Long Melford
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A long, stocking purse, such as was formerly carried by country folk. In boxing, according to Isopel Berners, a Long Melford was a straight blow with the right hand. (Lavengro, Ixxxv.
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 “Long Melford” mean?
A long, stocking purse, such as was formerly carried by country folk. In boxing, according to Isopel Berners, a Long Melford was a straight blow with the right hand. (Lavengro, Ixxxv.
Is “Long Melford” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.