The phrase is of Eastern origin
Preserved but no longer current.
Fable has it that when those studying the black arts had made certain progress they were chased through a subterranean hall by the devil. If he caught only their shadow, or part of it, they became first-rate magicians, but lost either all or part of their shadow. This would make the expression mean, May you escape wholly and entirely from the clutches of the foul fiend.
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 phrase is of Eastern origin” mean?
Fable has it that when those studying the black arts had made certain progress they were chased through a subterranean hall by the devil. If he caught only their shadow, or part of it, they became first-rate magicians, but lost either all or part of their shadow. This would make the expression mean, May you escape wholly and entirely from the clutches of the foul fiend.
Is “The phrase is of Eastern origin” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.