Magnetic Mountain
Preserved but no longer current.
A mountain of mediae- val legend which drew out all the nails of any ship that approached within its influence. It is referred to in Mandeville's Travels and in many stories, such as the tale of the Third Calender and one of the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor in the Arabian Nights.
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 “Magnetic Mountain” mean?
A mountain of mediae- val legend which drew out all the nails of any ship that approached within its influence. It is referred to in Mandeville's Travels and in many stories, such as the tale of the Third Calender and one of the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor in the Arabian Nights.
Is “Magnetic Mountain” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.