an serene
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
In Cuba the word was used as a countersign by sentinels, and is about equivalent to our "All right," or "All's well." In the late 19th century it was a colloquial catch-word.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “an serene” mean?
In Cuba the word was used as a countersign by sentinels, and is about equivalent to our "All right," or "All's well." In the late 19th century it was a colloquial catch-word.
Is “an serene” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.