Chapter Augury to Autolycus of A by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Auld Hornie After the establishment of Christianity, the heathen deities were degraded by the Church into fallen angels; and Pan, with his horns, crooked nose, goat's beard, pointed ears, and goats' feet, was transformed to his Satanic majesty, and called Old Horny.

"O thou, whatever title suit thee,
Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick, or Clootie."
Burns.

Auld Reekie Edinburgh old town; so called because it generally appears to be capped by a cloud of "reek" or smoke.

Aulic Council The council of the Kaiser in the old German Empire, from which there was no appeal (1495--1806) (Latin, aula, a court). The name is now given in Austria to a coucil of Vienna which manages the war department of the Austrian Empire.

Aunt Sally A game in which a wooden head is mounted on a pole. The fun of the game is to knock the nose of the figure, or break the pipe stuck in its mouth. This is to be done by throwing at it, from a stated distance, a short club. The word aunt was anciently applied to any old woman: thus, in Shakespeare, Puck speaks of

"The wisest aunt telling the saddest tale." -- Midsummer Night's Dream, ii. 1.

Aureola A circle of light, emblematical of glory, placed by the old painters round the heads of martyrs and saints. The notion was derived from Exod. xxv. 25. Facies coronam aureolam ("Thou shalt by thine own merits make for thyself a crown, besides that of gold which God has promised to the faithful") (Donne: Sermons). Strictly speaking, the glory confined to the head alone is a nimbus, and only when it envelops the entire body is it called an aureola.

Du Cange informs us that the aureola of nuns is white, of martyrs red, and of doctors green.
The nimbus of a Christ should contain a cross; of the Virgin Mary, a circlet of stars: of God the Father, a triangle with rays; of a living saint, a square without rays.
"They say, who know the life divine,
And upward gaze with eagle eyne,
That by each golden crown on high,
Rich with celestial jewelry,
Which for our Lord's redeemed is set,
There hangs a radiant coronet,
All gemmed with pure and living light
Too dazzling for a sinner's sight,
Prepared for virgin souls, and them
Who seek the martyr's diadem."

Keble: Christian Year.

Auri Auri sacra fames (the cursed hunger for wealth), applied to that restless craving for money which is almost a monomania.

Aurora Early morning. According to Grecian mythology, the goddess Aurora, called by Homer "rosy- fingered," sets out before the sun, and is the pioneer of his rising.

"You cannot shut the windows of the sky,
Through which Aurora shows her brightening face."

Thomson: Castle of Indolence, canto ii. 3.

Aurora's tears. The morning dew.

Aurora Australis The Southern lights, a similar phenomenon to the "Aurora Borealis."

Aurora Borealis (Latin). The electrical lights occasionally seen in the northern part of the sky; also called "Northern Lights," and "Merry Dancers." (See Derwentwater.)

Aurora Raby A rich, noble English orphan; left to the care of guardians; a Catholic in religion; and in person.

"A rose with all its sweetest leaves yet folded."

Byron: Don Juan. xv 43.

Aurora Septentrionalis Same as Aurora Australis (q.v.).

Ausonia An ancient name of Italy; so called from Auson, son of Ulysses, and father of the Ausones.

"All the green delights Ausonia pours."

Thomson: Summer, 956.