this is all a fable
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The Percies are descended from a great Norman baron, who came over with William, and who took his name from his castle and estate in Normandy.— SCOTT: Tales of a Grandfather, iv.
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 “this is all a fable” mean?
The Percies are descended from a great Norman baron, who came over with William, and who took his name from his castle and estate in Normandy.— SCOTT: Tales of a Grandfather, iv.
Is “this is all a fable” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.