House is his Castle. By the law of the land a bailiff must effect a peaceable entrance in order to 90distrain upon a debtor’s goods; therefore the latter is, as it were, sufficiently secure in his own fortress if he declines to give the enemy admittance.
Ennis. Expresses in Ireland, like Innis, the Celtic for an island. Both these words enter largely into Irish place-names.
Enniskillen. The kirk town on an island, the Celtic kil, originally implying a hermit’s cell, and later a chapel.
Ennismore Place. After Viscount Ennismore, Earl of Listowel, the ground landlord.
Enough is as good as a Feast. Because at no time can a person eat more than enough.
Enrol. See “Roll Call.”
Entente Cordiale. Expresses the French for cordial good will.
Entire. A word still to be met with on old tavern signs. It meant different qualities of ale or beer drawn from one cask.
Entrées. French for entries or commencements. Those made dishes are served after the soups, as an introduction to the more substantial portions of the repast, the joints.
Epicure. After Epicurus, a Greek philosopher, who taught that pleasure and good living constituted the happiness of mankind. His followers were styled Epicureans.
Epiphany. From the Greek Epiphaneia, an appearance, a showing; relative to the adoration of the Magi, who came from the East twelve days after the birth of the Saviour.
Epsom Salts. From the mineral springs at Epsom.
Equality State. Wyoming, where, first among the communities of the world, women were accorded the right to vote.
Erie. Indian for “Wild Cat,” the fierce tribe exterminated by the Iroquois.
91Escurial. Properly Escorial, Spanish for “among the rocks.” King Philip II. built this superb convent and palace after the battle of St Quentin, in the course of which he had been obliged to bombard a monastery of the Order of St Jerome. He dedicated it to St Lawrence. He caused the structure to be in the form of a gridiron, the symbol of the Saint’s martyrdom.
Esk. A river name derived from the Celtic uisg, water.
Esquimaux. An Alonquin Indian term signifying “eaters of raw flesh.”
Essex. The kingdom of the East Saxons under the Heptarchy.
Essex Street. From the mansion of Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex, the Parliamentary General in Cromwell’s time.
Ethelred the Unready. From his incapacity and unwillingness to accept rede, or counsel.
Ethiopia. From the Greek aithein, to burn, and ops, the face. Hence “the country of the blacks.”
Etiquette. A French word for “label.” Formerly a ticket or card of instructions was handed to visitors on ceremonial occasions. Nowadays such rules as pertain to deportment or decorum are supposed to enter into the education of all well-bred persons.
Etna. From the Phœnician attuna, a furnace.
Eton. The Anglo-Saxon Eyton, “island town.”
Ettrick Shepherd. The literary sobriquet of James Hogg, the poet, of Ettrick, Selkirkshire.
Europe. From the Greek euros, broad, and ops, the face; literally “the broad face of the earth.”
Euston Road. From the seat of the Earl of Euston at Thetford, Norfolk, the ground landlord.
Evacuation Day. November 25th, observed in the United States as commemorating the evacuation of New York city by the British after the War of Independence, 1783.
92Evangelist. From the Greek euanggelion, “good news.” One of the four writers of the Gospels of the New Testament.
Evelyn Street. From the residence of John Evelyn, the diarist. One of his descendants, the Rev. W. J. Evelyn, of Wolton, built the church of St Luke, Deptford, in 1872.
Everglade State. Florida, from its tracts of land, covered with water and grass, called Everglades.
Ex. Another form of the Celtic uisg, water.
Exchequer. The table of this Court was formerly covered with checkered cloth, so called from the Old French eschequier, chess board.
Executive City. Washington, which contains the White House, the official residence of the President of the Republic, the House of Representatives, and the Senate Chamber.
Exellers. The 40th Foot, from the Roman numerals XL.
Exeter. Called by the Saxons Exancester, or the Roman camp town on the Exe.
Exeter College. Founded at Oxford by Walter Stapleton, Bishop of Exeter and Lord Treasurer of England, in 1316.
Exeter Street. From the mansion and grounds of the Earl of Exeter, the eldest son of the great Lord Burleigh.
Exhibition Road. This wide thoroughfare formed the eastern boundary of the plot of ground purchased by the Commissioners for the Great Exhibition of 1862.
Exodus. The Scriptural narrative of the departure of the Israelites from the Land of Bondage.
Eye. Expresses the Anglo-Saxon for island. The river Waveney surrounds the town.
Eye-opener. An American drink of mixed spirits as a remedy for drowsiness.
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F
Face the Music. To bear the jeers and taunts of those who laugh at us.
Factory King. Richard Oastler of Bradford, the promoter of the “Ten Hours’ Bill.”
Fag. Slang for a cigarette, derived from the fag end–i.e. fatigued or spent end–of a cigar. Also a small boy who acts as a drudge in the service of another at a public school, so called from the Anglo-Saxon fæge, weak, timid.
Fair Cop. Thieves’ slang for a smart capture by the police. Whereas another would say “The game’s up!” a thief admits that he has been fairly caught by the expression “It’s a fair cop.” See “Cop.”
Fair Maid of Kent. Joan, the beautiful and only daughter of the Earl of Kent, who became the wife of Edward the Black Prince.
Fair Street. A name left us as a reminder of a once celebrated fair on the Southwark bank of the Thames.
Faith Healers. A sect which upholds the doctrine of healing the sick by prayer and anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, as set forth in James v. 13-15.
Faix. An Irishman’s exclamation for “Faith” or “In Faith.”
Fake. To make-believe or cheat. An actor is said to “fake up” an article of costume out of very sorry materials, which at a distance looks like the real thing. A photographer can “fake” a spirit photo by means of two distinct plates. Food also is largely “faked.” The word is derived from “Fakir.”
Fakir. From the Arabic fakhar, poor.
Falcon Square. From an ancient hostelry, “The Castle and Falcon,” hard by in
