The Declaration of Indulgence
The procla- mation of James II in 1687 which annulled religious tests and the penal laws against
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the deuce is in you
You are a very demon. What the deuce is the matter ?
the devil
a person or thing that causes trouble
The Devil
The sign of more than one old public-house in the neighbourhood of Fleet
the devil a one
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
the devil among the tailors
Said when a good slanging match is in progress; it is also the name of a game in which a top (the "devil") is spun among a number of wooden men ("tailors") and knocks down as many as possible.
the devil and his dam
The devil and some- thing even worse. Dam (#.v.) here may mean either mother (the usual meaning), or -wife. Quotations may be adduced in support of either of these interpretations, and it is to be noted that frequently (cp. Paradise Lost, ii) there is no differentiation. Also, Rabbinical tradition relates that Lilith was the wife of Adam, but was such a vixen that Adam could not live with her, and she became the devil's dam.
the devil catch the hindmost
A phrase from late mediaeval magic; it was said that the devil had a school at Toledo, or at Salamanca, where the students, when they had made a certain progress in their studies, were obliged to run through a subterranean hall, and the last man was seized by the devil and became his imp.
The Devil finds work for idle hands to do
Idle people are more likely to get into trouble or mischief
The devil in Dublin City
The Scandinavian form of Dublin was Divehn[a], and the Latin
the devil is a liar
Satan deceives people with false promises
the devil is in the details
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
The Devil looks after his own
Wicked people often seem to prosper or be protected.
The Devil's Advocate
A carping or adverse critic. From the Advocatus diaboli, the person appointed to contest the claims of a candidate for canonization before a papal court. He advances all he can against the candidate, and is opposed by the Advocatus dei (God's Advocate), who says all he can in support of the proposal.
The Devil's Current
Part of the current of the Bosporus is so called, from its great rapidity.
the devil's door
A small door in the north wall of some old churches, which used to be opened at baptisms and communions to "let the devil out " The north used to be known as "the devil's side." where Satan and his legion lurked to catch the unwary.
The Devil's Dyke
A ravine in the South Downs, Brighton. The legend is, that St.
The Devil's Frying-pan
A Cornish tin-mine worked by the Romans.
The Devil's Hole
A name of the Peak Cavern, in Derbyshire.
The Devil's Nostrils
Two vast caverns separated by a huge pillar of natural rock in the mainland of the Zetland Islands.
The Devil's Punch Bowl
A deep combe on the S.W. side of Hmdhead Hill, two miles N. of Haslemere, in Surrey. A similar dell in Mangerton Mountain, near Killarney, has the same name.
The Devil's Throat
Cromer Bay. So called from its danger to navigation.
The Devil's Tower
A great rectangular granite obelisk, over 600 feet in height, in the Black Hills, Dakota, U.S A.
the diamond jousts
Jousts instituted by King Arthur, "who by that name had named them, since a diamond was the prize." The story, as embroidered by Tennyson in his Lancelot and Elaine from Malory (Bk. xviii, ch. 9-20) is that Arthur found nine diamonds from the crown of a slain knight and offered them as the prize of nine jousts in successive years.
The Diamond Sodls
An annual race for amateur single-scullers taking place at the Henley Royal Regatta, and first rowed in 1844. The prize is a pair of crossed silver sculls not quite a foot in length, surmounted by an imi- tation wreath of laurel, and having a pendant of diamonds. It passes from winner to winner; but each winner receives a silver cup as a souvenir.
The Die Hards
The Middlesex Regiment, the 57th Foot, which was raised in 1755. At the Battle of Albuera, May 16th, 1811, the regiment was hard pressed; Colonel Inglis (later General Sir William) who was badly wounded, refused to be taken to the rear, but lay where he fell, crying, "Die hard, men, die hard!
the dip
A cook's shop, under Furnival's Inn, where many attornies clerks, and other inferior limbs of the law, take out the wrinkles from their bellies. DIP is also a punning name for a tallow-chandler.
The disciples of St
Simon were so called also, because they maintained the perfectibility of human nature without the aid of grace.
The Dismal Science
Economics; a name given to it by Carlyle : — The social science — not a "gay science," but a rueful — which finds the secret of this Universe in "supply and demand" . . . what we might call, by way of eminence, the dismal science. — CARLYLE : On the Nigger Question (1849).
the distaff side
The female side of a family; a branch descended from the female side.
The Ditch
The Tasman Sea, separating Australia and New Zealand.
the divine right of kings
The notion that kings reign by direct ordinance of God, quite apart from the will of the people. This phrase was much used m the 17th century on account of the pretensions of the Stuart kings; and the idea arose from the Old Testament, where kings are called "God's anointed,** because they were God's vicars on earth, when the Jews changed their theocracy for a monarchy. The right divine of kings to govern wrong.
the dog
Diogenes (412-323 B.C.). When Alexander went to see him the young King of Macedonia introduced himself with these words: "I am Alexander, surnamed the Great," to which the philosopher replied: 4*And I am Diogenes, surnamed the Dog." The Athenians raised to his memory a pillar of Parian marble, surmounted by a dog. (See CYNIC.
The Dog of God
So the Laplanders call the bear which "has the strength of ten men and the wit of twelve.
The Doge's ring
The doge of Venice, on Ascension Day, used to throw a ring into the sea from the ship Bucentaur (q.v.\ to denote that the Adriatic was subject to the republic of Venice as a wife is subject to her husband. See DOGE.
The dogs bark but the caravan passes on. (Strauss, 1998 p. 340)
Criticism or opposition has no effect on progress
the dogs of war
The horrors of war, especially famine, sword, and fire. And Caesar's spirit, ranging for revenge, With At6 by his side, come hot from hell. Shall in these confines, with a monarch's voice, Cry "Havoc," and let slip the dogs of war.
the door swings both ways
A situation can have a reciprocal effect on both parties involved.
The Doric Land
Greece, Doris being a part of Greece. Through all the bounds Of Doric land.
The Doric reed
Pastoral poetry. Everything Doric was very plain, but cheerful, chaste, and solid.
The Douai Bible
A translation of the Vulgate, made by English Catholic scholars in France for the use of English boys designed for the Catholic priesthood.
The Douglas Larder
The English garrison and all its provisions in Douglas Castle, Lanark, seized by "the Good*' Lord James Douglas, in 1307.
The Douglas Tragedy
A ballad in Scott's Border Minstrelsy, telling how Lord William steals away Lady Margaret Douglas and is pursued by her father and two brothers. A fight ensues; the father and his two sons are sore wounded; Lord William, also wounded, creeps to his mother's house and there dies; and the lady dies next morning.
the down train
The train away from London or the local centre, in contradistinction to the up train,, which goes to it. We also have the down platform, etc.
The Druids' egg
This wonderful egg was hatched by the joint labour of several serpents, and was buoyed into the air by their hissing. The person who caught it had to ride off at full speed, to avoid being stung to death; but the possessor was sure to prevail in every contest, and to be courted by those in power. Pliny says he had seen one of them, and that it was about as large as a moderate-sized apple.
The Duke of Shoreditch
The most successful of the London archers received this playful
the dumb ox
St. Thomas Aquinas (1227-74), so named by his fellow students at Cologne, on account of his dullness and taciturnity. Alber- tus said: "We call him the dumb ox, but he will give one day such a bellow as shall be heard from one end of the world to the other.
The dumb-bell Nebula
Nebula in the constellation Vulpecula, so called from its apparent shape.
The Dutch have taken Holland
A quiz when anyone tells what is well known as a piece of wonderful news. Similar to Queen Bess (or Queen Anne) is dead.
The Eagle
Gaudenzio Ferrari (1481-1549), the Milanese painter. The Eagle of the doctors of France. Pierre d'Ailly (1350-1420), French cardinal and astrologer, who calculated the horoscope of Our Lord, and maintained that the stars fore- told the deluge.
The Eagle of Meaux
Jacques Benigne Bossuet (1627-1704), Bishop of Meaux, the grandest and most sublime of the pulpit orators of France.
the early bird catches the worm
Those who act early have an advantage over others.
The Ears to Ear Bible
An edition of 1810, in which Matt, xiii, 43, reads: "Who hath ears to ear, let him hear.
The Earthly Paradise
In mediaeval times it was a popular belief that paradise, a land — or island — where everything was beautiful and restful, and where death and decay were un- known, still existed somewhere on earth and was to be found for the searching.
the economy of nature
Hie laws of nature, whereby the greatest amount of good is obtained^ or the laws by which the affairs of nature are regulated and disposed; the system and interior management of the animal and vegetable kingdoms, etc.
The edict of Milan
Proclaimed by Constan- tine, after the conquest of Italy (313), to secure to Christians the restitution of their civil and religious rights.
The Eglinton Tournament
At Eglinton Castle, Ayrshire, an attempt was made to revive the mediaeval tournament, on August 28th, 1839. The lists were richly decorated, the ladies wore 14th and 15th century costumes, and young society men practised how to ride a charger, in full armour and wielding a tilting-lance. The Marquess of Londonderry was King of the Tournament; Lady Seymour, later Duchess of Somerset, was Queen of Love and Beauty.
the elements
Atmospheric powers; the winds, storms, etc. Rumble they bellyful! Spit, fire! spout, ram! Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters: I tax not you, you elements, with unkmdness; I never gave you Kingdom, call'd you children, You owe me no subscription: then, let fall Your horrible pleasure.
The elevation of the Host
The celebrant lifting up the consecrated wafers above his head, that the people may see the paten and adore the Host while his back is turned to the congregation.
the eleventh commandment
An ironical expression, signifying "Thou shalt not be found out.
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