Chapter Abdael to Above of A by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Abdael to Above

Abdael (2 syl.). George Monk, third Duke of Albemarle.

"Brave Abdael o'r the prophets' school was placed;
Abdael, with all his father's virtues graced ...;
Without one Hebrew's blood, restored the crown."
Dryden and Tait: Absalom and Achitopel, Part ii.

Tate's blunder for Abdiel (q.v.).

Abdallah the father of Mahomet, was so beautiful, that when he married Amina, 200 virgins broke their hearts from disappointed love. - Washington Irving: Life of Mahomet.

Abdallah Brother and predecessor of Giaffir, pacha of Abydos. He was murdered by Giaffir (2 syl.). - Byron: Bride of Abydos.

Abdals Persian fanatics, who think it a merit to kill anyone of a different religion; and if slain in the attempt, are accounted martyrs.

Abdera A maritime town of Thrace, said in fable to have been founded by Abdera, sister of Diomede. It was so overrun with rats that it was abandoned, and the Abderitans migrated to Macedonia.

Abderitan A native of Abdera, a maritime city of Thrace. The Abderitans were proverbial for stupidity, hence the phrase, "You have no more mind than an Abderite." Yet the city gave birth to some of the wisest men of Greece: as Democritos (the laughing philosopher), Protagoras (the great sophist), Anaxarchos (the philosopher and friend of Alexander), Hecatæos (the historian), etc.

Abderitan Laughter Scoffing laughter, incessant laughter. So called from Abdera, the birthplace of Democritos, the laughing philosopher.

Abderite (3 syl.) A scoffer, so called from Democritos.

Abderus One of Herakles's friends, devoured by the horses of Diomede. Diomede gave him his horses to hold, and they devoured him.

Abdiel The faithful seraph who withstood Satan when he urged the angels to revolt. (See Paradise Lost, Bk. v., lines 896, etc.)

"[He] adheres, with the faith of Abdiel, to the ancient form of adoration." - Sir W. Scott.

Abecedarian One who teaches or is learning his A B C.

Abecedarian hymns. Hymns which began with the letter A, and each verse or clause following took up the letters of the alphabet in regular succession. (See Acrostic.)

Abel and Cain The Mahometan tradition of the death of Abel is this: Cain was born with a twin sister who was named Aclima, and Abel with a twin sister named Jumella. Adam wished Cain to marry Abel's twin sister, and Abel to marry Cain's. Cain would not consent to this arrangement, and Adam proposed to refer the question to God by means of a sacrifice. God rejected Cain's sacrifice to signify his disapproval of his marriage with Aclima, his twin sister, and Cain slew his brother in a fit of jealousy.

Abel Keene A village schoolmaster, afterwards a merchant's clerk. He was led astray, lost his place, and hanged himself. - Crabbe: Borough, Letter xxi.

Abelites (3 syl.) Abelians, or Abelonians. A Christian sect of the fourth century, chiefly found in Hippo (N. Africa). They married, but lived in continence, as they affirm Abel did. The sect was maintained by adopting the children of others. No children of Abel being mentioned in Scripture, the Abelites assume that he had none.