The Old Gentleman
The Devil; Old Nick. Also a special card in a prepared pack, used for tricks or cheating.
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The Old Man of the sea
A creature en- countered by Sinbad the Sailor in his fifth voyage (Arabian Nights). This terrible Old Man got on Sinbad's back, and would neither dismount nor could be shaken off.
the old woman is plucking her goose
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
the old wooden spoon beats me down
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
the one that got away
an opportunity or thing that was lost or missed
the only free cheese is in the mouse trap
Nothing is truly free, as everything has a cost or consequence.
the only stupid question is the one that is not asked
It's always better to ask a question than to remain ignorant
the only way to find a friend is to be one
You must show friendship to others to receive it in return
the only way to understand a woman is to love her
Loving someone is necessary to truly understand them
The Oracle of the Holy Bottle
The oracle to which Rabelais (Bks. iv and v) sent Panurge and a large party to obtain an answer to a question which had been put to sibyl and poet, monk and fool, philosopher and witch, judge and fortune-teller: "whether Panurge should marry or not?" The oracle was situated at Bacbuc (#.v.), "near Cathay in Upper Egypt,"1 and the story has been interpreted as a satire on the Church.
The order of Danebrog
The second of the Danish orders of knighthood; instituted in 1219 by Waldemar II, restored by Christian V in 1671, and several times modified since.
The Order of St
Catharine. A Russian order founded for ladies of the nobility by Peter the Great after his nayal victory of Aland in 1714, and so named in compliment to his wife, Catharine.
the order of the boot
"The sack"; notice of dismissal from one's employment. To go to bed in his boots. To be very tipsy.
The Order of the Cockle
An order 9f knighthood created by St. Louis in 1269, in memory of a disastrous expedition made by sea for the succour of Christians. Perrot says it scarcely survived its foundation.
the order of the day
In the House of Com- mons the ordinary public business of each day is classified as consisting of notices of motions and orders of the day. A motion becomes an order of the day as soon as the debate on it has been adjourned by oider of the House to a particular day. See QUESTION.
The Order of the Hare
An order of twelve knights traditionally said to have been created by Edward in in France, on an occasion when he thought that a great shouting raised by the French army heralded the onset of battle, but found afterwards it was on account of a hare running between the two armies.
The Order of the Swan
An order of knight- hood instituted by Frederick II of Branden- burg in 1440 (and shortly after in Cleves) in honour of the Lohengrin legend. It died out in the 16th century, but it is still commemorated in our White Swan public-house sign, which was first used in honour of Anne of Cleves, one of the wives of Henry VIII. The badge was a silver swan surmounted by an image of the Virgin.
the organ grinder, not the monkey
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
The Ostrog Bible
The first complete Slavonic edition; printed at Ostrog, Volhyma, Russia, in 1581.
the other day
Recently, on a day that is not specified
the other side of something
A different perspective or aspect of a situation
the other side of the world
a place very far away
the other white meat
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
The Oxford Blues
The Royal Horse Guards were so called in 1690, from the Earl of Oxford their commander and the blue facings. Wellington, in one of his dispatches, writes* — "I have been appointed colonel, of the Blues.
The Pale Horse
Death. Rev. vi, 8. Pegasus ("born near the pege or source of the ocean'*). The winged horse of Apollo and the Muses. Perseus rode him when he rescued Andromeda.
the pants off
to outdo or defeat someone completely
The Paradise of Fools
As fools or idiots are not responsible for their works, the old School- men held that they are not punished in purga- tory and cannot be received into heaven, so they go to a special "Paradise of Fools.
the pardoner's mitten
Whoever put this mitten on would be sure to thrive in all things. He that his honde put in this metayn, He shal have multiplying of his grayn, Whan he hath sowen, be it whete or otes, So that ye offre pans [pence] or elles grootes.
The Parliament of Dunces
Convened by Henry IV at Coventry, in 1404, and so called because all lawyers were excluded from it. Also known as the Lawless, and Unlearned, Parliament.
the parting of the ways
Said of a critical moment when one has to choose between two different courses of action. The allusion, of course, is to a place at which a road branches off in different directions.
The Peace of Monsieur
The peace that the Huguenots, the Politiques, and the Duke d'Alenson ("Monsieur") obliged Henri III of France to sign in 1576. By it the Huguenots and the Duke gained great concessions.
the peacock's feather
An emblem of vain- glory, and in some Eastern countries a mark of rank.
The Pearl Coast
So the early Spanish ex- plorers named the Venezuelan coast from Cumana to Trinidad; the islands off this coast were called the Pearl Islands. This district was the site of large pearl-fisheries. Peasants' War, The.
the peasant's weather-glass
A local name for the scarlet pimpernel, which closes its petals at the approach of rain. It is also called the poor man's warning.
The Peculiar People
Properly, the Jews— the "Chosen people*; but taken as a title by a sect founded m 1838, the chief characteristic of which is that its members refuse all medical aid and, as a consequence, are frequently m con- flict with the authorities. They have a strong belief m the efficacy of prayer; subscribe to no creed and have no recognized preachers or clergy. The name is based on Titus ii, 14 — "tc^ purify unto himself a peculiar people.
the pen is mightier than the sword
Intellectual power is greater than physical strength
The pen worse than the sword. (Robert Burton)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
The people are the city. (William Shakespeare)
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
the perfect ruby
An alchemist's term for the elixir, or philosopher's stone. He that once has the flower of the sun, The perfect ruby, which we call elixir, . . . Can confer honour, love, respect, long life, Give safety, valour, yea, and victory, To whom he will.
The Perpetual Peace
The peace concluded June 24th, 1502, between England and Scot- land, whereby Margaret, daughter of Henry VII, was betrothed to James IV; a few years afterwards the battle of Flodden Field was fought. The name has also been given to other treaties, as that between Austria and Switzer- land in 1474, and between France and Switzer- land in 1516.
The Persian Anacreon
Hafiz (b. Shirza, d. c. 1389), greatest of Persian poets; his collected odes are known as The Duan.
The phrase is of Eastern origin
Fable has it that when those studying the black arts had made certain progress they were chased through a subterranean hall by the devil. If he caught only their shadow, or part of it, they became first-rate magicians, but lost either all or part of their shadow. This would make the expression mean, May you escape wholly and entirely from the clutches of the foul fiend.
the pictures
A colloquial and convenient way of referring to a cinematograph entertain- ment.
The Pig and Tinderbox
An old colloquial name for the Elephant and Castle public- house; in allusion to its sign of a pig-like
The Pilgrimage of Grace
The rising on behalf of the Catholics that broke out in Lin- colnshire in the autumn of 1536. It quickly assumed large proportions, but was finally ex- tinguished in March, 1537, by the Council of the North, over 70 of the rebels being executed. Robert Aske, the Archbishop of York, Lord Darcy, and the Percys were the principal leaders.
The Pillars of Hercules
The opposite rocks at the entrance of the Mediterranean, one in
the pink of perfection
The flower or Very acme of perfection. In the same way Shake- speare (Romeo and Juliet, li, 4) has "the pink of courtesy.
the plot thickens
A situation becomes more complicated or interesting
the policy of the big stick
Threats, with some show of warlike attitude to back them up; and the same as "rattling the sword in the scabbard." The phrase was a favourite one with President Theodore Roosevelt.
The Pope's bull
An edict or mandate issued by the Pope, so called from the heavy leaden seal (Lat. build) appended to the document. See GOLDEN BULL.
The Pope's eye
The tender piece of meat (the lymphatic gland) surrounded by fat in the
The Pope's nose
The rump of a fowl, which is also called the parson's nose. The phrase is said to have originated during the years following James II's reign, when anti-Catholic feeling was high.
The Pope's slave
So Cardinal Cajetan (d. 1534) called the Church.
the pot calling the kettle black
To accuse hypocritically, has been used in racist contexts (e.
the pot of hospitality
The pot or cauldron always hanging over the open fire which in Ireland used to be dipped into by anyone who dropped in at meal-times, or required refresh- ment.
the power of the keys
The supreme ecclesi- astical authority claimed by the pope as successor of St. Peter. The phrase is derived from St. Man.
the previous question
The question whether the matter under debate shall be put to the vote or not. In Parliament, and debates generally, when one party wishes that a subject should be shelved it is customary to "move the previous question"; if this is carried the original dis- cussion comes to an end, for it has been de- cided that the matter shall not be put to the vote.
the prick of conscience
Remorse; torment- ing reflection on one's misdeeds. In the 14th century Richard of Hampole wrote a devo- tional treatise with this title.
the pride of the morning
That early mist or shower which promises a fine day. The morn- ing is too proud to come out in her glory all at once — or the proud beauty being thwarted weeps and pouts awhile.
The Prince of Wales
The popular story is that the title arose thus: When Edward I subdued Wales, he promised the Welsh, if they would lay down their arms, that he would give them a native prince who could not speak a word of English. His queen (Eleanor) having given birth to a son in Wales, the new- born child was entitled Edward, Prince of Wales; and ever since then the eldest son of the British sovereign has retained the title.
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