Kentish Fire
Preserved but no longer current.
Rapturous applause, or three times three and one more. The expression originated with the protracted cheers given in Kent to the No-Popery orators in 1828-29. Lord Winchilsea, who proposed the health of the Earl of Roden on August 15th, 1834, said: "Let it be given with the 'Kentish Fire.
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 “Kentish Fire” mean?
Rapturous applause, or three times three and one more. The expression originated with the protracted cheers given in Kent to the No-Popery orators in 1828-29. Lord Winchilsea, who proposed the health of the Earl of Roden on August 15th, 1834, said: "Let it be given with the 'Kentish Fire.
Is “Kentish Fire” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.