Phrases and Names, Their Origins and Meanings. Trench H. Johnson
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,