He may remove Mortstone
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A Devonshire proverb, said incredulously of husbands who pretend to be masters of their wives. It also means, "If you have done what you say, you can accomplish anything.
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 “He may remove Mortstone” mean?
A Devonshire proverb, said incredulously of husbands who pretend to be masters of their wives. It also means, "If you have done what you say, you can accomplish anything.
Is “He may remove Mortstone” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.