Americanism. A coined word or phrase in the United States which, freely repeated, tickles the popular ear and soon becomes engrafted upon the national vocabulary. Many Americanisms are now as common in England as in the land of their origin. The term may also be applied to such American deviations from British custom, as the substitution of “Depot” for Railway Station, “News-stand” for Bookstall, “On the street” for “In the street,” etc. etc.

Amiens. From the Latin ambiens, surrounded by water. Three branches of the River Somme run through the city.

Ammonites. The descendants of Ben-ammi, the son of Lot (Gen. xxix. 38).

Among the Gods. At the time when the expression first came into use, the ceiling of Drury Lane Theatre was embellished with classical deities disporting themselves among the clouds in an azure sky.

Among the Missing. An Americanism for an absentee. When a person wishes to be “out” to a visitor, he tells the servant that he prefers to be “among the missing.”

Amorica. The country of the Armorici, “dwellers on the sea.”

Ampthill Square. From Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire, one 13of the seats of the ground landlord, the Duke of Bedford.

Amsterdam. The town built on the dam of the Amstel.

Amwell Street. After one of the wells in Hertfordshire, whose waters were drawn upon by Sir Hugh Myddleton for the New River.

Anabaptists. Conformably to the Greek ana, twice, the designation of the original Baptists, who, having been baptised at birth, went through the ceremony a second time on reaching maturity.

Anacreon Moore. The sobriquet of Thomas Moore, who translated the Odes of Anacreon, and constructed his own verses on the same classic model.

Anatolia. The Turkish and Greek description of Asia Minor, from anatolie, east–i.e. of Constantinople.

Ancient. Iago is described as Othello’s “ancient.” Even in Shakespeare’s day this word was a corruption of ensign, or standard-bearer.

Ancient Lights. After having enjoyed the light of a window on his premises for twenty years uninterruptedly a person may, subject to displaying the notice “ancient lights,” prevent that light from being intercepted by any other building.

Ancona. From the Greek agkon, elbow, relative to its position on an angle of the coast.

Andalusia. Properly Vandalusia, the country of the Vandals.

Andes. From the Peruvian anta, copper.

Andrea Ferrara. A world-famous Italian sword blade made by Andrea of the city of Ferrara.

Angel. An inn sign, originally the “Angel and Salutation,” depicting the visit of the angel who announced to the Virgin that she was to be the mother of the Redeemer.

Angelic Doctor. One of the sobriquets of St Thomas Aquinas, universally regarded as “The Angel of the Schools.” He is said also to have written much on the nature of angels.

14Anglesea. Properly Anglesey, expressing, from the point of view of the Celtic inhabitants of Wales, the ey, or island of the Angles.

Anglesea Morris. After William Morris, who caught this species of fish off the Isle of Anglesea.

Angola. Wool brought from Angola on the West Coast of Africa.

Angostura Bitters. Prepared from the celebrated medicinal bark discovered by Capuchin monks in the Venezuelan city Angostura, which name signifies a strait.

Anguilla Island. West Indian for “Little Snake,” from its shape.

Anisette. A cordial prepared from aniseed.

Annunciator. An Americanism for bell or gong.

Antarctic Ocean. That situate anti, opposite to, the Arctic Ocean.

Antelope State. Nebraska, from the number of antelopes found there.

Anthem. A hymn sung by the entire congregation, as distinguished from Antiphone, which term expresses a series of choral responses.

Antigua. Expresses the Spanish for an ancient city.

Antwerp. In French Anvers, the Antverpia of the Romans.

Any. An Americanism for “at all”–e.g. “It didn’t trouble me any.”

Apache State. Arizona, the scene of many bloodthirsty encounters with the wild Apaches.

Apennines. The Pennine Alps, from the Celtic ben, which is the same as the Welsh pen, summit or mountain head.

Apollinaris Water. Brought from the famous mineral spring in the valley of the Ahor of the Rhine province. The ruins of a temple of Apollo gave the name to the spot.

Apothecary. The old name for a dispenser of medicines. The Greek word really implies a storehouse or depository; 15it is compounded out of apo, to put away, and theke, chest, box. Differing from modern chemists and druggists, licentiates of the Apothecaries’ Company may visit the sick and prescribe for them, as well as make up physicians’ prescriptions.

Appian Way. The construction of this famous road leading from Rome to Capua was commenced by Appius Claudius.

Apostle of Temperance. Father Mathew, the inveterate enemy of tipplers in the Emerald Isle of his time.

Apostles’ Creed. The whole summary of Christian Faith, according to the Apostles.

Apostolic Fathers. Those early doctors of the Church who, living in the first century after Christ, received their teaching from His disciples, if they did not actually enjoy personal communion with the Apostles.

Apricot. From the Latin præcoqus, early ripe.

April. The month in which the buds begin to shoot, from aperio, to open.

April Fish. The French equivalent of “April Fool,” since, like a fish, the unsuspecting victim of a practical joke is easily caught.

April Fool. The custom of April Fooling originated in France, which country took the lead in shifting the New Year from what is now Lady Day to the 1st of January. This occurred in 1564. From the earliest periods of history people bestowed gifts upon their neighbours at the New Year, but as the 25th of March so often fell in Holy Week, even on Good Friday itself, the Church uniformly postponed the celebration of the New Year until the octave–viz. the 1st of April. When, therefore, New Year’s Day had been transferred to the 1st of January, people paid mock visits to their friends on the 1st of April with the object of fooling them into the belief that matters remained as they were. The like custom was introduced into England on the alteration of our calendar in 1762. April Fools’ Day is supposed to be over at 16twelve o’clock, since the New Year’s visitation and bestowal of gifts always took place before noon.

Apsley House. The residence of the Duke of Wellington, built by Henry Apsley, Lord Chancellor, afterwards Lord Bathurst.

Aquarians. A Christian sect of the fourth century who substituted water for wine in the Communion.

Aqua Tofana. A colourless poison invented by a Sicilian woman named Tofana towards the close of the seventeenth century. So extensive was her secret traffic with this liquid among young married women who were anxious to rid themselves of their husbands that when, at a great age, Tofana was dragged from the convent where she had taken refuge, and executed, she admitted to having caused the deaths of 600 persons.

Arabia. The country of the Arabs, or “men of the desert.”

Arbor Day. A day set apart in America for planting trees.

Arbroath. Originally Aberbrothockwick, the village at the mouth of the Brothock.

Arcadian. An ideal farmer or a rustic scene; after the Arcadians, who were essentially a pastoral race.

Arcadian Poetry. Pastoral poetry, in allusion to the Arcadians.

Archangel. A town in Russia which derived its name from a great monastery of St Michael the Archangel.

Archer-fish. A fish endowed with the power of shooting water at insects, which thus become an easy prey.

Archway Road. Leads to the modern successor of the famous Highgate Archway opened in 1813.

Arctic Ocean. From the Greek arktos, bear, having reference to the great northern constellation.

Ardennes. The great forest on the heights.

Argand Lamp. After its inventor, Aimé Argand.

Argentine Republic. The modern name of Argentina, through which runs the La Plata, or River of Silver. 17While preserving their original designation of the river, the Spaniards Latinised that of the country.

Argosy. A vessel laden with rich merchandise, from the Argo, in which Jason and his fellow-adventurers, the Argonauts, sailed to Colchis in quest of the Golden Fleece, B.C. 1263.

Argyll. From Garra Ghaidhael, the country of the West Gaels.

Argyll Street. From the old town mansion of the Dukes of Argyll. The celebrated Argyll Rooms, now the Trocadero Restaurant, were a far cry from the other extreme of Regent Street.

Argus-eyed. After the fabled Argus, who had a hundred eyes.

Arians. The followers of the first Christian heretic, Arius, a presbyter of the Church of Alexandria in the fourth century.

Arizona. Indian for “sand-hills.”

Arkansas. The same as Kansas, “smoky water,” with the French suffix arc, a bow.

Arkansas Toothpick. The Far-West designation of a “Bowie Knife,” the blade of which, as used by the people of this state, shuts up into the handle.

Arlington Street. From the town mansion of Henry Bennett, Earl of Arlington.

Arminians. The anti-Calvinists of Holland, led by James Harmensen under the Latinised name of Jacobus Arminius.

Arras. Mediæval tapestry, for the production of which the town of Arras, in the French Netherlands, was famous.

Arrowroot. So called because the Indians of tropical America regarded the root of the plant as efficacious against arrow wounds.

Artemus Ward. The pseudonym of Charles Farrar Browne, the American humorous lecturer. This was, 18however, the actual name of an eccentric showman whom he had encountered on his travels.

Artesian Well. From Artois, where such wells were first bored.

Arthur’s Seat. Said to have derived its name from King Arthur, but how his association with the city of Edinburgh arose no man can tell.

Artichoke. From the Arabic ardischauki, earth thorn.

Artillery Lane. Stands on part of the site of the practising ground of the London Artillery Company, temp. Henry VIII., and later of the Tower Gunners, when all the land towards the north hereabouts was open fields.

Arundel. The dale of the River Arun.

Arundel Street. That in the Strand from the town mansion and extensive grounds of the Howards, Dukes of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel and Surrey. That in the Haymarket after the ground landlord, Lord Arundel of Wardour.

Ascension Island. Discovered by the Portuguese on the Feast of the Ascension, 1501.

As Cross as Two Sticks. Two sticks held together in the centre like the letter X form a cross.

Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The home among the ash-trees of the De La Zouches. By expresses the Anglo-Saxon for a dwelling.

Asia. From the Sanskrit Ushas, “land of the dawn.” By the Western nations Asiatics were anciently styled “the people of the sun.”

Asia Minor. Lesser Asia, called by the Turks and Greeks “Anatolia.”

Aspasia. A flower named after Aspasia of Miletus, the mistress of Pericles.

As Poor as a Church Mouse. A church is one of the very few buildings that contain neither kitchen nor larder. Church mice, therefore, have a hungry time of it.

19As Rich as a Jew. The Jews in England were the first usurers, bankers, and bill-brokers. They only had the command of ready money, the wealth of the nobility consisting in the possession of broad lands.

Assumptionists. A modern religious Order, founded fifty years ago, whose full title is the Augustinians of the Assumption.

Astoria. From the fur-trading station established in 1811 by John Jacob Astor of New York.

Astrakhan. Fur brought from Astrakhan, which name signifies the country or district ruled by a khan of the Tartar or Mogul Empire.

Asturia. From the Basque asta, rock, and ura, water, denoting a region of mountains and estuaries.

Atlantic Ocean. Called by the Greeks Atlantikos pelagos, from the Isle of Atlantis, imagined by Homer and Plato to be beyond the Strait of Gibraltar.

Athanasian Creed. Opinions affecting the doctrine of the Trinity, ascribed to St Athanasius of Alexandria, adopted and formally compiled by St Hilary, Bishop of Arles in the fifth century.

Athens. From the Temple of Athene, or Minerva, the tutelary goddess of the city.

Athens of America. The city of Boston, considered the chief seat of learning in the New World.

Athens of the South. Nashville, Tennessee, on account of the number of its scholastic institutions.

Athelney. The “Royal Island” or “Isle of the Nobles,” where Alfred the Great founded a Benedictine monastery.

Atlas. Since the publication of “Mercator’s Projections,” with the figure of Atlas bearing the globe on his shoulders as a frontispiece, in 1560, all books of maps have received this name.

At Loggerheads. See “Loggerhead.”

Auburn. From the Anglo-Saxon Auld Bourne, old bourn, or stream.

20Auckland. The capital of New Zealand, named in honour of Lord Auckland, a famous politician of his time, who became Governor-General of India, and after his retirement was elected President of the Asiatic Society. His ancestor, the first Lord Auckland, took his title from Auckland in Durham, which name was originally Oakland.

Audley Street (North and South). Perpetuate the memory of Hugh Audley, a barrister of the Middle Temple, whose landed estates hereabouts were computed at his death in 1662 to be worth a million of money.

Augsburg Confession. The Lutheran Confession of faith drawn up by Melancthon, and presented by Martin Luther to Charles V. during the sitting of the German Diet at Augsburg in 1530.

August. After Augustus Cæsar, who regarded this as his lucky month. Its original name was Sextilis, the sixth month of the Roman year.

Augustan Age. The best literary age of any country, because Rome in the time of Augustus Cæsar produced the finest examples of Latin literature.

Augustin Friars. The religious Order said to have been founded by St Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury. See “Austin Friars.”

Auld Reekie. The name given to the old part of Edinburgh, from the cloud of reek or smoke which usually caps it.

Austin Friars. Part of the site of the priory of the Augustin Friars, whose church still remains.

Australasia. Southern Asia.

Australia. From the Latin Australis, southern.

Austria. From Oesterreich, or Eastern Empire, as distinguished from the Western Empire founded by Charlemagne.

Autocar. The name first given to a motor car; incorrectly, however, since so far from being automatic such a 21one, like all mechanically propelled vehicles, requires a guiding intelligence.

Autun. The Augustodunum, or Town of Augustus, of the Romans.

Auvergne. From the Auverni, who overran it in the time of the Cæsars.

Avoca. Gaelic for “the meeting of the waters.”

Ave Maria Lane. Where the monks of old chanted the “Ave Maria” on their way to St Paul’s. See “Amen Corner.”

Avon. From Arfon, the Celtic for river or stream, which enters into many place-names.

Axminster. The monastery town on the Axe.

Ayah. Hindustani for waiting-woman or nurse.

Aye-Vye. An animal found in Madagascar, so called from its cry.

Aylesbury Street. From the town house and garden of the Earls of Aylesbury.

Azores. The Portuguese named this group of islands Acores, the plural of acor, hawk, on account of the great number of hawks there.

Azov. A Russianised form of Asak, the name given to it by the Tartars.

B

Bacchanalia. Roman festivals in honour of Bacchus, the god of wine.

Bacchus Verses. Verses written in praise or dispraise of Bacchus, and affixed to the doors of the College at Eton on “Collop Monday.”

Bachelor Girl. One who lives in her own rooms, belongs to a woman’s club, and considers herself superior to what is called home influence–a distinctly modern creation.

Backgammon. From the Saxon Bac and gamen, “back-game,” because the pieces have at times to go back and be moved up afresh.

22Back a Man. To have full confidence in him. From backing or endorsing a bill on another’s behalf.

Badajoz. Called by the Moors Beledaix, “Land of Health.”

Bad Egg. A man who is commercially or morally unsound, and therefore fit only to be shunned.

Badger State. Wisconsin, from the name given to the early miners, who made for themselves winter habitations in the earth, like a badger.

Badminton. A drink of spiced claret, and also a game of tennis played with shuttlecocks instead of balls, introduced by the Duke of Beaufort at Badminton, his country seat.

Baffin’s Bay. After William Baffin, the pilot of an expedition sent out to explore this region in 1616.

Bagatelle. From the Italian bagetella, a conjurer’s trick.

Baggage. A term often applied to a woman, because the wives of soldiers taken on foreign service go with the stores and baggage generally. In the United States this word is an equivalent for the English “Luggage.”

Bagman. The old name for a commercial traveller, who carried his samples in a bag.

Bag o’ Nails. A popular corruption of the ancient inn sign, “The Bachannals,” referring to Pan and the Satyrs.

Bag o’ Tricks. In allusion to the large bag in which an itinerant conjurer carried his tricks.

Bakers’ Dozen. In olden times, when bread was sold in open market instead of shops, women took up the trade of selling bread from door to door. They received from the bakers thirteen loaves for the price of twelve, the odd one constituting their profit.

Baker Street. After Sir Edward Baker, a great friend of the Portmans of Dorsetshire, the ground landlords.

Bakshish. A Persian word for “gratuity.”

Balaklava. When settled by the Genoese, they gave it the name of Bella-chiava, or “Fair Haven.”

23Balearic Islands. From the Greek ballein, to throw, expresses the Island of Slingers.

Ball. A dancing party received this name primarily from the curious ancient Ball Play in Church by the Dean and choir boys of Naples during the “Feast of Fools” at Easter. While singing an antiphon the boys caught the ball thrown by the Dean as they danced around him. At private dancing parties the dancers always threw a ball at one another as, to the sound of their own voices, they whirled around in sets, the pastime consisting in loosening hands in time to catch it. Afterwards the ball was discarded, but the dance time received the name of a Ballad, from the Latin ballare, to dance.

Ballad. See “Ball.”

Ballet. Expresses the French diminutive of bal, a dance. See “Ball.”

Ball’s Pond. From an inn, the “Salutation,” kept by John Ball, whose dog and duck sports in a large pond attracted a great concourse of visitors in former days.

Balsover Street. From Balsover, Derbyshire, the seat of the Fitzroys, Dukes of Grafton, the ground landlords.

Baltic Sea. A sea of belts or straits. Bält is Norse for strait.

Baltimore. After Lord Baltimore, the founder of the neighbouring state of Maryland.

Baltimore Bird. Though found almost everywhere in the United States, it is said to have received its name from the correspondence of its colours with those distinguished in the arms of Lord Baltimore, the Governor of Maryland.

Bancroft Road. After Francis Bancroft, the founder of the Drapers’ Almshouses, in this road.

Bandana. The Hindu term for silk goods generally, but now applied to cotton pocket-handkerchiefs with white or yellow spots on a blue ground.

Bandy Words with You. From the old game of Bandy, in 24which the ball was struck or bandied to opposite sides.

Bangor. From Ban-choir, “The White Choir” of the Abbey, founded by St Cungall in the sixth century.

Banjo. Properly Bandore, from the Greek Pandoura, a stringed instrument named after Pan. The word was introduced into North America from Europe.

Banker Poet. Samuel Rogers, author of “The Pleasures of Memory,” who was a banker all his life.

Banshee. From the Gaelic bean sidhe, woman fairy.

Bantam. A species of fowl said to have been introduced to Europe from Bantam in Java.

Banting. After William Banting, a London cabinetmaker, who in 1863 reduced his superfluous fat by a dietic system peculiarly his own.

Bar. In old days, when a counter did not obtain, and drinking vessels had to be set down on the benches or barrel ends, a bar separated the frequenters of a tavern from the drawers or tapsters. Similarly, at the Courts of Law the Bar was a rail behind which a barrister or counsel had to plead his client’s cause.