Toads unknown in Ireland
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
It is said that St. Patrick cleared the island of all vermin by his malediction.
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 “Toads unknown in Ireland” mean?
It is said that St. Patrick cleared the island of all vermin by his malediction.
Is “Toads unknown in Ireland” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.