B Flats
Preserved but no longer current.
Bugs; which obnoxious insects are characterized by their flatness. B. of B. K. Some mysterious initials applied to himself in his diary by Arthur Orton, "the Tichborne Claimant." Supposed to denote "Baronet of British Kingdom.'* For some time it was a phrase applied popularly to any- one who put on airs.
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 “B Flats” mean?
Bugs; which obnoxious insects are characterized by their flatness. B. of B. K. Some mysterious initials applied to himself in his diary by Arthur Orton, "the Tichborne Claimant." Supposed to denote "Baronet of British Kingdom.'* For some time it was a phrase applied popularly to any- one who put on airs.
Is “B Flats” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.