to hold erne guilty
Preserved but no longer current.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 “to hold erne guilty” mean?
To adjudge or regard as guilty. To hold one in hand or in play. To divert one's attention, or to amuse in order to get some advantage.
Is “to hold erne guilty” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.