Chapter Air-brained to Albatross of A by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Alabaster A stone of great purity and whiteness used for ornaments. So called from "Alabastron," in Upper Egypt, where it abounds.

Aladdin in the Arabian Nights' Tales, obtains a magic lamp, and a has splendid palace built by the genius of the lamp. He marries the daughter of the sultan of China, loses his lamp, and his palace is transported to Africa. Sir Walter Scott says, somewhat incorrectly. -

"Vanished into air like the palace of Aladdin."

The palace did not vanish into air, but was transported to another place.

Aladdin's Lamp The source of wealth and good fortune. After Aladdin came to his wealth and was married, he suffered his lamp to hang up and get rusty.

"It was impossible that a family, holding a document which gave them access to the most powerful noblemen in Scotland, should have suffered it to remain unemployed, like Aladdin's rusty lamp." - Senior.

Aladdin's Ring given him by the African magician, was a "preservative against every evil." - Arabian Nights: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp.

Aladdin's Window To finish Aladdin's Window - i.e. to attempt to complete something begun by a great genius, but left imperfect. The genius of the lamp built a palace with twenty-four windows, all but one being set in frames of precious stones; the last was left for the sultan to finish; but after exhausting his treasures, the sultan was obliged to abandon the task as hopeless.

Tait's second part of Dryden's Absalom and Achitophel is an Aladdin's Window.

Aladine (3 syl.) The sagacious but cruel old king of Jerusalem in Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered, book xx. This is a fictitious character, inasmuch as the Holy Land was at the time under the dominion of the caliph of Egypt. Aladine was slain by Raymond.

Alako Son of Baro-Devel, the great god of the gipsies. The gipsies say that he will ultimately restore them to Assas in Assyria, their native country. The image of Alako has a pen in his left hand and a sword in his right.

Alans Large dogs, of various species, used for hunting deer.

"Skins of animals slain in the chase were stretched on the ground ... and upon a heap of these lay 3 alans, as they were called, i.e. wolf greyhounds of the largest size." - Sir W. Scott: The Talisman , chap. vi.

Alarcon King of Barca, who joined the armament of Egypt against the Crusaders. His men were only half armed. - Jerusalem Delivered.

Alarm An outcry made to give notice of danger. (Italian, all' arme, "to arms;" French, alarme.)

Alarum Bell In feudal times a 'larum bell was rung in the castle in times of danger to summon the retainers to arms. A variant of alarm (q.v.).

"Awake! awake!
Ring the alarum bell! Murder and treason!"
Shakespeare: Macbeth, ii. 3.

Alasnam Alasnam's lady. In the Arabian Nights' Tales Alasnam has eight diamond statues, but had to go in quest of a ninth more precious still, to fill the vacant pedestal. The prize was found in the lady who became his wife, at once the most beautiful and the most perfect of her race.

"There is wanting one pure and perfect model, and that one, wherever it is to be found, is like Alasnam's lady, worth them all." - Sir Walter Scott.