The Self-denying Ordinance
Preserved but no longer current.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 Self-denying Ordinance” mean?
The bill passed by the Long Parliament in 1645 ordering that Members of either House should give up then military commands and civil appointments within forty days; the reason being the sus- picion that the Civil War was being prolonged for personal ends.
Is “The Self-denying Ordinance” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.