the ghost walks
Preserved but no longer current.
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 “the ghost walks” mean?
Theatrical slang for salaries are about to be paid; when there's no money in the treasury actors say "the ghost won't walk this time.
Is “the ghost walks” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.