Duke Combe
Preserved but no longer current.
William Combe (1741-1820), author of The Tours of Dr. Syntax, etc., was so called, because of the splendour of his dress, the profusion of his table, and the magnificence of his deportment, in the days of his prosperity. Having spent all his money he turned author, but passed the last fifteen years of his life m the King's Bench Prison.
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 “Duke Combe” mean?
William Combe (1741-1820), author of The Tours of Dr. Syntax, etc., was so called, because of the splendour of his dress, the profusion of his table, and the magnificence of his deportment, in the days of his prosperity. Having spent all his money he turned author, but passed the last fifteen years of his life m the King's Bench Prison.
Is “Duke Combe” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.