The Saracen's Head

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Reminiscent of the Crusades; adopted probably by some Crusader after his return home, or to excite sympathy with these quixotic expeditions.

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 Saracen's Head” mean?

Reminiscent of the Crusades; adopted probably by some Crusader after his return home, or to excite sympathy with these quixotic expeditions.

Is “The Saracen's Head” formal or informal?

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