English · Idiom Historical

Simon and St

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

James the Less, in allusion to the tradition of their being sawn to death in martyrdom.

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.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “Simon and St” mean?

James the Less, in allusion to the tradition of their being sawn to death in martyrdom.

Is “Simon and St” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

👁 Views 0 today 0 past 7 days 0 this month 0 all time