Burial of an Ass
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
No burial at all, just thrown on a refuse-heap. He shall be buned with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
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 “Burial of an Ass” mean?
No burial at all, just thrown on a refuse-heap. He shall be buned with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
Is “Burial of an Ass” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.