Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
E. Cobham Brewer From The Edition Of 1894
the 25th letter of the Roman alphabet
It derives its form from the Latin Y, which is from the Greek upsilon, originally the same letter as V.
Y has been called the Pythagorean letter, because the Greek letter upsilon was taken represent the sacred triad, formed by the duad proceeding from the monad; and also because it represents the dividing of the paths of vice and virtue in the development of human life.
Y
Something shaped like the letter Y; a forked piece resembling
in form the letter Y. Specifically:
(a) One of the forked holders for supporting the telescope of a
leveling instrument, or the axis of a theodolite; a wye.
(b) A forked or bifurcated pipe fitting.
(c) (Railroads) A portion of track consisting of two diverging
tracks connected by a cross track.
Yacoub ebn Laith
surnamed al Soffar (the brazier), because his father followed that trade in Seistan, was captain of a bandit troop, raised himself to the sovereignty of Persia, and was the first independent monarch of that country of the Mahometan faith. (873—875.)
Yacu—mama
[mother of waters ]. A fabulous sea—snake, fifty paces long and twelve yards in girth, said to lurk in the lagunes of South America, and in the river Amazon. This monster draws into its mouth whatever passes within a hundred yards of it, and for this reason an Indian will never venture to enter an unknown lagune till he has blown his horn, which the yacu—mama never fails to answer if it is within hearing. By this means the danger apprehended is avoided. (Watcrton. )
Yahoo
A savage; a very ill—mannered person. In Gulliver's Travels the Yahoos are described as brutes with human forms and vicious propensities. They are subject to the Houyhnhnms, or horses with human reason.
Yama
Judge of departed souls, the Minos of the Hindus. He is represented as of a green colour, and sits on a buffalo.
Yamuna
A sacred river of the Hindus, supposed by them to have the efficacy of removing sin.
Yankee
A corruption of “English.” The word got into general use thus: In 1713 one Jonathan Hastings, a farmer at Cambridge, in New York, used the word as a puffing epithet, meaning genuine, American—made, what cannot be surpassed, etc.; as, a “Yankee horse,” “Yankee cider,” and so on. The students of the college, catching up the term, called Hastings “Yankee Jonathan.” It soon spread, and became the jocose pet name of the New Englander. Since then the term has been extended to any American of the Northern States. (Indian corruption of Anglais or English, thus: Yengees, Yenghis, Yanghis, Yankees.)
Yankee Doodle
is Nankee Doodle (Oliver Cromwell), who went to Oxford “with a single feather fastened in a macaroni knot,” whence the rhyme—
“Nankee Doodle came to town upon his little pony,
Stuck a feather in his hat, and called it macaroni.”
The brigade under Lord Percy marched out of Boston playing this air “by way of contempt,” but were told they should dance to it soon in another spirit.
Yarmouth Bloater
A red herring, for which Yarmouth is very famous. (Lex Balatronicum.)
Yarmouth Capons Red herrings.
Yawn
Greek, chaino; German, gahnen; Anglo—Saxon, gan—ian.
Yea, Yes
Yea and nay are in answer to questions framed in the affirmative; as, “Art thou a prophet?” Yea or nay. Yes and no to questions framed in the negative; as, “Art thou not a prophet?” Yes or no. (George P. Marsh: Lectures on the English Language.) (See his note on the celebrated passage of Sir Thomas More, who rebukes Tyndale for using no instead of nay, p. 422.)
Year
Annus magnus. The Chaldaic astronomers observed that the fixed stars shift their places at about the rate of a degree in seventy—two years, according to which calculation they will perform one revolution in 25,920 years, at the end of which time they will return to their “as you were.” This revolution of the fixed stars is the annus magnus. The Egyptians made it 30,000 years, and the Arabians 49,000. (See Abulhasan's Meadows of Gold.)
For a year and a day. In law many acts are determined by this period of time— e.g. if a person wounded does not die within a year and a day, the offender is not guilty of murder; if an owner does not claim an estray within the same length of time, it belongs to the lord of the manor; a year and a day is given to prosecute appeals, etc.
Yellow
Anglo—Saxon, geolu, yellow; Italian, giallo; Danish, guul; Icelandic, gull, our gold, yellow metal.
Yellow indicates jealousy, inconstancy, and adultery. In France the doors of traitors used to be daubed with yellow. In some countries the law ordains that Jews be clothed in yellow, because they betrayed our Lord. Judas in mediæval pictures is arrayed in yellow. In Spain the vestments of the executioner are either red or yellow— the former to indicate blood—shedding, and the latter treason.
Yellow, in blazonry, is gold, the symbol of love, constancy, and wisdom. Yellow, in Christian symbolism, also gold, is emblematical of faith. St. Peter is represented in a robe of a golden yellow colour. In China yellow is the imperial colour.
Yellow—bellies
Frogs, fenmen. The Mexicans are so called.
“When the Queen's Prize was won at Wimbledon, July 21st, 1885, by Sergeant Bulmer, 2nd Lincoln, his victory was hailed with `Well done, yellow—belly!' in allusion to his being a Lincon—shire man.”— Notes and Queries, August 22nd, 1885, p. 146.
“Ah, then, agin, it kin scarce be Mexikins neyther. It ur too fur noth for any o' them yellow—bellies.”— Captain Mayne Rcid: The War Trail, chap. 1xxi.
Yellow Book of France
A report drawn up by government every year since 1861, designed to furnish historians with reliable information of the state, external and internal, of the French nation. It is called Yellow from the colour of its cover. It corresponds to our “Blue Book” and the “White Books" of Germany and Portugal.
Yellow—boy
(A). A gold sovereign.
John did not starve the cause: there wanted not yellow—boys to fee counsel.”— Arbuthnot: John Bull.
Yellow—boy
(A). A bankrupt. The French call a bankrupt Safranier, and Aller au safran means to be made a bankrupt. The allusion is to the ancient custom of painting the house of a traitor yellow. It will be remembered that the house of the Petit Bourbon was long so stigmatised on account of the treason of the Constable Bourbon.
Yellow Caps
A notable insurrection in China, in the reign of Hân—lingtee (168—189), headed by Tchang—keo, and so called from the caps worn by the rebels, which were all of the imperial colour.
Yellow Dwarf
A certain queen had a daughter named ALL—FAIR, of incomparable beauty. One day the queen went to consult the Desert—Fairy, but, being weary, lay down to rest, and fell asleep. On waking she saw two lions approaching, and was greatly terrified. At this juncture the Yellow Dwarf arrested her attention, and promised to save her from the lions if she would consent to give him ALL—FAIR for his bride. The queen made the promise, and an orange—tree opened, into which the queen entered, and escaped the lions. The queen now sickened, and ALL—FAIR went to consult the Desert—Fairy, but, like her mother, was threatened by the lions, and promised to be the dwarf's bride if he would contrive her escape.
Next morning she awoke in her own room, and found on her finger a ring made of a single red hair, which could not be got off. The princess now sickened, and the States resolved to give her in marriage to the powerful king of the Gold Mines. On the day of espousals the Yellow Dwarf came to claim his bride, carried her off on his Spanish cat, and confined her in Steel Castle. In the meantime the Desert—Fairy made the king of the Gold Mines her captive. One day a mermaid appeared to the captive king, carried him to Steel Castle, and gave him a sword made of one entire diamond. Thus armed, the king went in, and was first encountered by four sphinxes, then by six dragons, then by twenty—four nymphs. All these he slew with the syren sword, and then came to the princess. Here he dropped his sword, which the Yellow Dwarf took possession of. The Yellow Dwarf now made the king his captive, and asked if he would give up the princess. “No,” said the king; whereupon the dwarf stabbed him to the heart; and the princess, seeing him fall, threw herself upon the dead body and died also. Countess D'Aulnoy: Fairy Tales.
Yellow Jack
The flag displayed from lazarettos, naval hospitals, and vessels in quarantine. (See Union Jack .)
Yellow Jack
(The). The yellow fever.
“Raymond and all his family died of yellow fever, and Fernando ... had passed a few weeks recovering from a touch of yellow Jack.”— A. C. Gunter: Baron Montez, book iv. chap. x.
Yellowhammer
(The). The eggs of this bird are spotted with red. The tradition is that the bird fluttered about the Cross, and got stained with the blood in its plumage, and by way of punishment its eggs were doomed ever after to bear marks of blood. 'Tis a very lame story, but helps to show how in former times every possible thing was made to bear some allusion to the Redeemer. Because the bird was “cursed,” boys who abstain from plundering the eggs of small birds, were taught that it is as right and proper to destroy the eggs of the bunting as to persecute a Jew. (See Christian Traditions. )
Hammer is a corruption of the German ammer, a bunting.
Yemen
Arabia Felix. Felix is a mistranslation by Ptolemy of Yemen, which means to the “right”— i.e. of Mecca. (See Stony Arabia. )
“Beautiful are the maids that glide
On summer—eves through Yemen's dales.”
Thomas Moore: Fire—Worshippers.
Yeoman
(A) was anciently a forty—shilling freeholder, and as such qualified to vote, and serve on juries. In more modern times it meant a farmer who cultivated his own freehold. Later still, an upper farmer, tenant or otherwise, is often called a yeoman.
“His family were yeomen of the richer class, who for some generations had held property.”—
R. C. Jebb: Richard Bentley, chap. i. p. 2.
Yeoman's Service
Regular hard work; effectual service; excellent service whether in a good or bad cause. The reference is to the yeomen of the Free Companies.
“The whole training of Port Royal did him yeoman's service.”— Shorthouse Sir Percival, p.
56.
“We found a long knife, and a knotted hand—kerchief stained with blood, with which Claude had no doubt recently done yeoman's service.”— Miss Robinson: Whitefriars, chap. viii.
Yeomen of the Guard
The beefeaters (q.v.).
Yeth—Hounds
Dogs without heads, said to be the spirits of unbaptised children, which ramble among the woods at night, making wailing noises. (Devonshire.)
Yezd
(1 syl.). Chief residence of the Fire—worshippers. Stephen says they have kept the sacred fire alight above 3,000 years, without suffering it to go out for a second. The sacred fire is on the mountain Ater Quedah (Mansion of the Fire), and he is deemed unfortunate who dies away from the mountain. (Persia.)
“From Yezd's eternal `Mansion of the Fire,'
Where aged saints in dreams of heaven expire.” Thomas Moore: Laila Rookh, pt. i.
Yggdrasil'
The ash—tree, whose roots run in three directions: one to the Asa—gods in heaven, one to the Frostgiants, and the third to the under—world. Under each root is a fountain of wonderful virtues. In the tree, which drops honey, sit an eagle, a squirrel, and four stags. At the root lies the serpent Nithhöggr gnawing it,
while the squirrel Ratatöggr runs up and down to sow strife between the eagle at the top and the serpent. (Scandinavian mythology.)
“The Nornas besprinkle
The ash Yggdrassil.”
Lord Lytton: Harold, bk. viii.
Y'mir
The personification of Chaos, or the first created being, produced by the antagonism of heat and cold. He is called a giant, and was nourished by the four milky streams which flowed from the cow Audhumla. While he slept, a man and woman grew out of his left arm, and sons from his feet. Thus was generated the race of the frost—giants. (Hrimthursar.)
Odin and his two brothers slew Ymir, and threw his carcase into the Ginnungagap (abyss of abysses), when his blood formed the water of the earth, his gore the ocean, his bones the mountains, his teeth the rocks, his skull the heavens, his brains the clouds, his hair plants of every kind, and his eyebrows the wall of defence against the giants. (Scandinavian mythology.)
Yniol
An earl of decayed fortune, father of Enid, ousted from his earldom by his nephew Edyrn, son of Nudd, called the “Sparrow—hawk.” When Edyrn was overthrown in single combat by Prince Geraint', he was compelled to restore the earldom to Yniol. (Tennyson: Idyls of the King; Enid.)
Yoke
(1 syl.). Greek zugon, Latin jugum, French joug, Dutch juk, German joch, Anglo—Saxon geoc (pron. yoc).
To pass under the yoke. To suffer the disgrace of a vanquished army. The Romans made a yoke of three spears— two upright and one resting on them. When an army was vanquished, the soldiers had to lay down their arms and pass under this archway of spears.
Yorick
The King of Denmark's jester, “a fellow of infinite jest and most excellent fancy.” (Hamlet, v. l.) In Tristram Shandy Sterne introduces a clergyman of that name, meant for himself.
York
when it was Saxon, was called Eorwic, and the legend is that a Duko of Effroc being drowned at the foot of the wall caused this name to be given to the city. Southwark Wall was also called the Effroc Wall or Stone. (Victor Hugo: L'Homme qui Rit, pt. ii. bk. iii. l.)
York
is Eure—wic (pron. Yorric), and means the town on the Eure, now called the Ouse. The Romans Latinised the word Eure or Evre into “Evora” or “Ebora,” and wic into “vicum;" whence Ebora—vicum, contracted into Eboracum.
York Stairs
(London), by Inigo Jones. The only remains left of the splendid mansion of the Buckinghams. The site is part of the precincts of a palace belonging to the bishops of Norwich. It then passed to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, then to the archbishops of York, then to the Crown, then to the Duke of Buckingham, who rebuilt it. The second Duke of Buckingham pulled it down, and converted it into the five streets, etc., called respectively, “George,” “Villiers,” “Duke,” “Of,” “Buckingham.” The gate leading to the Thames is the only part of this mansion which remains.
Yorks
(a Stock—Exchange term), the Great Northern Railway Ordinary Stock, the York line. Similarly, there are the Berwicks, the Brums, the Dovers, the Leeds, the Pots or Potteries, the Singapores, and so on. (See Stock—Exchange Slang. )
Yorkshire
I'se Yorkshire, too. I am as deep as you are, and am not to be bamboozled. The North—countrymen are proverbially “long—headed and cannie.” A tale is told of a Yorkshire rustic under cross—examination. The counsel tried to make fun of him, and said to him, “Well, farmer, how go calves at York?” “Well, sir,” said the farmer, “on four legs, and not on two.” “Silence in the court!” cried the baffled bigwig, and tried again.
“Now, farmer— remember you are on your oath— are there as many fools as ever in the West Riding?” “Well, no, sir, no; we've got our share, no doubt; but there are not so many as when you were there.”
Young Chevalier
Charles Edward Stuart, the second Pretender. (1720—1788.)
Young England
A set of young noblemen and aristocratic gentlemen who tried to revive the formality and court manners of the Chesterfield school. They wore white waistcoats, patronised the pet poor, looked down upon shopkeepers, and were altogether Red—Tape Knights. Disraeli has immortalised their ways and manners, but scarcely a caput mortuum of their folly now remains.
Young Germany
A literary school headed by Heinrich Heine, whose aim was to liberate politics, religion, and manners from the old conventional trammels.
Young Italy
A league of Italian refugees, who associated themselves with the French republican party, called the Charbonnerie Démocratique (q.v.). It was organised at Marseilles by Mazzini, and its chief object was to diffuse republican principles.
Your Petitioners shall ever Pray
etc. The part omitted is, if a petition to the Crown, “for your Majesty's most prosperous reign”; but if to Parliament, the suppressed words are, “for the prosperous success of this high and honourable court of Parliament.”
Youth Restored
Iolaus was restored to youth, as Euripldes says.
Phaon, the beloved of Sappho, was restored to youth on the behalf of Venus. Æson was restored to youth by Medæa, and so was Jason.
The muses of Bacchus and their husbands were restored to youth, according to Æschylos.
Ysolde
Ysonde or Iseult. Daughter of the Queen of Ireland. Sir Tristram, being wounded, was cured by Ysolde, and on his return to Cornwall gave his uncle such a glowing description of the young princess that he sent to ask her hand in marriage. Ysolde married King Mark of Cornwall, but entertained a criminal passion for the nephew. This attachment being discovered by the king, he banished Tristram from Cornwall. Sir Tristram went to Wales, where he performed prodigies of valour, and his uncle invited him back again. The guilty intercourse being repeated, Sir Tristram was banished a second time, and went to Spain, Ermonie, and Britany. In this last place he met with Ysolt of the White Hand, daughter of the Duke of Brittany, whom he married. After many marvellous exploits he was severely wounded, and, being told that no one could cure him but Ysolde, he sent a messenger to Cornwall, and told him if the queen consented to accompany him he was to hoist a white flag. The queen hastened to succour her lover, but Ysolt told her husband that the vessel was coming with a black sail displayed. Sir Tristram, in an agony of despair, fell on his bed and instantly expired. Soon as Ysolde heard thereof, she flung herself on the corpse and died also. King Mark buried the two in one grave, and planted over it a rose—bush and vine, which so intermingled their branches as they grew up that no man could separate them.
Ysolt of the White Hand
Daughter of the Duke of Brittany and wife of Sir Tristram. (See above.)
Yue—Laou
in Chinese mythology, is the old man of the moon, who unites with a silken cord all predestined couples, áfter which nothing can prevent their union.
Yuga
A mundane period of years, four of which have already passed, making up an aggregate of four million solar years. In the first period men were innocent and free from disease, in the second their life was shortened by one quarter. In the first period devotion was man's object, in the second spiritual knowledge, in the third sacrifice. Compare the Hindu legend with the account given in Genesis.
Yule
(1 syl.). Christmas time.
Yule Log
A great log of wood laid in ancient times across the hearth—fire on Christmas Eve. This was done with certain ceremonies and much merry—making. (Norwegian, juul, Christmas.)
“Ever at Yuletide, when the great log flamed
In chimney corner, laugh and jest went round.” Aldrich Wyndham Towers, stanza 5
Yule Swain
(The). A kind of Santa Klaus among the Lapps. He is eleven feet high, and rides on a goat. He appears on St. Thomas's Day, and continues his visits till Christmas Eve; but where he comes from and whither he goes nobody has the least idea.
Yuletide
has been held as a sacred festival by numberless nations.
Christians hold December 25th as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus. China on the same day celebrates the birth of Buddha, son of Mâa. (Bunsen. Druids held during the winter solstice the festival of Nolagh. (Higgins. Egypt held that Horus, son of Isis, was born towards the close of December (Le Clerk de Septehenes. Greece celebrated in the winter solstice the birth of Demeer (Cercs), Dionyos (Bacchus), and Herakle (Hercules).
India. Numerous Indian tribes keep Yuletide as a religious festival. (Monier Williams. Mexïco holds in the winter solstice the festival of Capacrame (History of the Indies, vol. ii. p. 354.) Persia at the same period honours the birth of Mithras. (Gross.)
Rome celebrated on December 25th the festival “Natais Solis Invicta Scandinavia held at Yuletide the festival called Jul, in honour of Freya, wife of Odin.
Yumboes
(2 syl.). Fairies of African mythology, about two feet high, of a white colour, and dressed like the people of Jaloff. Their favourite haunt is the range of hills called The Paps.
“When evening's shades o'er Goree's isle extend,
The nimble Yumboes from The Paps descend, Silly approach the natives' huts, and steal
With secret hand the pounded coos coos meal.” Keightley. Fairy Mythology
Yves (St.) (1 syl.). Patron saint of lawyers, being himself a lawyer. As he used his knowledge of the law in defending the oppressed, he is called in Brittany “the poor man's advocate.”
“Advocatus, sed non latro,
Res miranda populo.”
Hymn to St. Yves.
Yvetot
(pron. Eve—tó). The King of Yvetot. Yvetot is a town in Normandy, and the king referred to is the lord of the town, called roi d'Yvetot in old chronicles. The tradition is that Clotaire, son of Clovis, having slain Gaulthier, lord of Yvetot, before the high altar of Soissons, made atonement by conferring the title of king on the heirs of the murdered man.
“Il était un roi d'Yvetot
Peu connu dans l'histoire;
Se levant tard, se couchant tôt,
Dormant fort bien sans gloire,
Et couronne par Jeanneton
D'un simple bonnet de coton,
Dit—on.
Oh! oh! oh! oh! ah! ah! ah! ah!
Quel bon petit roi c'éctait, là! là! là!”
Beranger: Roi d'Yvetot (1813).
A king there was, “roi d'Yvetot” clept,
But little known in story;
Went soon to bed, till daylight slept,
And soundly without glory
His royal brow in cotton cap
Would Janet, when he took his nap,
Enwrap.
Ah! ah! ah! ah! ho! ho! ho! ho!
A famous king this “roi d'Yvetot.”
E. C. D.