. Hughes. . . , Bl11e De,,il~ an evil demon ; in plural, the meaning

is deep despondency, the apparition seen in deli-1iu11i t1eme1zs, .

Tile d1-unken old landlord had a fit of the bl11.e-de.vils last night aad\vas making a dreadful noise. J. M. Dixon.

Blue Sto~king a name given to learned ladies who displayei their .acquirements in a pedantic manner, to the negleot of \vornanly graoes about 1750. Mrs. Montagile and others began to substitute lite-ral"y conversa(;ion for oards; and the name was sug-geste:i by tl1e b.i"e stockings of Benjamin Stilling~ fleet-the Fienoh bn3 blue is a translation. Hence it means a ,,,.oma11 \Vho prides herself on , her learning.

Lucy (Hutchinson) was evidently a very su-perior yot1ng lady, and looked upon as the bluest of blitP-. stockings. Gentleman's Magazine,. 1886.

To fly tl1e blue-peter. to bo ready to . sail. It is a small blue flag \Vith white rectangular centre; hoist-ed \Vhen a ship is about to sail \yithin twenty four hours. .

The ensign was at her peak, and at the fore floated tlie blue~peter. W. Clark Russel.

BLUE-BEARD-one who is unfortunate. with his \Vives after Henry VIL[.: It is from the famous story of Perrault's Conte where as a monster he mu. rders a series of \Vives before he is himself out off.

Blttnder BLUNDER UPON to find by fluke ; e; g. He is so luolcy: as to l1ave l>ltLndered upon the right thing.

BL"uNDER A\VAY O::NE'S CHANCES-to \Vaste one's-,,: opportunities; e.g. He had n1any chanoes in ..,~- :'.'.-~ Career b:it he 1Jltindered tliem atoay. : ~.'; :,..

, .. - . ' '

.. -'J ; -I. ' --'' ',I ,r ,. ' -_.., .- '"l1

' . ,

Blunt' 36 Bohen1i~

Blunt-:-TO BL.lJN'l' THE EDGE OF .;o ma'.

-

Bold 37 Bo11e .-'----------- .. - --------------------------

. is the nan1e applied in London to the quaiter where artists a11d I iterary n1en live as be:.-it suits them, wholly i1egleoting fashion and the elegant world. 111 F1 a11c.e and some otl1er countries Bohemian is the name applied to the gipsy race, who, wher-ever they go, live a rough kind -of life, -apart from other people. .

Meantime there is a flavour of Bolzemia about t l1e place whioh pleases' newcomers. To be sure Bohemia never had any clubs. Besant.

Jlold To MAKE BOLD to take the liberty; to 1nake

-

free; to venture. ''I mal'e bold, young woman,'' he said as tl1ey

went away, ''to give you a warning about my nephew.'' Besant. To-MAKE BOLD WITH to tackle; to deal with.

By the time I was twelve years old I had risen ' into the upper sohool, and could- 1nake bold wi;tli Entropius and Oesal'. J. M. Dixon. . As BOLD AS BRASS impudent, without modesty

. or shame. '

Fred Bulloolt told Osborne of his son's appear-ance and conduct. ''He came in as bold as brass'' said Frederiol\:. Thackel'ay

. lJolt To SIT BOLT UPRIGHT to sit up straight sud-denly from a i'eol ining posture ; e. g. At the noise made by the thief he sat bolt upright in his bed.

To BOLT FOOD to swa.llow without mastica-ting ; e. g. It is better to take half as .much well 111asticated, than to bolt tlie whole meal in a hurrv.

~

}3onc A. BONE OF CONTENTION something that cat1ses strife. It is from two dogs fighting over a bone thrown between them. . - .

. The possessio'n of Milan was a barze of conten t~o1z bet\veen the two monarchs. J.M. Dixon.

:- BO~E TO PICK WITH something to oooupy Dne, a d1ffiou)ty, a grievance, controversy, dispute.

I consider that I have got a bone to piclc with Provi.de11ce about. that nose. H. R. Haggard.

'

Blunt- 36

Blunt To BLUNT THE EDGE OF :u mil:-:e tool less effective for doing_ its work ; t7 g. Time blunts tli!~ edge of grief.

Blush To PUT TO THE BLUSH to Ci.l.U5e to sho'' shame or confusion by grov;-ing rEd in the flice. _

Ridicule, ini::tead of putting gt1i!t and error ta the blush turned her forin1dable shafts against innocence and truth. Macaulay. _ AT THE FIRST BLUSH- at the first 'g1ance.

All -purely identical propositions, obviously or at first blusl1, appear to contain no certain instruc,..- _ tion in them.-3. M. Dixon.

Boards ON THE EC.ARDS -following the profess.ion of an actor. - -

Li.Iv wa8 01z fl;e board. but Katie could ger - - -

nothing to do. Besant. _ TO GO BY THE BOARD-to be lo".'t or de'itroyed.

lt comes from by tlze board '.vhich mean8 over t-he-coard or side of tbe ship. -

To SWEEP THE BO.ARD - to take all the cards. - There V.'as keen contt--st in the game of

bridge, but John and his -partner s:cepi tl1e bourd. ABO\'E BOARD - openly ~ e. g. He does thing~ aboi'e board. -

GRO.ANL~G 130ARD-ab11ndant meal ; f:.. g. Tn bis house the servant::; get a groa11ing boarcl.

Bob To LEAR:K A BOB-to join in chorn.

-Bold 37 Bo11e ,....------- - - - - ---- ---- -----------------

. is the nan1e applied in London to the quarter where artist.s a11d I iterary n1en live as be~t suits them, wholl~' neglecting fashion and the elegant world. 111 Fi a11ce and some otl1er countries Bohemian is the name applied to the gipsy race, who, wher-ever they go, live a rough kind of life, apaTt from other people .

.Meantime there is a jlai1our of Bolzem1'a about the.place which pleases" newooniers. To be sure Bohemia never had any clubs. Besant. l~old To MAKE BOLD to take the liberty; to inake

,

free; to venture. . . ''I mal\e bold, young woman,'' he said aR they

\vent away, ''to give you a .warning about my nephe\v.'' Besant. To1'.lAKE BOLD WITH to 'tackle; to deal with.

By the ti1ne I was twelve years old I had risen into the upper 'school, and could. 1nali.e l1old tvffli Entropi.us and Cesar. J. M. Dixon.. . AS BOLD AS BRASS impudent, without 1110desty

. or shame.

Fred Bullocl\: told Osborne of his son's appear-ance and conduct. ''He came in a.

Blunt' 36 Bohen1ig

Blu11t-TO BLlJN'l' THE EDGE OF-;;o rnaie tool Jess effective for doing. its wo1k ; e. g. Time blunts t]ie edge of grief.

Blltsh To paT TO TI-IE BLUSH to C

Bold Bo11e ,------- - - - --. ----------- ------ ------------'

-

is the nan1e applied in London to the quarte-r where artist.s arid I iterary n1en live as be~t suits them, \vho1ly neglecting faRhion and the elegant world. ln F1 a11ce and some otl1e1 countries, Bohemian is the name applied to the gipsy raoe, who, wher-ever they go, live a rough kind of life, apart from ot.ber people.

Meantime there is a fla'l.1our of Boll-emia about the plaoe which pleases newcomers. To be sure Bohemia never had any clubs. Besant.

J3old TO MAKE BOLD to take the liberty; to inake free; to venture.

'

''I make bold, young woman, he said aR they went away, ''to ~ive you a warning about my nephe\v.'' Besant. To. 11AKE BOLD WITH to tackle ; to deal with.

By the time I was twelve years old I had risen into the upper sohool, and' could 1nalce bold tvi;f h Entropi.us and Cesar. J. M. Dixon. AS BOLD AS BRASS impudent, without inodesty

. or shame. Fred Bullool\:. told Osborne of his son's appear-

ance and conduct. ''He came in aB bold a3 b1ass'' said Frederick. Thaokeray.

Jlolt To SIT BOLT UPRIGHT to sit Up straight sud-denly from. a reoli.ning posture ; e.g. A.t the noise made by the thief he saf. bolt upright in his bed.

To BOLT FOOD to swallow without mastica .. ting; e. g. It is better to take half as .much well n1astioat.ed, than to bolt the w1iole meal in a hurry.

. .

Bone A BONE OF CONTENTION something that cat1ses strife. It is from two dogs fighting over a bone tl1rown between them. .

. rrhe possession of Milan was: a bone of conten tio1i bet\veen the two monarchs. J.M. Dixon .

a BONE TO PICK WITH something to oooupy .one, a difficu!ty, a grievance, controversy, dispute.

I consider that I have got a bone to piclc with Pro,~idence about that.nose. H. R. Haggard .

Book 38 Born

'

To MAKE NO BONES OF to have no scruples in regard to something ; not to hesitate ; to pttblish openly. .

He makes no bones of swearing or lying. To THE BONE to the inmost part.

Book IN THE BOORS OF ; IN THE GOOD BOOKS OF in favour with ; a favourite of.

I was so much in his books that at his dicease he left his lamp. Addision.

Tben I'll tell you what, MI. Noggs; if yoti want to keep in the good boo/cs in that . quarter,. you had better not call her ''Old lady'' any more. J)ickens. To BRING TO BOOK-to call to account.

''By the Lord, sir, it's an extraordinary thing to me that no one can have the honour and happiness of shooting such beggars without being brought to book for it.'' Diokens. To BuOK TO A PLACE to take a ticket which entitles yo11 to travel to a place ; e. g. This pas ... senger ; is booked to Madras. ' To BE BOOKED FOR fixed up for an engagen1ent; e. g. you are boolced for t\vo songs 'in the concert.

Born-IN ONE'S BORN DAYS in one's life tin1e (Slang) At last Nicholas pledged himself to betray

no further curiosity, and they walked on, both ladies giggling very much, and declaring that they had never seen such a wicked nature in all thei1 bo1n days. Diclcen~, NOT BORN YESTERDAY worldly \Vise ; not easily

gulled. (Slang) She was considerable of a long-headed woman,

was inother; she could see as far ahead as most folks. She warn't bor1z yesterday, I guess.-Holiburton. BORN WITH A. SILVER SPOON bo~n in \Vealth and luxury

''What! the settlement I have made is 1nore than enough five thousa11d pounds more than

' ..

B-0111 '

39 - ~---

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enough. One can i:ee, young fellow, that you were b1)1n with, a silver spoon in yot1r mouth.'' -Longrn.an,s Magazine:, 1886 .. BORN WITH A GOLDEN SPOON IN (.)NE'S MOUTH .

to great sp1en~ou-r ; bei:r to great wealth. The re'sult of his training has been to make

hin1 thoroughly discontented with his present lot, and disposed tc> consider hi1nself aggrieved i11ucu above the majority of his fellow creatures, bec.ause he was not born with a golden spoon 1'.n liis 11101tfh. Florence MaTyat .

. Bosom A BOSOM FRIEND -a very intimate, tl'tlsted friend.

Botto1n ONE'S BO'f'IOM DOLI,AR . one's last coin. An AmeTioanism.

I would have pa1ted with ni11 boitonz dollar to relieve he1. Besant. AT THE BOTTOM itl l'ea.lity ; essentially. He was a kind-heal'ted man at the bottoni.

-Jam es Payn. TO BE AT THE BOTTOM OF to be the real origi-

nal ; to :be the chief instigator i.n any affair. I an1 sure Russell is at tlie botto111 of this

movement to get rid Gt our present musioal direotor. J. M. Dixon ..

. ' .

To TOUCH BOTTOl.1: to ieao h the lo\vest point. GET T() THE BOTTOM OF' to find out all about ;

~. g. I lll\ii:it get to tlie bottor:n of this affair. ' ' '

KNOOK THE BOTTOM OF . take away the very basis of e.g. Yot1r remarks lcn1Jck tlie botfo1n of his argt1,11 en t. .

Bo'-v To D'R.A W THE LONG BOW to n1ake extravagant staten1ents ; to exaggerate. ' .

. Then he _went into a lot of partioulars and I began to think. he was draw1'.ng _the long bow.-

W. D. Ho\\'"ells~ . '

'

TO HAVE TWO STRINGS TO ONE'S BOW to have other alternatives. '

40 ----------------- ----- ---~

. Moreover, in his impatient an1bition and in-defatigable energy, he had sought a second string to liis bow ; the pttblio and the .publishers -;howed their sense of his abilities as a pamphleteer a1id a novelist. Edinburgh Review. . Tu DRAW A BOW AT A VENTURE to n1ake an

attack blindly; to say or do something \-..1ithout 1~nowing exaotly what the result will be.

'' And your inotber was an Indian,'' said La iy Jane, drawing lier bow at, a venture. -- Mrs.

E. Lynn Linton. A BOWING ACQUAINTANCE-very slight, )in1ited.

to this only ; e. g. I have only a bowing aoquairlta11ce with bim.

I3o,vels HAS NO BOWELS is devoid of the feelings of oompassion e. g. I wonder his maste1 has 71!> boivels.

Bowl-To BOWL OUT to stop in a successful career. A ph1ase used in Cricket.

''Bou1led. 01.1,t etc. ? '' said Routh. '' Stamped, Sir,'' replied Dallas. E. Yate ...

To BOWL OVER to overwhelm ; to knock dov.rn. It v.ras within a day of Thursday's \T1sit that

Bennet's last defenoe was thus placidly 1JrJtolecl ove1. Sarah Tytler.

Box IN THE SAME BOX equally embarrassed. ' How is it that you are not danoing ? '' He

murmt1t'ed something inaudible about '' part.ne1.'' '' Well, we are i1z t lie same box. ,, H. R. liag-

gard. (provincialjsm) '

IN THE WRONG BOX in a false position ; in a . .

scrape. '

To BOX THE C01iPASS to make a complete 1011nd abcut in any opinion. . So my lady reasoned in her rapid. \\Yay, a11d

1>1.>xerl tlzc com'pass all round. Mrs. E. J..1ynn Linton. To BE IN A EOX to be in a fix.

I3ox 41 Brea cl

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To BOX HARRY to take a beef steak, i11utto11 ohop, or baoon and eggs with ale or tea, instead of .the regulatio11 dinner of the oomme1cial t1avell~r ; to avoid reO'ular hotel table, and tal{e something .substantial

0 at tea-tin1e to avoid expense. It is a

Comn1erci.al phrase. (Slang) . Boy A BOY IN BUTTONS a lad who act8 as door-ser-

vant and waiter in an establishment. The veTy boy irt buttons thought n101 e of his

'pron1otion than of the kind mi-::;tress who had housed, clothed and fed hi.m when a parisl1 orphan. G. J. Whyte Melville.

Brace-BRACE ONESEI.F UP-to make oneself ready for an effort ; e. g. I bracad tn11selj up for passing the examination.

BRACING AIR-Stin111lating ; e. g. lu so111e places the winter has a b1acing air.

B1ass--.A BRASS FARTHING a . symbol of vvhat is \vorthless.

. He could pe1oeive. his wife d.id not care 1ie b1ass fa1tliing about him. H. R. Haggard. A MAN OF BRASS an inp'l1dent fello\V ; r.. g. The

chief was a 11ian of b7ass. .

Brazen To BRAZEN OU1' .AN .A.CT to carry it on impudently; to be without shame.

As to Bullying Bob, he b7aze11ed t/ia matter out, declaring he had been affronted by th~ Frank-lands, and tl1at lie \'\rq,s glad he b.a i taken his revenge of them. 'Maria Edgeworth.

B1ead To TAKE BREAD UP AND SALT to bind one self l)y oath. An old-fashioned phrase.

'l'o Bl~E~,,_ K :ORE A fJ ...,.. , o eat ; to be a guest. ' ' As of te11 ~ts 1\1r. Staunton was i.nvited, 'or in-

'"iied I i1nself, to brea!c bread at the Villa des 9natiti. givers, so often did Violet express her l11te11t1on of eating lier o\\"n luncheon or dinner 111 c?n1pu.ny \\'itl1 Hopkins a faithful old servant .. -\"\. E. Norris.

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Bread 42

B1eak

BREAD AND BU'l TER material welfare ; what sustains life.

FoT1ner. pride was. too strong for present pru-dence, and the que~tio11 of br1 ad arid but'er was thrown to the winds in re\rolt at tbe sba1 e of the platter in wh:ch it was offered. Mrs. E. Lynn Linton. BREAD .AND CHEESE the bare necc:ei:saries of life. A BREAD .AND CBEESE .~1.ARRI-.\.GE a marriage

with a man who cannot afford to give his wife luxuries. (prov1ncia1tism)

You descri.be in. ~vell~ ch9seh la_ngtiago the miseries of. a b1ead and che

Break 43 Break

BREAK ONE'S MIND- to open one's mind, e. g. I will brealc 1ny mind to you.

BREAK JOURNEY to halt; e.g. _I am not going to brealc my jou1ney any where.

BREAK REARI- to cause sorro\v. e.g. He brolce , his mother's lieart. .

BRE:t\K IN UPON to startle by appearing une:x: .. peotedly; e. g. '11he polioe b1oke.in upon the robbers.

BREA.K OUT to rage violently : e. g. The fire urolce out there. , .

BREAK OFF to stop abruptly; e.g. He brolce of/ in the middle of the story.

BREAK FORTH- to burst out ; e. g. The sun brolce fo1'i"h from the clouds.

BREAK COVER to oon1e out of hiding : e. g. The \volf b1olce cover in a fine style.

BREAK THE NECK OF accomplish the hardest part of a job. .

BREAK A LANCE WITH- to argue. BREAK BREAD WITH-to be entertained by.

. .

BREAK BiJTTERFLY ON TRE WHEEL-te waste power.

To BREAK WITH-(a) to brealc tbe matter to ; to announce news to. It i.s obsolete.

Let tis not breal~ witli him Shakespeare. (b) to quarrel with, to fall out as.friends do.

'\ But what cause have I given 1:iim to brealc tvith me ?'' Says tbe countess . trembling. -Florence Ma-ryat.

, To BREAK THE ICE-(fig.) to. get through first difficulties. .

'' I will not,'' said' Loo hi el, . '' b>ea1c tll.e ice. Tl1at is a point of honour with ine.'' Macaulay. To BREAK NEWS to make anything known, esp.

of bad news, \vith caution and delicacv. ~

It suggested to ine that .I had better breal~ tlz.e news to them (of their father's death by the

explosion of a boiler), and mechanically I accept4

Breast 44 Hre;1tl1e "'------ ---------- --- ------- ---------

ed the suggestion and rode away. sadly to the Italian Villa. '1.1Jie Mistletoe Boz1,gh, 1885. To BR~AK.LOOSE to extricate one's self forcibly; to break through all restraint.

Breast To MaKE A CLEAN BREAST OF to make a

full and free confes~ion of something that has been kept a seGret. ;

She lesol ved to mal,e a clean breast of it before she died. Scott.

ll1eatl1 THE BREATH OF ONE'S NOSTRILS so1nething as valuable as life itself.

Then novels were discussed in the sooiety ~vhose flatteries were as the b1f!ath of Jiis nost1ils. -Edinbu1gli Review, 1886. ro REEP ONE'S BREATH TO COOL ONE'S POR-RIDGE - not to talk at all ; -TAKE BREATH to take rest. IN O.NE BREATH in quick succession ; e. g. He

says yes and no in one breath. To 'l'AKE AWAY ONE'S BREATH to cause sur- prise. .

He was so polite, he flattered "Tith a skill so surprising, ho was i.-o fluent, so con1pletely took away lier b1 eath, that when he finally begged per-mission to deliver a valedictorv Oration to all the

young ladies, Mr~. Billingsworth, witl1out thin king what she was doing, granted that pern1is-sion.--Besant. UNDER ONE'S BREATH very quietly, in fear. .

'' A. good thing they did not bethink i.hen1-sel\es of cutting of my hair,''she. said under hei breatli. J. M. Dixon. . BATED BREATH in anxiety and g'Leat suspense.

Brcatl1c To BREATHE AGAIN to be relieved from anxiety.

To BREATHE ONE'S LAST to die. It had b1eaflied its last in doing its master

service. Thaokeray . 'l'O BRE..i\.THE FREELY to be at ease

Brick 45 Bring

. Now that father has gone Otlt, \Ve can breath!~ freel1J. , To 'BREATTIE UPON to ta1nish or soil. To BREATHE STRIFE OR INNOCENCE-to instil

i.t into one, also to Jove it. e. g. He breatlie~ .o.;frife wherever he goes.

Brick A REGULAR BR1CK a good chap, a pleasant man (Slang}.

In brief I don't stiok to deola1e Father Dick, so they oalled him for short, was a reg1.ila1 b1i"clc. Barham.

. WI'.l'H A. BRICK iN ONE'S HAT drunl~. .It is an An1.erioan slang. (Slang.}

I think our friend over there has a b?iclc in 11.is lia1;. J . M. Dixon.

' '

B1i1ig 'l:'O BRING INTO PLAY--to. oause to aot, to let

. in motion~ They very inoongruity of thei1 relative posi~

tion.7>roiig7z.;; i11to pla11 all his genius. Afacmilan'lf. .l\1agazine~ 1887. To .BRlNG A.BOUT to bring t.o pass ; to oause to

happen. . There are many who decla:re that they would

be \villi.ng to b1i11g abo1tt an Anglo-Russian Alliance upon the terms of giving Russia her head ir1 the direction of Constantinople. Fo1t-

1tigli1~l11 Revifw, 1887. To BR1NG ROUND to restol"e fron1 illness.

'' Ho~v is poor old No. 50toda.y ?'' '' lYiuch the same.''

''Do you think you will b1i'f1g Tii1r1, 1ou11cl,

sir '? '' A. Reade. ' 'To l3RlNG DOWN to hutnble.

To BRING UP (a) (of a sailing vefse1) to stop; to cease moving.

(1)) To educate or Tear. '

'l'he cbilc:l showe'd e"X"iraordinary intelligence ann \V"aS, therefore, brou..glit 1lp by the Duke.

Bri1ig 46 :Bring

To BRING TO BEAR to cause to happen; to bring ~o a successful issue.

There was therefore no other method to b7ing t/1.ings to bea1 but by persl1ading you that she was dead. Goldsmith. . . . TO BRING DOWN THE HOUSE-to oall for the

entl1usiastic applause. . Eve1y sentence brought dow11 the house as I

never sa\v one brought down before. J. R. Lowell. TO BRING OVER -to convert. . To BRING TO 'l'HE HAMMEJ;t to sell by auotio11.

All Diggs's penates (household things) for the time being were brought to hammer. -Hughes. BRING AN ACTION to sue in a low court . e. g

I will bring an action against you. , BRING TO LIGHT-to publish ; e. g. The n1atter

was brought lo light. BRING FORTH-to bear; e.g. A good tree b1ings

forth good fruits. . . BRING HOME -to make the force felt; e.g. His

death b11.ngs Jiome to me tl: e sorrow of losing friends.

BRING BACK THE ASB.ES to reverse for.ner defeat ; e. g. We b1ought baclc 'f.he ashes thi~ year in the Hockey tournament.

BRING UP THE REAR-to 111arch last; e.' g. Tpe infantry biouglif itp the'rear.

BRING TO LIFE to restore from a swoon; e.g. Tl1e fall made him senseless but he was 11rought to life.

BRING TO MIND to remember ; e. g. I tried hard but I could not bri1zg it to niind.

BRING TO p .'\.SS to mal{e nappen ; BRING ON -to lead to." BRING IN to intl'aduce. BRING OUT to exhibit clearly. To BRING TO BOOK see under 'Book.'

47

To BRING TO BAx- --to compel to face the ene111y by n1aking escape impossible ; e. g. The stag was

. b702tght to ba11. Broad BROAD DAYLIGHT full daylight.

..

AS BROAD AS IT IS LONG-tells as muoh one way . as the other; e. g. His talk: is as broad as it i~ lon!/

BR ;AD TONGUE -of looal pronunciation. e. g. Broad Sco,r.:ch.

BROAD STORY OR HUMOUR not avoiding in-deae11oy . . BROADLY

. '

SPEAKING neglecting 1111no1 ex-oepttons.

B1oken-BROKEN ENGLISH-imperfect English, suoh . as . a fo:eigner .not 'vell llp in the language

.might use. . BROKEN .GROUND uneven. BROKEN MEAT- sora ps. ~ BROKEN SLEEP inte-rmittent. BROKEN TEA siftings

.BROKEN WATER-choppy. BROKEN WEATHER t1ncertain.

BJ:oo~1~:...Nmv .BROOMS sWEEP CLEAN those ne.vly appointed to office are apt to make great changes.

If 11eu1 broo1ns do not sweep clean; at any rate. they sweep away. Blaclcwood'~. Afaga-

. zine,.1887. . . . . . . To. J"uMP THE BROOMSTICK-to be irregularly

married ; to go tlnough an irregular form of ma1-. riage, in .. which both jump over a b1oon1-stick .

. (Provi'ncialism) . . Tl1is woman in Genard St1eet here, had been

married very young ove1 tlie broo11isticlc, as we say to a tran1ping man. Diokens.

Bro.\'n To DO BROWN (Slang)'to do tliorol1ghly; to deceive 01 take in con'lpletely.

His '\Vas an imaginative poetical c'o111po"lition, easily scorched enough, but a111Jost incapable of

bei11g, thorot1ghly d

46 Bring

To 'BRING TO BEAR to cause to happen; to bring ~o a successful isstie.

There was therefore no other method to biing tlz.ings to bea1 but by pers11ading you that she was dead. Goldsmith. To BRING DOWN THE HO"GSE-to call fo!" the

entl1usiastio applause. . Eve1y sentence biought dow11 the house as I

never saw one brought down before. J. R. Lowell. To BRING OVER -to convert. TO BRING TO 'l'HE HAMMER to sell by auction.

All Diggs's penates (household things) for tbe time being were brozLght to hammer. -Hughes. BRING AN ACTION to sue in a low court . e. g.

' I will bring an action against you. t _ BRING TO LIGHT-to publish ; e. g. The matter

\vas brought to light. BRING FORTH to bear ; e. g. A good tree b7ings

Jo1th good fruits. . . BRING HOME -to make the force felt; e. g. His

death b11.ng.s home to me tte sorrow of .. losing friends.

BRING BACK THE ASRES to reverse for ..aer defeat; e. g. \fi.Te b1ought baclc 'the ashes this year -in the Hockey tournament.

BRING UP TBE REAR-to n1aroh last ; e.g. Tpe infantry brought zLp the rear.

BRING TO LIFE to restore from a swoon ; e. g. The fall made hi1n senseless but he was l1roitght to life.

BRING TO !v1IND to remember ; e. g. I tried hard but I cot1ld not bring it to mind.

BRING TO P ~6,.SS to make nappen ; BRING ON -to lead to. BRING IN to intraduce.

BRING OUT to exh1bit clearly. To BRING TO BOOK see under 'Book!

47 ---------------------- ------

To BRING TO B~.\Y--to compel to face the ene111y by n1aki11g eRcape impossible ; e. g. The stag was b1oiiglit to bay.

Broad BROAD DAYLIGHT full daylight. AS BROAD AS IT 1S LONG-tells as much one way

as the ot.11er; e. g. His talk is as broad as it is lorz!/ BR .>AD TONGUE - of local prbnunoiation. e. g.

Bl'oad Sco'.:ch . . BROAD STORY OR HUMOUR not avoiding in .. dea~11cy. .

BROADLY SPE . .\XING neglecting tnino1 ex-oept'ions.

Broken-BROK.1."N ENGLISH-imperfect English, suoh . as a fo:eign:er .11ot \Vell 11p in the langl1age might use.

BROKEN GROUND uneven. . . BROKEN MEAT- scraps .. ,

BROKEN SLEEP intermittent . . B~OKEN TEA siftings! BROKEN WATER-choppy. BROKEN WEATHER t1ncertain.

'

Bi;ooni -NEW BROOMS sw EEP .. CLEAN those ' ne .vly appointed to office al'e apt to make great changes.

If riew brooms do not. sweep clean, at any rate they sweep. away. Blaclcwood'~ 111aga-zine, 1887. . . . . To JuMP TEE. BROOMSTICK.,.-to be irl'egularly

married ; to go 'th1-ough an irregular for in of n1ar-riage, in whioh both jump . over a broo1n-.stiok.

. .(Provincialism) , . ' This woman in Gel'tard Street here, had been

ma-rried very young ove1 the broo1nsticlc; as we say to a tran1ping man.. Diokens: .

Bro;.v11-To DO BROWN (Slang)'to do thoroughly; to '' deceive 01 take in completely. '' . ' : . ' ' ' . His was an imaginative poetical ootnpo'1ition,

easily scorched enough, but al111ost incapabl of being,. thoroughly done brown . G~ J. Whyte-

Melville. , . ' - ' - '

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B11ckle 48 I~1 llet ~ - ----------~ --- - - --- ----- ------ - - --------

.A. BROWN ST"(JDY a reverie.

Bt1ckle To BUC"KLE 'IO to apply oneself diligently to work.

' We all bzic/;,led f.o \Vith a will, doing four ho11rs a day. H. R. Haggard.

81111 A BOLL'S EYE-the centre of a target of a dif-ferent colour from the rest. .

'' 'ro MAKE A BULL'S EYE ,, to score a great success ; to gain a striking advantage.

The Repti.blican's had mode a bull's. eye, and we1e j11bilant, New Yorlc Herald, August lstw 1888. . . A BULT .. lN A CHINA SHOP a synonym for a

man who does harm through jgnorance or fury,. a man completely out of place.

. Poor John I he \vas perfectly c_onscious of his own ponde1osity-more so perhaps than his sprightly mother-in-law gave him credit for. He felt like a bull in a Clii1la Sh.op.- Mu11ay's li1aga7ine, 1887. TAKE 'i'HE BULL BY THE HORNS to face a diffi-

culty or danger with.oourage; to take the initiative boldly in a struggle. '

Happening, therefore, to meet Monckton one windy morning \vhen he was walking int

'

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B11ndle 49 Burv

As one talks now of ''every bullet having its billet, '' or thinks of life as an appointed span. -Conte111porary Rc11iett1, 1887.

Bundle To BUNDLE IN to enter i.n ~n t1nceremonl11s fashion.

I ~ay, Frank, I must have a dip~ I shall btt11dle in. G. F. Whyte.Melville. To BUNDLE OFF, BUNDLE OUT to send away

summarily. B11rn To BURN ONE'S FINGERS to suffer from inter-

fering in other's affairs, or fron1 embarking in speculations.

He has been bolstering up these rotten iron-works too long. I . told him he wot1ld btzrt2 his fi:rigers. Mrs. E. Lynn Lint.on. To B"uRR THE'OANDLE AT BOTH ENDS-to expend

one's resources in t\vo direotions. Washington Irving talks of Goldsmith bur1z

ing thP candle at both e1zds in the heading to Chap ter xxiii of his life. BURN A HOLE IN ONE'S POCKEI' - refers to money,

when one is eager to spend it. . To BURN ONE'S BOATS-to out one's self off, as

Cortes did, from all ohanoe of retreat ; to stake everything on success.

Then he took the perforated cardboard and tore that likewise into small pieces. ''Now I have burned niy boats with vengeanoe,'' he added grim-ly. -James Pyan. A BURNED CHILD DREADS THE FIRE those who

have suffered are wary. A BURNING QUESTION a. matter in dispute which

urgently presses for settlement. '

B11ry To BURY THE HATCHET to oease . strife. It comes from a Red Indian oustom in wa.rla.re. BURY THE l? AST forget all previous unpleasant- .

ness; e. g. Let us bury the past once fot' alt. , ...... . .

4 .. "

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.BuEh 50 Butte1

'

'

Bush GOOD WINE NEEDS NO BUSH. a good thin,g does not require adv:eftis1ng.; it con1mends itself.

. If it be true that gc:od wine needs no bush,. ~'Tis true that' a goo'd play needs no epi1ogue~-.Shakespeaare.

. ' '

Busl1el UNDER A BUSHEL secret.ly; without otl1ers kn owing it. . . ..

Ah, yo11 can't give a dinner under a b71,

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It was the potential dest1oyer of their house whom they had to propitiate :the p1obable pos-

sessor of their lands whom they liad to bzty off as best they could. Mrs. E. Lynn Linton.

To BUY UP to purchase the whole stool(. . .

I was so delighted with his last box of curios. that I bought them up. TO BUY OVER to gai11 by bribery. To BUY A HOUSE OVER ONE'S HEAD to purohase-

a house while the tenant is in occupancy. To BUY A PIG IN A POKE to buv .without

seeing. the goods. e. g. To go by the prospeotrts is to buy a pig in a polce.

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Call 54 Call

To CALL TO ACCOUNT to sun1n1on to render an account; to demand an explanation fro111. .

She oan't call e11sigi1 Bloon1ington fo account; oan she, hey? Maria Edgeworth. CALLED TO ONE'S ACCOUNT . rer11oved by death.

' AT CALL-This phrase is used vvitb regard to money which is deposited and oan be drawn at any time without previous notice being given.

CALL INTO BEING to create, to mal{e operative ; e. g. Our agitation callp_d a new trouble 111to be'ing.

C.A.LL OFF to renounoe engagement ; e. g. , The viceroy's visit has been called off.

CALL OVER roll-call ; e. g. There was a call over -of the soldiers on the parade ground.

CALL ONE'S OWN to possess; e. g. The beggar has nothing to cnll .Jiis ow11.

. CALL TO MIND-..:..to recollect; e. g. Try to call the faots to you1 mind.

CALL TO THE BAR to admit as a barristeT ; e. g. He was recently called to t]ie bar.

CALL TO WITNESS to appeal for confirmation ; . e. g. I earl you to wi1:nes.c; in this matteT. '

To CALL DOWN to invoke; to pray to Heaven for.

To CALL FOR-( a) to need or demand. I do .not thirik bis lette1 call."3 for ar1 ans\ver.

(b) To olaim.

The' phrase is used where a visit is paid \vith a special pt1l'pose. For instance, a parcel is often labelled, ''To be left till called for.'" To CALL FORTH to bring or summon to action ;

to elicit.. She was conscious that fe;v wo111en can be

certain of callitzg for{Ji this oonsideration.-Be3ar1t.

' '

To C~

:all 55 . Landle

----------- -- ..

,

What signifies calliag eve1y mo111er1t upo-n the: dev.il and colirting his ~tiendshi.p. Gold s111itl1. (l1) to pay a visit to. . 'l'o CALL OUT to challenge t'). figbt a dl1el.

lv1y 111aster was a man very apt to give a short anS\\Ter hin1self, and 1 i.kely to call a. n1a n out for

i."C after\vards. Mal'ia Edgeworth. .

'l' > CALL A PERSON TO ORDER to declare that the person has broken the rules of debate, . 01 is behaving in an unsee1nly manner.

He had lost his tempel' in the house that even-ing ; he had been ca[/, d i;o 01der by Mr. Speaker~ -Wm. BlaclN-to challenge the truth of.

lf the n1oral ql1ality of tl1e hero oould n:ot in safety be called in questio12, and suggestion of v.Teaknes:; in him as a write1 was still more endurable.-Ja1nes Payn. . . Tu CALL UP-to bring to re1nen1branoe; to

summon to a t1ibunal. TO OALL A'l'TENTI)N TO 'to point ou.t. To CALL AWAY to divert the mind .. TO CALL IN to bring in from ou.ts Lde," as the

notes in circulation. Can1el TO BREAK THE OA1VIET,,'S BACK to be the last

thirig whicl1 causes a catastrophe. The proverb run;,; ''It i's the last straw that breaks tl1e camel's

l)ack.''

I do n'ot know. exactly what "it was that Biver did at last; it was something which not .. only

' b1olce the ca11iel.';:: baclc, bl1t . made the o p run over.-Besant. .

Candle-TO HOLD A CANDLE TO ANY ONE-not fit to be some one's inferior, not to be oompared wi.th.

, .

,

Candle 56 Cap

As for other fellows fellows of my O\VD standing there isn't one to show a candle to 1ne.

-Besant. To HOLD A CANDLE TO THE DEVIL to do kno\"\T-

ingly \Vhat is wrong. Here I have been liolding a candle to the de,~il

to show him the way to misc bief. Scott. BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS-to expend energy without restoring it by rest; e.g. At this rate of work I am burning tlze candle at both ends.

Can"as-To GET OR RECEIVE THE CANVAS An obso-lete phrase signifying the same as modern TO GET THE SACK.

I lose my honour if the Don receives the convas. -Shirley.

Cap -THE CAP AND BELLS the characteristic marks of a prqfessional jester. These \;>ere carrjed by them in the middle ages as tokens cit their office.

And look you, one is bound to speak the tr11th as fa1 as one knows it, whether one n1ounts a cap and bells or a shovel-hat.-- 'l'hackeray. To CAP THE GLOBE to surpass everything.

'' \Vell ' 1, I exclaimed, using an expression -of the district, '' that caps the globe, bo\vever.''-C. Bronte. IF THE CAP FITS, WE.AR IT the allusion or

remark hits or suits ; if the remark applies to you consider it \vell.

The truth is, when a searching sermon is pre-. ached, each sinner. takes it to himself, I am glad

l\.1r. Hawes fitted the c.ap 011. Reade. CAP IN HAND symbolic of reverance or submis-

sion. Refers to one \vho has a favour to ask. To SET ONE'S CAP .A.T of a woman, to set herself

to captivate a man's fancy and to make him_ her husband.

The girls set tJie.ir caps at h-im, but he did not marry. Reade.

Capital 57 Card

To CAP VERSES to compose or reoiie a veri;e be-ginning \'rith the final letter of a verse given by the previous speaker. A favourite pastin1e.

TO CAP THE CL1MAX- to go beyond. already large limits; to say or d0 so1nething extraordinary.

Capital -TO l\1AKE CAPITAL OUT OF ANYTHING to use anything for one's own profit. . .

I suppo::ie Russia waE not bound to wait till they \Veie in a position to make capital out of her again. Mathew Arnold. A CAPITAL CRIME-a c1ime legally punishable

with death. ' CAPITAL P'lJNISHMENT Punishment of death.

CAPITAL SENTENCE-death sentence. Card-- ON THE CARDS likely to turn up. (Provin-

cial). Of course the success of the mine is always on the ca1ds. Mrs. E. Lynn Linton.

A KNOWING CARD (Slang) one who is wide awake.

A GREAT CARD a popular or pro1ninent man. .(Slani,)

Captain D'Orville, the great card of the regi-1nent, catne clanking into the porter's lodge to get a glass of \vater for the dan1e. G. J. Whyte

Melville. HA VE THE CARDS IN ONE'S HANDS . have every

thing under or1e's control. HOUSE oF CARDs-something flimsy or t1nst1bs-tantial. . ..

. . PLAY ONE'S CARDS WELL OR BADLY to make, .o.t not to inake, the best of men's ohances. :

SHOW ONE'S CARDS expose one's . secret or desig11. . ,

SPEAK BY THE CARD . speak with elegance to or to the point. It is probably a sea phrase, Card here being the 111ariner':; compass, which gives the ship::- direction exactly. . . . . .

How ,absolute. the knave is? We must speak by 'tlie ca1d, or e~t1ivooation' will undo us.-Sbakes?eare.

'

Care 58 Carriage,

'

THROW UP THE CARDS to give i.n ; to confess defeat.

He peTceived at once. that his f 01mer em_ployer was right, and that it only remained for 11im to tliroio itp liis ca1d.~. W. E. Norris

Care OARE KILLED A CAT Thi-: l)roverb l"efers: to the depressing effects of care l1pon the bodily health; it even kill{d a cat, wl1ich has nine lives.

''Come, come." said Silve1, ''stop this talk .................... . care lcilled a r.at. Fetcl1 ahead for the doubloons.'' R. L. Stt3venson.

Carpet-under discussio11. (Provincial) COME OR BRO'CTGH'f O'N THE CARPET to be intro-

duced. CARPET \Vas forrnerly used for table-cloth. He shifted the di~course in his tuTn and con-:

trived to bring another subject 1tpo11 tlie ca1pet.-Graves.

A CARPET BAGGER one wl10 con1es to a place for political or other ends carrying hifO. \Vhole property qualifit~ations for citizenship in his carpet -bag. An Yankee spec.iulator who, after tl1e great United States Civil War, we11t to the Sot1th to make money ot1t of the impoverished country.

At election times 11e was the tel'ror of Re-publican stu1np-orators and carpP.f-l1agge1.~

. Blncl;wood' s Magazine, 1887. A CARPET-KNIGHT one dubbed a knight by mere-

- court favour, not on account of hi:i n1il1tary ex-ploits, henoe tin 'effeminate person.'

As much valour is to be fot1nd in fea!"ting as in fighting ; and son1e of ol1r oity

59 Carry

A CARRlAGEAND P~1R a car1iage dra\vn by a .. pa1r of hor-es. . .

C_.\RRIAGE DRIVE a p1ivate -road in a park. CARRIAGE OI,OOK one going in any positio11.

Carr) To CARR,YALL BEFORE ON~to bea~ down all . obstacles ; to be popl1la1'., . .

Adeli11a Pat.t.i ca11ies all bejoie lie1 wherever 8he goes. J. M. Dixon. To CARRY-. THE DA y to be StlCCessful,; to win

t11e dav. ~

When ~uch discussion~ a1'ise, n1oney gene-

ially rarres tlie day and ~hould do. A.. Trollope. To CARRY ANYTHTNG TOO FAR-to exceed rQ~

asonable 1 in1its. : '

Of cou1se You n1ay ca11y fhe thing ~oo fa1, as Mr. A ,,~as twitted by Mr. B. with hav.irig sent a tnan to sleep in hjs church. Cb1111iill Jvlagcizine, 1&88;' . . .. < ' < . ' .

To CARRY, vFF (a) to help to pass, to gain, to

'''ln as a '[Jr1ze. : : She \\as . one iequiied none of: the circums-i ances of stt1died dre.ss to car1y o.ff aught in her own ap Pl arnce ... A. Trollope. . . . . .

' ' (b). To cause the death.of. . . '

The change of "air ca11ied li?'.m o.ff-Ten1p1e. To CARRY IT OF.F-to mal'e a b].'ave sliow .. The

. phrase .is used when .a ,person is J)1ac.ed in an . awk\\ard or ht1iniliating position,' and .tries :to hide

his teelings of shame. . . . . . . '

'

. . . , .... "

Frightened:too -I could see that bti.t car1ying it off, sir, really. like Satan. R. L. Stevenson. To CARRY ON to manage.; to condt1ct.

. . . - ,, ' '

The internal gevernment of England could be ca1ri'ed 01i only .by tbe advice and agency of

English ministers.--Macaulay .. , (b) to misbel1ave.

Carry 60 Cast .

When he's got no money he is tempted to do \vicked things, and ca11ies on sha1neful.-

Be~ant. To C.l\RRY OUT to bring to completion.

'l'o car1y (l11t the aims he had in view, he tolerated and made use of persons whose oharac-ters be despised. W est11iinister Review, 1888. To CARRY ONE'S POlNT to overrule objections t:l

one's plan or view ; to succeed in one's aim. They were bent upon placing their friend

Littleton in the Speaker's ohair, and tl1ey bad car1ied their point triumphantly. Macaulay. To CARRY THROUGH to accomplish.

The whole country is filled . w.ith failures swaggering beginnings that not be ca1ried throiigh. Thackeray.

suoh could

CARRIED AWAY BY ONE'S FEELINGS overcome . by emotion. . .

Having an honest and sincere n1i.nd, he was not r.a11ie.d away by a popul a1 p1eju ..Z:'c :.-Tillotson. CARRY OVER to induce to join the other party. CARRY WEIGHT to have force ; to possess au ~ho-

:rity. BE CARRIED AWAY to be highly excited. CARRY COALS TO NEWOASTLE--to do some thing

unnecessary; e. g. To send tea to China would be carryi11g .coal to Newcastle.

0.A.RRY THE WAR INTO ENEMY'S COUNTRY to bring counter charges ; e. g. When Mr. Jinnah, accused the Congress of unfair dealings, the Con-gress Leaders carried the war into hi;; count1y.

, CARRY WEIGHT le influential ; e. g. His opin-ion in this matter ca11ies weiglit.

Cart TO PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORS~to