f is written on his face
Preserved but no longer current.
The letter F used to be branded near the nose, on the left cheek of felons, on their being admitted to "benefit of clergy." The same was used for brawling in church. The custom was abolished by law in 1822.
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 “f is written on his face” mean?
The letter F used to be branded near the nose, on the left cheek of felons, on their being admitted to "benefit of clergy." The same was used for brawling in church. The custom was abolished by law in 1822.
Is “f is written on his face” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.