Виктор Евгеньевич Никитин
Исторический английский фразеологический словарь
Giaour. From the Arabic kiafir, “unbeliever.” The Turks bestow this name on all European Christians, enemies of the Mohammedan faith. Readers of Lord Byron’s 112poem “The Giaour” may require to be informed of its meaning.
Gibberish. After Geber, an Arabian alchemist of the eleventh century, who employed an unintelligible jargon to mystify the ecclesiastics, lest by plain speaking he might be put to death as a sorcerer.
Gibraltar. From the Arabic designation, Jebel-al-Tarik, the Mountain of Tarik, in honour of Ben Zeyad Tarik, a Moorish General, to whose prowess the conquest of Spain in the eighth century was due.
Gibraltar of America. The city of Quebec, from its commanding and impregnable position on the heights.
Gibson Girl. A new type of womanhood popularised in America by the drawings of Charles Dana Gibson, and introduced to London by Miss Camille Clifford.
Gibus. An opera or crush hat, so called after its inventor.
Gift of the Gab. “Gab” is a very old word; it was used by the Anglo-Saxons for speech. The Scots employed it to describe the mouth; hence to “gabble.” The French had it too in the forms of “gaber,” to boast or talk wildly.
Gig. A term claiming the same origin as “Jig”–i.e. the French gigue, a lively dance–because this vehicle moves lightly.
Gilbertines. An English religious Order of the twelfth century, founded by St Gilbert of Sempringham, Lincolnshire.
Gilly flower. A corruption of July flower, from the month when it blossoms.
Giltspur Street. Said to have received its name from the gilt spurs of the knights riding to the tournaments in Smithfield. The greater probability is that the makers of gilt spurs congregated in this street.
Gimnal Ring. A love token of bygone days, so called from the Latin gemellus, joined. This ring was composed of two separate bands fitted into each 113other with little teeth. When lovers were betrothed it was divided, only to be put together again at the nuptial ceremony.
Gin. Short for Geneva. Not after Geneva in Switzerland, because this is the national spirituous drink of the Dutch, called at first by them giniva, from the French genievre, juniper. Juniper berries were originally employed to flavour the spirit distilled from unmalted rye. The native name for Dutch gin is now Schiedam, after the town where it is made. Dutch gin brought to England is called Hollands.
Ginger. Red-haired people are said to be ginger because Guinevre, the Queen at the Court of King Arthur, had red hair.
Gingham. A corruption of Guingamp in Brittany, where the cotton stuff brought from Java, there called gingang, was dyed and made into umbrella covers before silk and alpaca came into use for this purpose. Hence the slang term for an umbrella. See “Gamp.”
Gin Sling. An American drink composed of equal parts of gin and water. See “Sling.”
Gipsies. A corruption of Egyptians, because, when first heard of in Europe, they spread themselves over Bohemia, and were thought to have arrived there by way of Egypt.
Giraldus Cambrensis. The Latinised pen name of Gerald de Barri, Archbishop of St David’s, and historian of Cambria or Wales.
Girasole. The Italian name of the sunflower, from the Latin gyara, to turn, and sol, the sun.
Girondists. Deputies from the Department of the Gironde who formed the Moderate Republican Party in the French Revolution.
Girton Girl. A student of Girton College, Cambridge.
Give him Beans. An expression derived from a French proverb: “If he gives me peas I will give him beans”–i.e. I will be quits with him.
114Give him plenty of Rope. Let him do just what he thinks is best, and everything will come out right in the end. Following in your train, and, metaphorically, attached to your rope, the longer the rope the wider will be the sweep he can command; he can always be pulled in when it becomes necessary to check his movements.
Given Name. An Americanism for a Christian or forename.
Gives himself Airs. One who assumes a manner out of keeping with his social position. “Air” was formerly synonymous with deportment.
Give up the Ghost. Literally to yield up the Spirit.
Gladiator. From the Latin gladius, a sword. A slave trained to defend himself with a short sword in the mortal combats of the Roman arena for the amusement of the Emperors and the populace.
Glad Rags. An Americanism for holiday clothes or festive garments.
Gladstone Bag. So called in compliment to Mr W. E. Gladstone when, as leader of the Liberal Government, his name was “familiar in men’s mouths as household words.”
Glamorgan. From Gwlad-Margam, “the territory of Margam,” a Welsh chieftain of the tenth century. His name is correctly preserved in Margam Abbey.
Glenlivet. Whisky distilled in the Vale of Glenlivet in Banffshire.
Globe. An inn sign, the name of which was derived from the arms of the King of Portugal.
Globe Trotter. A tourist, a traveller in foreign lands.
Glorious Fourth of July. Another name for “Independence Day.”
Gloucester. The Gloicastra of the Romans, in honour of Gloi, son of the Emperor Claudius, who was born here.
115Gloucester Road. From Oxford Lodge, the one-time residence of the Duchess of Gloucester.
Go ahead. From the nautical phrase “The wind’s ahead”–i.e. blowing from the stern towards the vessel’s head.
Goat and Compasses. A corruption of the Puritan motto “God encompass us.”
Goatee. An Americanism for the typical Yankee chin tuft, in allusion to the beard of a goat.
Gobelin Tapestry. Made under royal patronage in the house originally occupied by Jean Gobelin, a wool dyer in Paris, temp. seventeenth century.
God help you. Anciently an invocation on behalf of a person subjected to the Ordeal of Fire.
Godstone. A corruption of “Good Stone,” relative to the excellence of the stone quarried here.
Goggles. Shaded spectacles, so called in allusion to gig lamps.
Go in for Banting. See “Banting.”
Gold Coast. The coast of Guinea, West Africa, where gold was found.
Golden Cross. The device of the Crusaders, extensively adopted as an inn sign.
Golden Gate. The entrance to San Francisco Harbour. This name had been bestowed upon it by the Spaniards centuries before the outbreak of the gold fever in 1847, from their own knowledge that this was the gate to the Land of Gold.
Golden Lane. A corruption of “Golding Lane,” after the builder.
Golden Square. Properly “Gelding Square,” from an old inn of this name.
Go Marooning. A southern state American expression for a picnicking party on the shore or up country which is to last for several days. See “Maroons.”
116Gone over to the Majority. A Parliamentary phrase equally, if more generally, applied to one who has passed from the scene of his life’s labours to the spirit world. Ancient and modern authors contain passages in the latter connection. The Rev. Robert Blair in “The Grave” says: “’Tis long since Death had the majority.”
Gone to Pot. Vanished possessions. The reference is to the metalliferous melting pot.
Gone to Rack and Ruin. A corruption of “wreck and ruin.”
Gone to Texas. An American expression for one who has decamped leaving debts behind him. It was (and is) no unusual thing for a man to display this notice, perhaps only the initials “G.T.T.” on his door for the information of callers after he has absconded.
Gone to the Devil. From the twofold circumstance that money lost through lawyers would surely be spent by them at their regular resort, the celebrated “Devil Tavern,” hard by Temple Bar, and the not unusual answer tendered by a subordinate to a caller at a place of business in Fleet Street that his master had “gone to the ‘Devil.’”
Gone to the Dogs. Money that has been squandered uselessly, as the remains of a feast in Eastern countries are thrown to the dogs instead of being given to the poor. A vicious man is said to have gone to the dogs because in the East social outcasts are often worried by ravenous dogs that prowl about the streets by night.
Gone under. One who has sunk in the social scale; never recovered from financial embarrassments; who found it impossible to “keep his head above water.” The allusion is, of course, to drowning.
Gone up the Country. An expression implying that a person is insolvent; originally introduced into England from the Colonies. When a man could not 117make ends meet in the coast cities he went prospecting up the country.
Gong Punch. The American term for the bell ticket punch used by conductors on tramcars.
Gonville College. The original name of Caius College, Cambridge, founded by Edmund Gonville in 1348.
Good enough Morgan. An American phrase for an imposition, or any person or thing likely to pass muster for the reality. This originated during the Anti-Masonic riots in the state of New York, when it was alleged that the Freemasons had drowned a man called Morgan for having betrayed their secrets. A body was actually found in the river near Fort Niagara, and identified by Morgan’s wife chiefly on account of a missing tooth. It was, however, proved that the whole story had been trumped up for political ends. A prominent politician who had a hand in the affair indeed confessed that, when reminded that the body would never pass for Morgan’s, he declared: “It’s a good enough Morgan.” Hence the phrase.
Goodge Street. After the name of the builder.
Goodman’s Fields. After the owner of the lands upon a portion of whose farm the Prioresses or Nuns of St Clare built their priory. This name recurs in the “Life of David Garrick,” who established his fame at the old Goodman’s Fields Theatre before he migrated to Drury Lane.
Good Old Town of Hull. A name originally bestowed upon the “Third Port” by tramps and beggars, who, in common with the deserving poor, fared exceeding well out of the bounty of the Dominican and Carmelite Friars. The streets Blackfriargate and Whitefriargate fix the locality of these conventual establishments.
Good Time. An Americanism for a very pleasurable or festive time. See “High Time.”
Good Wine needs no Bush. An ivy bush was in former times displayed at the end of a stake wherever wine 118was sold, the ivy being sacred to Bacchus. Travellers who had once tasted good wine took careful stock of the place before leaving it; consequently they needed no bush to direct them when next they visited the neighbourhood.
Goodwin Sands. At the time of the Norman Conquest this comprised the estate of Earl Godwin, from whom it was filched and bestowed upon the Abbey of St Augustine at Canterbury. Neglect of the repair of the sea-wall caused the waves to rush in and overwhelm the land.
Go off the Handle. To lose one’s head or go insane. The allusion is to the head of an axe flying off the handle.
Go one better. Originally a sporting expression, meaning that by jumping farther a contestant would make a scratch on the ground beyond the one just scored.
Goose. The tailor’s smoothing iron, from the resemblance of its handle to the neck of a goose.
Gooseberry. A corruption of Gorseberry, rough or coarse, on account of the hairs or diminutive prickles which distinguish this berry.
Gordon Hotels. Established by the late Frederick Gordon, a solicitor of Bloomsbury. These middle-class hotels have supplied a long-felt want in London and elsewhere.
Gordon Square. In compliment to Lady Georgina Gordon, wife of the sixth Duke of Bedford, the ground landlord.
Gospel. From the Anglo-Saxon God-spell, “good news.”
Gospel Oak. From the oak-tree marking the juncture of St Pancras and Hampstead parishes, beneath which the Gospel was annually read.
Goswell Road. From an ancient spring, styled “God’s Well,” discovered in this neighbourhood.
Gotham. The city of New York. Washington Irving first gave it this name in his “Salmagundi.” Its people in his time were anything but fools, yet he may not have 119appreciated the singular wisdom attributed to them. By referring to the city as Gotham he made a playful allusion to Gotham in Nottinghamshire, England, which for centuries had merited a reputation for being a town whose inhabitants did and said the most foolish things.
Go the whole Hog. An expression derived from Cowper’s poem entitled “Of the Love of the World reproved,” in which he discusses the eating of pork by the Turks:
“But for one piece they thought it hard
From the whole hog to be debarred.”
Got my Back up. In allusion to cats, which set up their backs on being confronted by their own species or by a ferocious dog.
Got my Dander up. The word dander here is a corruption of dandruff, which, though it means only the scurf on the head, has come to be curiously applied to the hair itself; as when the fur of enraged animals is raised.
Got the Bullet. Suddenly discharged from one’s occupation; “fired out,” as it were.
Got the Push. Ousted from one’s place of employment. Metaphorically to have been pushed off the premises.
Got the Sack. An expression derived from the sack in which mechanics and artisans generally carried their own tools. When engaged to work the tools were assigned to a proper place in the workshop, while the master took possession of the sack. On discharging his men he returned them the sack.
Go to. An Old English expression which leaves something to the imagination. Originally it must have implied a place where there is much caloric. In its popular acceptation it meant simply “Get along with you!”
Go to Bath. An expression signifying that a person is talking nonsense. When the west of England was the fashionable health resort silly and slightly 120demented folk were recommended to “Go to Bath, and get your head shaved.”
Go to Bungay. The curt answer received by persons who asked where they could get the once fashionable leather breeches. Bungay, in Suffolk, was the only place where they were made. This expression travelled over to New England with the first emigrants, and is still common in that portion of the United States.
Go to Jericho. Jericho was the name given by Henry VIII. to the Manor of Blackmore, near Chelmsford, whither he often retired quite suddenly from affairs of State. At such times his courtiers suspected some fresh freak of gallantry, and said he had “gone to Jericho.” Moreover, when in a testy mood, his Queen would tell him to “go to Jericho!”
Go to Putney. A very old expression, tantamount to consigning a person beyond the pale of London society or civilisation.
Got out of Bed the wrong Way. From the old superstition that planting the left foot on the ground first on rising in the morning was a harbinger of ill luck for the day.
Government Stock. The origin of the word Stock is interesting. Down to the year 1782, when the practice was abolished, public money invested in Government securities was acknowledged on the two opposite ends of a piece of wood called a stock, from the Anglo-Saxon stocc, a trunk. The stock was then cut in two, one portion being handed to the investor and the other consigned to the Tally Office.
Gower Street. After the name of the builder on this portion of the Bedford estate.
Gowk. The Scottish equivalent for an “April Fool,” signifying a foolish person.
Gracechurch Street. From the herb market anciently held around the Church of St Benet, called the Grass Church. This edifice has in modern times been 121pulled down, and the money realised for the site devoted to the erection of a new St Benet’s in the Mile End Road.
Gramercy. From grand merci, “great thanks,” a phrase introduced when French was the language of the Court.
Granby Street. In honour of John Manners, Marquis of Granby, whose name is also perpetuated by many a tavern sign.
Grand Hotel. Not in the sense of magnificence, but true to the French meaning of the word “great”; hence Grand Theatre, the Grand Tour, and the Grand Canal at Venice.
Grand Old Man. The name applied by Mr Labouchere to Mr W. E. Gladstone on the occasion of Mr Bradlaugh’s expulsion from the House after his election for Northampton because he refused to take the oath in the prescribed manner. Referring to a conversation in the tea-room Mr Labouchere said: “I told some friends that before I left Mr Gladstone came to me, and that grand old man, with tears in his eyes, took me by the hands, and said: ‘Mr Labouchere, bring me Mr Bradlaugh back again.’”
Grand Tour. More than a hundred years ago each of the sons of gentlemen in their turn made the Grand or Extended Tour through France, Germany, and Italy, just as nowadays daughters are presented at Court as a preliminary to moving in fashionable society.
Grange Road. Marks the situation of an old mansion called “The Grange.” The word Grange expresses the French for a barn or granary.
Granite State. New Hampshire, from its staple product.
Grapes. An inn or public sign, denoting that the house contained a vinery.
Grass Widow. A married woman separated from her husband, but not divorced. In the eyes of the world she passes for a widow by grace of courtesy. The 122correct description is, therefore, a “Grace Widow.” The corruption came about quite easily.
Grays. Anciently the estate of the noble family who gave their name to Gray’s Inn, their town mansion. Lady Jane Grey came of this stock.
Gray’s Inn. The Inn or mansion of the Earls Gray, made over to the law students, temp. Edward III. See “Inn.”
Gray’s Inn Road. From Gray’s Inn, the eastern wall of which it skirts.
Great Bear Lake. On account of its situation under the northern constellation of the Great Bear.
Great Belt. The great strait leading to the Baltic Sea. Both these names are derived from the Norse bält, strait.
Great College Street. At the southern extremity of this thoroughfare in Camden Town stands the Royal Veterinary College.
Great Coram Street. From the Foundling Hospital built and endowed by Captain Thomas Coram in 1739.
Great Dover Street. The London portion of the old Roman highway to Dover.
Great George Street. Stands on the site of the stable-yard of a famous old coaching inn, “The George and Dragon.”
Great Marlborough Street. In honour of the Duke of Marlborough, the people’s idol after the victory of Blenheim.
Great Ormond Street. After the British General, James Butler, second Duke of Ormond.
Great Peter Street. Contiguous to Westminster Abbey, dedicated to St Peter.
Great Portland Street. The business thoroughfare on the Duke of Portland’s estate.
Great Queen Street. First laid out across the fields in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and named after her.
123Great Russell Street. In honour of the ill-fated Lord William Russell, whose wife, Rachel, was the daughter of the Duke of Bedford, the great ground landlord.
Great St Helen’s. Occupies the site of the ancient priory of St Helen’s, of which the church remains.
Great St Thomas Apostle. Marks the site of a vanished church of this name.
Great Stanhope Street. From the mansion of Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield.
Great Suffolk Street. After Suffolk House, in which resided George Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.
Great Sutton Street. Perpetuates the memory of Thomas Sutton, the founder of the Charter House.
Great Titchfield Street. After the Duke of Grafton and Marquis of Titchfield, father of the Earl of Euston, the ground landlord.
Great Winchester Street. From Winchester House, the residence of the first Earl of Winchester.
Great Windmill Street. A couple of centuries ago, when this district was open fields, a large windmill stood hereabouts.
Greece. Called Græcia by the Romans, after the Graikoi, a tribe of settlers in Epiros.
Greek Street. At one time a colony of Greek merchants who contributed to the erection of a Greek church here.
Greenaway Gardens. After the late Miss Kate Greenaway, the lady artist, who resided in its vicinity.
Greenbacks. The paper currency of the United States, printed in green and with a device of the same colour on the back. Mr Chase, Secretary of the Treasury in 1862, claimed the honour of having added this word to the American vocabulary.
Green Dragon. An inn sign anciently depicting the combat of St George with the dragon.
124Greengage. The greenish plum introduced to England by Lord Gage from the monastery of La Chartreuse in France.
Greengrocer. See “Grocer.”
Greenhorn. A raw, inexperienced youth. The allusion here is to the undeveloped horns of a young ox.
Green Horse. The nickname of the 5th Dragoon Guards, from their green facings.
Greenland. From the moss which grows abundantly in this otherwise sterile region. Iceland or Greenland moss is said to be very efficacious in the treatment of consumption.
Green Man. An inn sign denoting that the house was kept by a retired gamekeeper of the lord of the manor. Mediæval gamekeepers always dressed in green. See “Inn.”
Green Man and Still. A tavern sign pointing to the existence on the premises of a still where cordials were distilled from green herbs. In this case the house was not kept by a gamekeeper, but by a herbalist. It may, however, have belonged to an innkeeper or a “Green Man” further afield on the same estate.
Green Mountain State. Vermont, as its name implies.
Green Park. On account of its delightful grassy surface.
Green-room. From the green-coloured walls of the room set apart by David Garrick behind the scenes of Drury Lane Theatre for members of the company in the intervals of playing their parts. This colour was chosen as a relief to the eye after the glare of the stage lights.
Green Sea. From the aspect of its waters looking towards the shores of Arabia.
Greenwich. Expresses the Saxon for “green village.”
Grenadiers. Anciently a company of soldiers who marched in front of every regiment of foot, it being their 125function to throw hand-grenades into the ranks of the enemy.
Gresham Street. After Sir Thomas Gresham, founder of the Royal Exchange. His residence in Old Broad Street, on the site of the present Gresham House, was converted by him into a college, which in 1843 was removed into Gresham Street. The word Gresham comes from the German Grassheim, “grass home”; hence the grasshopper on the summit of the Royal Exchange.
Greville Street. Marks the site of the mansion of Fulke Greville, Lord Brooke, one of the ministers of James I.
Grey Friars. See “Franciscans.”
Greyhound. An inn sign derived from the badge of Henry VII. The dog of this name originally came from Greece, and was accordingly styled a graihund, after the Graikoi, the people of that country.
Gripsack. An Americanism for a travellers’ hand-bag, corresponding to an English carpet bag.
Grisette. A generic name for a Parisian shop or work girl, from the gris, or grey cloth, which was at one time generally worn by the inferior classes in France.
Grocer. A term derived from the same root as Gross, “the great hundred,” and applied to a provision dealer who in former times was the only trader rejoicing in the monopoly of dealing in large quantities.
Grocery. An Americanism for a grocer’s store or shop. Also used in the plural sense for commodities dealt in by a grocer; corresponding to our “groceries.”
Grog. The name originally given by the sailors under Admiral Edward Vernon to the rum diluted with water he served out to them on board ship. They called him “Old Grog” because he always appeared on deck in a long grogram cloak when the weather was “dirty.”
Groggery. An Americanism for a “grog shop” where 126spirituous liquors only are purveyed; answering to our “Gin Palace.”
Grosvenor Square. The centre of the London estate of the Grosvenor family. Sir Richard Grosvenor was Grand Cup-bearer to George II. The word Grosvenor is Norman-French–i.e. Le Gros Veneur, “the chief hunter.”
Groundlings. The common spectators at the plays referred to by Hamlet in his “Advice to the Players.” The earliest London playhouses were the inn-yards, whose galleries corresponded to our box tiers, while the yard itself was given up to the audience generally.
Growler. A four-wheeled cab, so called from the surly manners of the driver. Since the advent of the “Hansom” his vehicle is rarely in request, save when the “fare” has much luggage to convey to a railway station or when a patient is being driven to the hospital.
Guadalquiver. From the Arabic Wad-al-Kebir, “great river.”
Guildford Street. After Francis North, Lord Keeper, who resided in it.
Guildhall. The Hall of the City Guilds. The old word Guild expressed the fee paid for membership in an association of artisans; from the Anglo-Saxon gild, money, gildan, to pay.
Guinea. A West African term for “abounding in gold.” The English coin of this name was first struck in 1663 out of gold brought from the coast of Guinea.
Guinea Fowl. Originally brought from Guinea, West Africa.
Guinea Pig. A South American rodent, somewhat resembling a pig. Its name is a corruption of Guiana pig.
Gulf of Carpentaria. Discovered by Captain Carpenter, a Dutch navigator, in 1606.
127Gulf States. Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas–all bordering on the Gulf of Mexico.
Gulf Stream. The warm equatorial waters of the Amazon River, which, after coursing round the coasts of South America and the Gulf of Mexico, make their way across the Atlantic, direct for the British Isles and Norway. This ocean stream, never less than forty miles in breadth, is distinguished by a deep indigo colour.
Gunnersbury. The name of a Saxon village, after the Lady Gunylda, a niece of King Canute, who took up her residence here while England was under the sway of the Danes.
Gutta-percha. A Malay term, gutta, gum, and percha, the tree which provides it.
Gutter Lane. A corruption of “Gutheron Lane,” from a Danish burgher who resided in it.
Guy’s Hospital. The generous benefaction of Thomas Guy, a wealthy Lombard Street bookseller, in 1722. His large fortune was chiefly due to the buying up, at a large discount, of seamen’s prize-money tickets, and investing the proceeds in South-Sea Stock.
Gyp. The college servitor at Cambridge, so called because he subsists on the perquisites of those whom he waits upon. Gyp expresses the Greek for a vulture.
H
Haberdasher. Anciently one who sold Hapertas cloth, a mixture of silk and wool. In modern times a haberdasher is a vendor of smallwares, such as handkerchiefs, neckties, tapes, etc. The origin of the word Hapertas has been traced to the Anglo-Saxon Habihr das: “Will you buy this?” a trader’s exclamation similar to that of the London ’prentice of a later period: “What do you lack?” However this may be, the German tauschen stands for sale, exchange, barter.
128Hack Author. See “Hackney Coach.”
Hackney. The whole of this district originally belonged to a Danish Chief named Hacon. The suffix ey expresses an island–i.e. land intersected by rivulets (in this case of the Lea)–or low, marshy ground. The suggestion that coaches were first let out for hire in this neighbourhood is not correct. See “Hackney Coach.”
Hackney Coach. One let out for hire. In France a coche-a-haquenée expresses a coach drawn by a hired horse. Originally the word haquenée meant any kind of horse but a thoroughbred. The Dutch hakkenei means hack horse, an ambling nag. From the French haquenée we have derived the term hack author, or literary hack, one whose services are hired for poor pay by a bookseller.
Haggerston. A Saxon village called “Hergotstein,” “Our God’s Stone.” The stone is believed to have had relation to a miraculous well, beside which an altar was set up.
Hague. Properly, according to the Dutch name of the place, Gravenhaag, the ancient seat of the Gravs or Counts of Holland.
Hail. An exclamation of greeting derived from the Anglo-Saxon hæl, “health.” The Scandinavian heill expressed the same sentiment. See “Wassail.”
Halberd. From two Teutonic words, hild, battle, and bard, axe.
Halcyon Days. Days of peace and tranquillity. This was the name anciently given to the seven days before and after the shortest day, because, according to fable, there were always calms at sea during this period while the halcyon or kingfisher birds were breeding.
Half-and-half. Originally a mixture in equal proportions of strong ale and small beer. In modern days it consists of half ale and half porter. See “Entire” and “Porter.”
129Half Moon Street. After an ancient tavern, “The Half Moon,” which stood in this neighbourhood. This sign was derived from the crescent or ensign of the Turks.
Halfpenny. The original penny pieces were deeply indented crosswise, so that halfpennies and farthings (or fourthlings) could easily be broken off, as occasion demanded.
Half Seas Over. A nautical phrase applied to a drunken man staggering along, who is in danger of falling to the ground at any moment. When a ship has all her sails spread a sudden change in the direction of the wind often threatens to lay her on her side.
Halifax. A corruption of the Saxon “Haligfock,” from halig, holy, and fock, people. For what reason the inhabitants of this place were considered more saintly than people elsewhere local tradition does not say. Halifax in Nova Scotia was named, on the foundation of the city in 1749, by the Hon. Edward Cornwallis, after the Earl of Halifax.
Halifax Gibbet Law. An ancient enactment for the protection of the local woollen manufacture. Owing to the systematic theft by the employées in the trade of material supplied to them, it was found that the fabric lacked body and weight. To put a stop to this pilfering a law was passed, making the theft of anything whatsoever, to the value to thirteen pence halfpenny, subject to the death penalty. On conviction before a magistrate the thief was publicly executed on the next market day. The mode of execution was not by hanging, but by beheading, the instrument used being a kind of guillotine. Taylor, the Water Poet, speaks of this
“Jyn that wondrous quick and well,
Sends thieves all headless into heaven or hell.”
Hallelujah. From the Hebrew halelu, “praise ye,” and Iah, “Jehovah.”
Hallelujah Victory. That gained by the newly baptised 130Bretons under Germanus, Bishop of Auxerre, in 429. As they marched to the attack they cried “Hallelujah!”
Hall Mark. The test mark of Goldsmiths’ Hall stamped upon gold and silver plate as a guarantee of its purity.
Hamiltonian System. A novel method of teaching languages, invented by James Hamilton, a merchant, whose death took place at Dublin, 1831. The peculiarity of this system was that it dispensed with the initiatory grammatical stages.
