Rainbow Comer
Preserved but no longer current.
In World War II Messrs. Lyons* Corner House in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, was taken over and turned into a large cafe and lounge for American service men under this name. It became a general meeting place for Americans in London during the war. The name was a sentimental reference to the earlier Rainbow Division (<?.v.), plus the rainbow in the insignia of SHAEF (#.v.).
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 “Rainbow Comer” mean?
In World War II Messrs. Lyons* Corner House in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, was taken over and turned into a large cafe and lounge for American service men under this name. It became a general meeting place for Americans in London during the war. The name was a sentimental reference to the earlier Rainbow Division (<?.v.), plus the rainbow in the insignia of SHAEF (#.v.).
Is “Rainbow Comer” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.