Исторический английский фразеологический словарь
Шрифт:
Drunk as a Fiddler. The fiddler was generally incapable of discoursing further music half way through the night’s jollification, because the dancers freely plied him with drink.
Drunk as a Lord. When George the Third was King, and long afterwards, the fine old English gentleman acted up to his character by using strong language and imbibing strong potations. To be “drunk as a lord” was the surest mark of gentility, and a “three bottle man” a pattern of sobriety. After dining it was considered no disgrace to roll helplessly under the table.
Drury Lane. From Drury House, the residence of Sir William Drury, temp. William III.
Dublin. From Dubh-linn, “black pool.”
Dub Up. An expression derived from the very general custom of dubbing or touching a man on the shoulder when arresting him for debt.
Ducat. Duke’s money, anciently struck in the Duchy of Apulia, Sicily.
Duchess Street. After Lady Cavendish, who became the wife of the second Duke of Portland.
Ducking Stool. An instrument for the punishment of scolding wives. This public ducking in a pond effectually served to cool their temper for the time being.
84Duck’s Foot Lane. Properly “Duke’s Foot Lane,” the footway leading from the town house of the Earls of Suffolk down to the Thames.
Dude. An American name for a fop, derived from a very old English word, “dudes,” whence we have the slang term “Duds,” for clothes.
Dudley. From the castle built by Dodo, a Saxon prince, and ley, “meadow.”
Duds. See “Dude.”
Dug-out. A Far West Americanism for a boat or canoe hewn out of a large tree log.
Dukeries. That portion of Nottinghamshire distinguished for the number of ducal residences, of which Welbeck Abbey is perhaps the most admired.
Duke Street. In Aldgate, after the Dukes of Norfolk. Near Smithfield, the ancient property of the Dukes of Brittany. In Grosvenor Square, after the Duke of Cumberland. Off Langham Place, after the Duke of Portland. Near Manchester Square, after the Duke of Manchester. In the Strand, after George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham.
Dulwich. The corruption of Dalewich, the village in the dale.
Duma. Russian for Parliament or popular representation.
Dumb Ox. One of the sobriquets of St Thomas Aquinas, from the silence with which he pursued his studies. His master, Albertus Magnus, however, predicted that “this dumb ox will one day fill the world with his bellowing.”
Dumping. A word which has come into prominence relative to Mr Chamberlain’s Fiscal Policy. In various forms the verb dump may be met with in Teutonic and Scandinavian tongues, meaning to “pitch down,” “throw down in a lump,” etc. etc. A “Dump Cart” in America is one that tilts up in front, and so “dumps” its load behind.
85Dun. A persistent creditor. After Joe Dun, a noted bailiff, who never failed to bring a debtor to book. People used to say: “Why don’t you Dun him for the debt?” meaning they would send Joe Dun to make him pay or arrest him.
Dunce. From John Duns Scotus, who, it is said, gave no proof of his remarkable attainments in his early scholastic days.
Dundee. A corruption of Duntay, the hill fort on the Tay.
Dunedin. See “Edinburgh.”
Dungeness. A corruption of Danger Ness, the Headland of Danger.
Dunkirk. Expresses the “Church in the Dunes,” or sand-hills, built by St Eloi in the seventh century.
Durham. A corruption of Dunholm, from its situation on a hill surrounded by the river.
Dusseldorf. The village on the Dussel.
Dutchman. A contemptuous epithet applied to our phlegmatic enemies during the wars with Holland.
Dyers’ Buildings. The site of an ancient almshouse of the Dyers’ Company.
E
Eagle. An inn sign, the cognisance of Queen Mary.
Earl Street. After Charles Marsham, Earl of Romney.
Earl’s Court. From the Earl of Warwick, whose estate it was until, by the marriage of the Dowager Countess of Warwick with Lord Holland, it passed into her husband’s family.
East Anglia. A name still popular as defining the eastern counties. This was one of the seven divisions or petty kingdoms of England under the Angles or Saxons.
86Eastcheap. The eastern chepe, or market, of the city of London.
Easter. From the Teutonic Ostara, goddess of light or spring; rendered by the Anglo-Saxons Eastre. This great spring festival lasted eight days.
Easter Island. The name given to it by Jacob Roggevin when he visited the island on Easter Sunday, 1722.
East Sheen. A name reminiscent of the original designation of “Richmond.”
Eat Dirt. An Americanism for a confession of penitence or absolute defeat in an argument.
Eat Humble Pie. In the days of sumptuous banquets of venison the lords of the feast reserved to themselves the flesh of the deer. The huntsmen and retainers had to be content with the heart, liver, and entrails, collectively called the “umbles,” which were made into monster pies.
Eat my own Words. To take them back again, to retract a statement.
Eaton Square. From Eaton Hall, near Chester, the seat of the Duke of Westminster, the ground landlord.
Eau de Cologne. A scent prepared at Cologne. The city itself is not sweet to the nostrils; it has been said that forty different smells may be distinguished there.
Eavesdropper. A corruption of Eavesdripper, one who, listening under the eaves of a house, caught the drips from the roof when it chanced to be raining.
Ebro. After the Iberi, who spread themselves over the country from the banks of this river. See “Iberia.”