Bowler Hat
This stiff, felt hat — known in America as a Derby hat — was the invention of a London hatter The Daily News for August 8th, 1868, says: "Mr.
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Bowness on the Solway Firth
It was erected about A.D. 122 by the Emperor Hadrian to keep back the Pictish tribes of North Britain, ana was repaired by Severus in 208. The wall was 20 ft. high and 8 ft. thick, with strong points every mile or so, and towers between. To the south of the wall is a parallel vallum or ditch with three ramparts, all of earthworks.
Bowral Boy
The name familiarly given to Sir Donald Bradman, the great Australian cricketer, who first played in the Bowral school team,
bowsing ken
An ale-house or gin-shop.
bowsprit
The nose, from its being the most projecting part of the human face, as the bowsprit is of a ship.
bowyer
One that draws a long bow, a dealer in the marvellous, a teller of improbable stories, a liar: perhaps from the wonderful shots frequently boasted of by archers.
box and cox
two people who share a space or responsibility
box barrage
A curtain of artillery fire laid down round a locality either to contain or exclude the enemy.
box clever
To act cleverly and strategically, often to gain an advantage
Box Days
In the Scottish Court of Session, two days in spring and autumn, and one at Christmas, during vacation, in which pleadings may be filed. This custom was established in 1690, for the purpose of expediting business. Each judge has a private box with a slit, into which informations may be placed on box days, and the judge, who alone has the key, examines the papers in private.
box oneself into a corner
To limit one's options or freedom of action
box seat
A highly desirable or privileged position
box someone's ears
to hit or slap someone's ears as punishment
box the compass
To know or understand something thoroughly
box up
To pack into boxes.
box up
Mixed or muddled up; an Australian expression, originally applied to mixing up sheep. Found in Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms.
box-harry
A term with bagmen or commercial travellers, implying dinner and tea at one meal; also dining with "Duke Humphrey," i.e., going without—which see.
boxers or briefs
a question about someone's underwear preference
boxiana
Or, Sketches of Modern Pugilism, by Pierce Egan (an account of the prize-ring), 3 vols. 8vo. 1820.
boy
A hump on a man’s back. In low circles it is usual to speak of a humpbacked man as two persons—"him and his BOY," and from this much coarse fun and personality are at times evolved.
Boy Bishop
St. Nicholas of Bari was called "the Boy Bishop" because from his cradle he manifested marvellous indications of piety; the custom of choosing a boy from the cathedral choir, etc., on his day (December 6th), as a mock bishop, is very ancient. The boy possessed episcopal honour for three weeks, and the rest of the choir were his prebendaries. If he died during his time of office he was buried in pontificalibus.
boy howdy
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
boy in the boat
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
boy toy
A younger man romantically involved with an older woman
boyfie
Boyfriend.
Boyle Controversy
A book-battle between Charles Boyle, fourth Earl of Orrery, and the famous Bentley, respecting the Epistles of Phalans, which were edited by Boyle in 1695. Two years later Bentley published his cele- brated Dissertation, showing that the epistles (see PHALARIS) were spurious, and in 1699 published another rejoinder, utterly annihilat- ing the Boyle partisans. Swift's Battle of the Books (q.v.) was one result of the controversy.
Boyle Lectures
A course of eight sermons on natural and revealed religion delivered annually at St. Mary-le-Bow Church, London. They were instituted by the Hon. Robert Boyle, and began m 1692, the year after his death.
boyle's law
The volume of a gas is inversely proportional to the pressure if the temperature remains constant. If we double the pressure on a gas, its volume is reduced to one-half; if we quadruple the pressure, it will be reduced to one-fourth; and so on; so called from the Hon. Robert Boyle (1627-9 l).
boys and girls
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
boys and their toys
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
boys will be boys
Boys are expected to be rambunctious and misbehave
brace
The Brace tavern; a room in the S.E. corner of the King's Bench, where, for the convenience of prisoners residing thereabouts, beer purchased at the tap-house was retailed at a halfpenny per pot advance. It was kept by two brothers of the name of Partridge, and thence called the Brace.
brace and bit
a hand-powered drill
brace and the spider
In 1305 Robert Bruce was crowned at Scone king of Scotland, but, being attacked by the English, retreated to Ireland, and all supposed him to be dead.
brace of shakes
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
bracket-faced
Ugly, hard-featured.
brads
Money.
brads
Money. Properly a small kind of nails used by cobblers.—Compare HORSE NAILS.
brag is a good dog, but holdfast is better
It's better to be reliable than to just talk about it
braggadocia
Vain-glorious fellow, a boaster.
bragget
Mead and ale sweetened with honey.
bragging rights
The right to boast about something
Brahmins and Samans
(Gr. gumnos, naked; sophistes, sages ) Gyp flip). The name at Cambridge (and at Durham) for a college servant, who acts as valet to two or more undergraduates, the counterpart of the Oxford scout. He differs from a bedmaker, inasmuch as he does not make beds; but he runs on errands, waits at table, wakes men for morning charjel, brushes their clothes, and so on. The word is probably from gippo, a 17th-century term for a scullion. Gypsy.
Brahms and Liszt
completely different
braid bonnet
The old Scottish cap, made of milled woollen, without seam or lining.
brain blast
a sudden, intense idea or inspiration
brain bucket
a helmet, especially for a motorcycle or bicycle
brain candy
Entertainment that is enjoyable but lacks intellectual substance
brain drain
Loss of skilled workers to another country or region
brain surgeon
a person of extremely high intelligence
brain surgery
a very difficult or complex task
brain-pan
The skull, and BRAIN-CANISTER, the head. Both pugilistic and exchangeable terms.
brains
If you had as much brains as guts, what a clever fellow you would be! a saying to a stupid fat fellow. To have some guts in his brains; to know something.
bramble-gelder
A derisive appellation for an agriculturist.—Suffolk.
bran-faced
Freckled. He was christened by a baker, he carries the bran in his face.
bran-new
Quite new. Properly Brent, BRAND or Fire new, i.e., fresh from the anvil, or fresh with the manufacturer’s brand upon it.
branch off
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
branch out
To try new things or explore new areas of interest
brandon
Poverty, Mendicity, and Crime; or, The Facts, Examinations, &c., upon which the Report was founded, presented to the House of Lords by W. A. Miles, Esq., to which is added a Dictionary of the Flash or Cant Language, known to every Thief and Beggar, edited by H. Brandon, Esq., 8vo. 1839.
brandy
Brandy is Latin for a goose; a memento to prevent the animal from rising in the stomach by a glass of the good creature.
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