Key and Bible
Preserved but no longer current.
Formerly employed as a method of divination. The Bible is opened either at Ruth, ch. i, or at Psalm li, and a door- key is placed inside the Bible, so that the handle projects beyond the^book. The Bible is then tied with a piece of string and held by the fourth fingers of the accuser and defendant, who must repeat the words touched by the wards of the key.
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 “Key and Bible” mean?
Formerly employed as a method of divination. The Bible is opened either at Ruth, ch. i, or at Psalm li, and a door- key is placed inside the Bible, so that the handle projects beyond the^book. The Bible is then tied with a piece of string and held by the fourth fingers of the accuser and defendant, who must repeat the words touched by the wards of the key.
Is “Key and Bible” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.