Witches Sabbath
Preserved but no longer current.
The muster at night- time of witches (called a "coven") and demons to concoct mischief. The witch first anointed her feet and shoulders with the fat of a murdered babe, then mounting a broomstick, distaff, or rake, made her exit by the chimney, and rode through the air to the place of rendezvous. The assembled witches feasted together, and concluded with a dance, in which they all turned their backs to each other.
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 “Witches Sabbath” mean?
The muster at night- time of witches (called a "coven") and demons to concoct mischief. The witch first anointed her feet and shoulders with the fat of a murdered babe, then mounting a broomstick, distaff, or rake, made her exit by the chimney, and rode through the air to the place of rendezvous. The assembled witches feasted together, and concluded with a dance, in which they all turned their backs to each other.
Is “Witches Sabbath” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.