normandy by single combat
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
John de Courcy, conqueror of Ulster and founder of the Kingsale family, was the English champion, and no sooner appeared than the French champion put spurs to his horse and fled.
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 “normandy by single combat” mean?
John de Courcy, conqueror of Ulster and founder of the Kingsale family, was the English champion, and no sooner appeared than the French champion put spurs to his horse and fled.
Is “normandy by single combat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.