Auld Hornie
Preserved but no longer current.
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.
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 “Auld Hornie” mean?
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.
Is “Auld Hornie” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.