at variance
In a state of disagreement or conflict
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Where will you be? Anywhere UK & IrelandUnited StatesOnline slangBusiness jargon
at will
As desired or preferred
at work
engaged in a job or activity
Atalanta's Race
Atalanta, in Greek legend, was a daughter of lasus and
Athenian Bee
Plato (429-327 B.C.), a native of Athens, was so called because, according to tradition, when in his cradle a swarm of bees alighted on his mouth, and in consequence his words flowed with the sweet- ness of honey. The same tale is told of St.
Athens of the West
Cordoba in Spain, was so called in the Middle Ages. The Modern Athens. Edinburgh.
Athole Brose
A compound of oat- meal, honey, and whisky.
Atlantean Shoulders
Shoulders able to bear a great weight, like those of Atlas (?.v.).
Atlantic Charter
President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill after meeting at sea dur- ing the 1939-45 War made a declaration of their common principles, August 14th 1941, known as the Atlantic Charter. They de- clared, among other things, that the U.S.
Atlantic Ocean
The ocean is so called either from the Atlas mountains, the great range in north-west Africa which, to the ancients, seemed to overlook the whole ocean, or from Atlantis (q.v.}.
Atlantic Wall
The name given by the Germans in World War II to their defences built up around the west coast of France to resist the expected Allied landings.
Atlas and Pleione
They were transformed into stars, one of which, Electra (q.v.), is in- visible, some said out of shame, because she alone married a human being, while others held that she hides herself from grief for the destruction of the city and royal race of Troy. She is known as "the lost Pleiad :— One of those forms which ait by us, when we Are young, and fix our eyes on every face; . . .
atomic cocktail
a mixture of different types of alcoholic drinks
atomic philosophy
The hypothesis of Leucippus, Democntus, and Epicurus, that the world is composed of a concourse of atoms, or particles of matter so minute as to be incapable of further diminution. Cp. CORPUSCULAR PHILOSOPHY.
atomic theory
The doctrine that all elemental bodies consist of aggregations of atoms (i.e. the smallest indivisible particles of the element in question), not united fortuit- ously, but according to fixed proportions. The four laws of Dalton are — constant pro- portion, reciprocal proportion, multiple pro- portion, and compound proportion.
atomic volume
The space occupied by a quantity of an element C9mpared with, or in proportion to, atomic weight.
atomic weight
The weight of an atom of an element, compared with an atom of hydro- gen, the standard of unity.
atomy
A diminutive or deformed person. From ANATOMY, or ATOM.
atta girl
Expression of praise or encouragement for a girl or woman
attached to somebody
closely accompanying or following someone
attack
To carve, or commence operations; "ATTACK that beef, and oblige!"
attack is the best form of defense
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
attention whore
Someone who craves attention and will do anything to get it
attic
The head; "queer in the ATTIC," intoxicated or weak-minded. Sometimes ATTIC is varied by "upper story."
attic faith
Inviolable faith, the very opposite of Punic faith. See PUNICA FIDES.
attic salt
Wit or sarcasm, especially in writing
attic salt
Elegant and delicate wit. Salt, both in Latin and Greek, was a common term for wit, or sparkling thought well expressed; thus Cicero says, Scipio omnes sale superabat. (Scipio surpassed all in wit). The Athenians were noted for their wit and elegant turns of thought.
au fait
Skilful, thorough master of; as, He is quite au fait in those matters, i.e. quite master of them or conversant with them.
au pied de la lettre
Literatim et verbatim; according to the strict letter of the text.
au revoir
"Good-bye for the present." Literally, tilt seeing you again.
auctioneer
To "tip him the AUCTIONEER," is to knock a man down. Tom Sayers’s right hand was known to pugilistic fame as the AUCTIONEER.
audit ale
Extra strong ale supposed to be drunk when the accounts are audited.—Camb. Univ.
augean stables
A place or situation with severe corruption or filth
Augean Stables
The stables of Augeas, the mythological king of Elis, in
Augsburg Confession
The chief standard of faith in the Lutheran Church, drawn up by Melancthon and Luther in 1530, and presented to Charles V and the Diet of the German Empire, which was sitting at Augsburg.
August Sardonyx
Conjugal felicity. September Chiysohte Antidote to madness.
Augustan Age
The most fruitful and splen- did time of Latin literature, so called from the
Augustine said to St
Ambrose: "At Rome they fast on Saturday, but not so at Milan; which practice ought to be observed?" To which St. Ambrose replied, "When I am at Milan, I do as they do at Milan; but when I go to Rome, I do as Rome does!" (Epistle xxxvi). Cp. 2 Kings v, 18.
Augustinian Canons
An order of monks founded in the 1 1th century by Ivo, Bishop of Chartres, and following the traditionary rule of Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (d. 430). They came to England in the reign of Henry I, and had houses at Oxford, Bristol, Carlisle, Walsingham, Newstead, etc.
Auld Brig and New Brig
Robert Burns thus refers to the bridges over the river Ayr.
Auld Hornie
After the establishment of Christianity, the heathen deities were degraded by the Church into fallen angels; and Pan, with his horns, crooked nose, goat's beard, pointed ears, and goat's feet, was transformed to his Satanic majesty, and called Old Horney. O thou, whatever title suit thee, Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick, or Clootie.
auld lang syne
old times or memories
Auld Reekie
Edinburgh old town; so called because it generally appeared to be capped by a cloud of "reek" or smoke. Aulic Council (Lat. aula, a court). The council of the Kaiser in the Holy Roman Empire, from which there was no appeal. It was instituted in 1501, and came to an end with the extinction of the Empire in 1806, though the name was afterwards given to the Emperor of Austria's Council of State.
auld-reekie
An affectionate term for the old town of Edinburgh. Derived from its dingy appearance.
aunt
Mine aunt; a bawd or procuress: a title of eminence for the senior dells, who serve for instructresses, midwives, &c. for the dells. CANT. See DELLS.
Aunt Sally
A game m which sticks or cudgels are thrown at a wooden head mounted on a pole, the object being to hit the nose of the figure, or break the pipe stuck in its mouth.
aurora borealis
The electrical lights occasionally seen in the northern part of the sky; also called "Northern Lights," and "Merry Dancers." See DERVVENTWATER. The similar phenomenon that occurs in the south and round the South Pole is known as the Aurora Australis.
Austin Friars
See AUGUSTINIAN FRIARS. The narrow lane in the City of London of this name is so called because it is on part of the site of an Augustinian priory, the church of which remained until 1941 when it was destroyed by an aerial bomb.
Austrian Lip
No one who has seen portraits of the Spanish royal family of Hapsburgs can have failed to notice the curiously protruded lower jaw and lip that marked them all. This is one of the most famous cases of inherited physical deformities.
autem bawler
A parson.
autem cackler
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
autem cacklers, autem prickears
Dissenters of every denomination. CANT.
autem cackletub
A conventicle or meeting-house for dissenters. CANT.
autem diver
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
autem divers
Pickpockets who practice in churches; also churchwardens and overseers of the poor. CANT.
autem goglers
Pretended French prophets. CANT.
autem mort
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
autem quaver tub
A Quakers' meeting-house. CANT.
Authentic Doctor
A title bestowed on the scholastic philosopher, Gregory of Rimini (d. 1358).
Authorized Version
The Hebrew says "his person entered into the iron** (i.e. he was laid in irons); but Coverdale and some others — following the Vulgate — have *They hurte his fete in the stockes, the yron pearsed his herte.
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