spread-eagle oratory
Preserved but no longer current.
"A compound of exaggeration, effrontery, bombast, and ex- travagance, mixed with metaphors, platitudes, threats and irreverent appeals flung at the Almighty." (North American Review, Novem- ber, 1858.
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 “spread-eagle oratory” mean?
"A compound of exaggeration, effrontery, bombast, and ex- travagance, mixed with metaphors, platitudes, threats and irreverent appeals flung at the Almighty." (North American Review, Novem- ber, 1858.
Is “spread-eagle oratory” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.