X
X Ale.The original significance of the X mark on beer barrels was that the liquor had paid a ten shilling-duty. Additional X’s are simply brewers’ trade marks, denoting various degrees of strength over that of the first X.
XL’ers.See “Exellers.”
XXX’s.See “Three Exes.”
Yale University.After Elihu Yale, formerly Governor of the East Indian Company’s settlement at Madras, whose princely benefactions to the Collegiate School of the State of Connecticut, founded by ten Congregational ministers at Killingworth in 1701, warranted the removal of that seat of learning to New Haven fifteen years later.
Yang-tse-Kiang.Chinese for “great river.”
Yankee.A term popularly applied at first to one born in the New England states of North America owing to the fact thatYankees,Yangkiesand similarperpetrationsperpetrationswere the nearest approaches to the word “English,” which the Indians of Massachusetts were capable of. Afterwards it came to be applied to the people of the continent generally.
Yankee Jonathan.The nickname of Jonathan Hastings, a farmer of Hastings, Mass., on account of his addictionto the word “Yankee,” used adjectively for anything American. Thus he would say “a Yankee good cider,” “a Yankee good horse,” etc.
Yankee State.Ohio, so called by the Kentuckians on account of its many free institutions.
Yarmouth.The port situated at the mouth of the Yare. See “Yarrow.”
Yarn.A spun-out story bears this name in allusion to the thread out of which cloth is woven.
Yarrow.From the Celticgarw, rough, rapid.
Yeddo.Japanese for “river entrance.”
Yellow Book.A French Government report, so called from its yellow cover.
Yellow Boy.Slang for a sovereign.
Yellow Jack.A yellow flag which is flown from a vessel in quarantine and from naval hospitals as a warning of yellow fever or other contagious disease on board. See “Union Jack.”
Yellow Press.By this term is meant that section of the Press which is given up to creating a scare or sensation. It has been derived from what in the United States bears the name of “Yellow-covered Literature,” consisting of trashy sensation novels, published chiefly for railway reading.
Yellow Sea.From the tinge imparted to its waters by the immense quantities of alluvial soil poured into them by the Yang-tse-Kiang River.
Yendys.The literary sobriquet of Sydney Dobell, being simply his Christian name reversed.
Yeoman’s Service.Originally that rendered to the State in time of war by volunteers of the Guilds or City Companies. The term “Yeoman” is derived from the Germangemein, common, and applied in the sense of enlistment for the common good.
Yokohama.Japanese for “Cross Shore.”
York.TheEboracumof the Romans, a Latinised rendering of the BritishEurewic(pronouncedYorric), “a row of houses on the Eure,” which river is now called the Ouse.
York and Albany.An omnibus stage in Camden Town named after Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, the second son of George III.
York Gate.The water gate, still standing, built for York House, of which no other vestige remains.
York Road.This long road, parallel to the Great Northern Railway at King’s Cross, owes its designation to the circumstance that the line in question was originally styled the “London and York Railway.”
Yorkshire Stingo.A public-house sign indicating that the celebrated ale of this name, due to the sting or sharpness of its taste, is sold on the premises.
York Street.In Covent Garden, after James, Duke of York, the second son of Charles I., and brother of Charles II., subsequently James II. In Westminster, from the erstwhile residence of Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, son of George III.
Young Buffs.The 31st Foot, whose uniforms were very similar to those of the Buffs, or 3rd Foot--viz. scarlet coats faced and lined with buff, and the remainder wholly of buff-coloured material. Soon after their formation in 1702 they distinguished themselves greatly in action, whereupon the General rode up, exclaiming: “Well done, old Buffs!” “But we are not the Buffs,” some of the men replied. “Then, well done, young Buffs,” was the retort, and the name stuck to them ever after.
Young Nipper.See “Nipper.”
Yucatan.FromYuca tan, “What do you say?” which was the only answer the Spaniards were able to obtain from the aborigines when they asked them the name of the country.
YuletideYuletide.Christmastide, from the Norsejuul, Christmas.
Z
Zadkiel.The literary sobriquet of Lieutenant Richard James Morrison, author of “The Prophetic Almanack,” after the angel of the planet Jupiter in the Jewish mythology.
Zantippe.After the wife of Socrates, whose name has become proverbial for a bad-tempered spouse.
Zanzibar.A European inversion of the ArabicBer-ez-Zuig, the coast of the Zangis, or Negroes.
Zeeland.Expresses the Dutch for “Sea-land,” land reclaimed from the sea.
Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas.Duluth, so called from its picturesque situation at the western extremity of the Great Lakes.
Zoroastrianism.The religious system of the “Parsees” or Fire-worshippers, introduced into Persia by ZoroastercircaB.C.500.
Zounds.A corruption of “His Wounds,” or the Five Sacred Wounds on the Body of the Redeemer. This oath was first employed by John Perrot, a natural son of Henry VIII. Queen Elizabeth was much addicted to the exclamation “His Wounds,” but the ladies of her Court softened it into “Zounds” and “Zouterkins.”
Zurich.From the LatinThuricum, in honour of Thuricus, the son of Theodoric, who rebuilt the city after it had been destroyed by Attila.
Zuyder Zee.ProperlyZuider Zee, the Dutch for “Southern Sea,” relative to the North Sea or German Ocean.
THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH.
THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH.
THE RIVERSIDE PRESS LIMITED, EDINBURGH.
Transcriber’s NoteHyphens in words that occur on line-breaks are retained or removed based upon the preponderance of other instances in the text.The numerous cross-references in this text are supported here by hyperlinks. Note that there are several references to an entry for “Wassail”, which is missing. A link is made to the entry for “Pig and Whistle”, where the word is described. Similarly, the reference to “Cop” in the entry for “Fair Cop” likely refers to “Copper”.Where odd spellings are encountered without any other occurences, allowances are made for the author’s possibly idiosyncratic manner, and these are merely noted, but retained.Errors deemed most likely to be the printer’s have been corrected, and are noted here. The references are to the page and line in the original. The following issues should be noted, along with the resolutions.21.27Verses w[r]itten in praise or dispraiseInserted.37.27an officer in the First Del[e/a]ware RegimentReplaced.40.30From the way in which [b/h]e adjustsReplaced.43.33generally a hired assas[s]inInserted.94.30After William Farrin[g]donInserted.101.5[w/t]hen Prince of WalesReplaced.117.13in the river near[ near] Fort NiagaraRemoved.123.34[I/A]n inn sign anciently depictingReplaced.134.28Harvard U[u/n]iversityInverted.138.9It was according[ing]ly in the heelRemoved.157.22Maize, brought f[r]om the West IndiesInserted.163.30at the memorable s[ei/ie]ge of OstendTransposed.169.11appl[i]ed to dried beefInserted.172.37the great [lexocographer]Sic: lexicographer179.12K[ah/ha]n.Transposed.199.3from the Lat[a/i]nliberReplaced.201.7A distingu[i]shed musical executantInserted.208.37in the manufacturing dist[r]ictsInserted.216.4in the her[io/oi]c defence of the cityTransposed.223.30After the magnific[i]ent sepulchral monumentRemoved.224.1Maydew Che[e/r]ries.Replaced.254.23wore a grogram clo[c/o]akReplaced.277.3From the Spanish[pegueno] ninosic: pequeno285.22and other public announc[e]mentsInserted.309.32his invention of [“]Prince Rupert’s Drops,”Added.320.36to the queen of[ of] Henry III.Removed.327.9A corruption of [“]St Chad’s Well,”Inserted.329.33being an abbrev[i]ation of “Companionship.”Inserted.337.31Called by the Ca[r]thaginians “Hispania,”Inserted.340.27Al[g]onquin for an Indian woman.Inserted.354.27A tavern sign off[,] Golden SquareRemoved.358.15the nickname be[s]towed by the ProtestantsInserted.366.5Ur[a/u]guay.Replaced.374.12by weep[l/i]ng over the folly of mankindReplaced.377.36The [othordox/orthodox] or strict membersReplaced.381.26and similar pe[r]petrationsInserted.383.37[Y]uletide.Restored.
Transcriber’s Note
Transcriber’s Note
Transcriber’s Note
Hyphens in words that occur on line-breaks are retained or removed based upon the preponderance of other instances in the text.
The numerous cross-references in this text are supported here by hyperlinks. Note that there are several references to an entry for “Wassail”, which is missing. A link is made to the entry for “Pig and Whistle”, where the word is described. Similarly, the reference to “Cop” in the entry for “Fair Cop” likely refers to “Copper”.
Where odd spellings are encountered without any other occurences, allowances are made for the author’s possibly idiosyncratic manner, and these are merely noted, but retained.
Errors deemed most likely to be the printer’s have been corrected, and are noted here. The references are to the page and line in the original. The following issues should be noted, along with the resolutions.