adoption by hair
Boson, King of Provence (879-889), is said to have cut off his hair and to have given it to Pope John VIII as a sign that the latter had adopted him.
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Adoption Controversy
Elipand, Arch- bishop of Toledo, and Felix, Bishop of Urgel (in the 8th century), maintained that Christ in his human nature was the son of God by adoption only (Rom. viii, 29), though m tus pre-existing state he was the "begotten Son of God" in the ordinary catholic acceptation. Duns Scotus, Durandus, and Calixtus were among the Adoptionists who supported this view, which was condemned by the Council of Frankfort in 794.
Adoptive Emperors
In Roman history, the five Emperors — Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius — each of whom (except Nerva, who was elected by the Senate) was the adopted son of his pre- decessor. Their period (96-180) is said to have been the happiest in the whole history of Rome.
adorn oneself with borrowed plumes
To take credit for someone else's achievements
adrenaline rush
A thrilling and exhilarating experience
adrift
Loose, turned adrift, discharged. SEA PHRASE.
Adulterous Bible
The "Wicked Bible" Affinity Bible, of 1923, which contains a table of affinity with the error: "A man may not marry his grandmother's wife.
adversarial collaboration
Collaboration where participants have opposing goals or interests
adversity makes strange bedfellows
People form unlikely alliances during difficult times
advice most needed is least heeded
People often ignore the advice they need to hear the most.
advise none to marry or go to war
English proverb; full definition pending editorial review.
advisers run no risks
People who give advice do not face the consequences of their suggestions.
advowson appendant
A right of presenta- tion which belongs to and passes with the manor. This usually had its origin in the ownership of the advowson by the person who built or endowed the church.
advowson coilative
In which the bishop himself is patron and, as he cannot "present" to himself, does by the act of "collation" or conferring the benefice all that is done in other cases by presentation and institution.
advowson donative
In which a secular patron (usually the Crown) has the right of disposing of the benefice to any legally qualified person without institution or induction or examination by the bishop or ordinary.
advowson in gross
An advowson which has become legally separated from the manor to which it was appendant. See GROSS.
advowson presentative
In which the patron (who may be a layman) presents to the bishop who, unless he is satisfied that there is sufficient legal or ecclesiastical disability, must "in- stitute" the clerk.
Aemilian Law
A law made by the praetor Aemilius Mamercus empowering the eldest praetor to drive a nail in the Capitol on the ides of September. This was a ceremony by which the Romans supposed that a pestilence could be stopped or a calamity averted.
Aerated Waters
Effervescent waters charged (either artificially or naturally) with carbon dioxide.
affair partner
A person with whom one has a romantic or sexual relationship outside of marriage or a primary partnership
affidavit men
Knights of the post, or false witnesses, said to attend Westminster Hall, and other courts of justice, ready to swear any thing for hire.
affygraphy
"It fits to an AFFYGRAPHY," i.e., to a nicety—to a T.
afraid of one's own shadow
Excessively timid or fearful
africa in general
The Romans used the word sometimes as synonymous with Africa, and sometimes for the fringe containing Carthage. Libya was occupied by the Italians in 1911- 12, and by the Treaty of Ouchy (1912) the sovereignty of the province was transferred from Turkey to Italy. The Italians began its colonization, and so late as 1938 some 16,000 emigrants left Genoa for the province.
african origin
The Spanish Basques are their nearest modern representatives.
after all
used to indicate a final decision or conclusion
after dark
A bookmaker's clerk.
after my own heart
Just what I like; in accordance with my wish. Be of good heart. Cheer up. From the bottom of one's heart.
after one's own heart
Sharing similar interests or values
after the fact
Done or happening after an event has occurred
after the Lord Mayor's show
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
after-clap
A demand after the first given in has been discharged; a charge for pretended omissions; in short, any thing disagreeable happening after all consequences of the cause have been thought at an end.
afternoon farmer
One who wastes his best opportunity, and drives off the large end of his work to the little end of his time.
again and again
Repeatedly, many times
against all odds
Succeeding despite very low chances
against the collar
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
against the hair
Against the grain, contrary to its nature. If you should fight, you go against the hah" of your professions.— Merry Wives of Windsor, ii, 3.
against the law
Not allowed by the rules or laws of a country
against the run of play
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
against the world
Opposed or resisted by everyone
age before beauty
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
age hoc
"Attend to this." In sacrifice the Roman crier perpetually repeated these words to arouse attention. In the Common Prayer Book the attention of the congregation is frequently aroused by the exhortation, "Let us pray," though nearly the whole service is that of prayer.
Age of Animals
An old Celtic rhyme, put into modern English, says: — Thrice the age of a dog is that of a horse; Thrice the age of a horse is that of a man; Thrice the age of a man is that of a deer; Thrice the age of a deer is that of an eagle.
Age of Consent
This is the age at which a girl's consent is valid; beneath that age to have carnal knowledge of her is a criminal offence. In English and Scottish law the age of consent is 16.
Age of Discretion
In English law a sub- ject is deemed capable of using his discretion at the age of 14.
ages and generations
For a very long time or forever
Ages by Jews and almsmen
The word is the Spanish gabardina, a frock worn by pilgrims.
aggerawators
(corruption of Aggravators), the greasy locks of hair in vogue among costermongers and other street folk, worn twisted from the temple back towards the ear. They are also, from a supposed resemblance in form, termed NEWGATE KNOCKERS, and sometimes NUMBER SIXES. This style of adorning the head is, however, fast dying out, and the everyday costermonger or street thief has his hair cut like any one else. The yearly militia drill may have had a good deal to do with this alteration.
Agglutinate Language
A language the chief characteristic of which is that its words are simple or root words combined into com- pounds, without loss of original meaning. Thus, inkstand and comeatable are agglutinate words. Agglutination is a feature of most Turanian languages: it implies that the root words are glued together to form other words, and may be "unglued" so as to leave the roots distinct.
Agnus Bell
See AGNUS DEI. Agnus-castus. See VITEX. Agnus Dei (ag'n us de' I, da' e).
agog, all-a-gog
Anxious, eager, impatient: from the Italian AGOGARE, to desire eagerly.
agony box
A piano.
agramanfs ring
This enchanted ring was given by Agramant to the dwarf Brunello, from whom it was stolen by Bradamant and given to Melissa.
agree to disagree
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
agree with somebody
Common English phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
aground
Stuck fast, stopped, at a loss, ruined; like a boat or vessel aground.
Ah Long
Loan shark
AH the world and his wife
Everyone without exception. The world, the flesh, and the devil. "The world,*' i.e. the things of this world, in contra- distinction to religious matters; "the flesh," i.e. love of pleasure and sensual enjoyments; "the devil," i.e. all temptations to evil of every kind, as theft, murder, lying, blasphemy, and so on.
aha moment
A moment of sudden understanding or insight
ahead of one's time
Having ideas or concepts that are more advanced than what is currently accepted.
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