philadelphia-lawyer
Preserved but no longer current.
A Transatlantic limb of the law considered to be the very acme of acuteness. Sailors relate many stories of his artful abilities, none, however, short enough to find a place here. The phrase, "Enough to puzzle a PHILADELPHIA-LAWYER," means, enough to puzzle the sharpest man in the world.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “philadelphia-lawyer” mean?
A Transatlantic limb of the law considered to be the very acme of acuteness. Sailors relate many stories of his artful abilities, none, however, short enough to find a place here. The phrase, "Enough to puzzle a PHILADELPHIA-LAWYER," means, enough to puzzle the sharpest man in the world.
Is “philadelphia-lawyer” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.