Chapter Barbason to Bark of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Bard of the Imagination. Mark Akenside, author of Pleasures of the Imagination. (1721--1770.)

Bard of Memory. Rogers, author of The Pleasures of Memory. (1762--1855.)

Bard of Olney. Cowper, who resided at Olney, in Bucks, for many years. (1731--1800.)

The Bard of Prose.

"He of the hundred tales of love." Childe Harold, iv. 56.

i.e. Boccaccio.

The Bard of Rydal Mount. William Wordsworth; so called because Rydal Mount was his mountain home. Also called the "Poet of the Excursion," from his principal poem. (1770--1850.)

Bard of Twickenham. Alexander Pope, who resided at Twickenham. (1688--1744.)

Barebone Parliament (The). The Parliament convened by Cromwell in 1653; so called from Praise-God Barebone, a fanatical leader, who was a prominent member.

Barefaced Audacious, shameless, impudent. This seems to imply that social and good manners require concealment, or, at any rate, to veil the face with "white lies." In Latin - retecta facie; in French - à visage découvert. Cassius says to his friend Brutus, "If I have veiled my looks ...," that is, concealed my thoughts from you.

Barefooted Certain monks and nuns, who use sandals instead of shoes. The Jews and Romans used to put off their shoes in mourning and public calamities, by way of humiliation. The practice is defended by the command of our Lord to His disciples: "Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes" (Luke x. 4).

Bare Poles (Under) implies that the weather is rough and the wind so high that the ship displays no sails on the masts. Figuratively applied to a man reduced to the last extremity. Figuratively, a disingenuous person sails under bare poles.

"We were scudding before a heavy gale, under bare poles." - Cupt. Marryat.

Bargain Into the bargain. In addition thereto; besides what was bargained for.

To make the best of a bad bargain. To bear bad luck, or a bad bargain, with equanimity.

Bark Dogs in their wild state never bark; they howl, whine, and growl, but do not bark. Barking is an acquired habit; and as only domesticated dogs bark, this effort of a dog to speak is no indication of a savage temper.

Barking dogs seldom bite. Huffing, bouncing, hectoring fellows rarely possess cool courage.

French: "Tout chien qui aboye ne mord pas."

Latin: "Canes timidi vehementius latrant quam mordent."

Italian: "Can che abbaia non morde."

German: "Ein hellender hund beisst nicht leicht."

To bark at the moon. To rail at those in high places, as a dog thinks to frighten the moon by baying at it. There is a superstition that it portends death or ill-luck.

"I'd rather be a dog, and bay the moon,
Than such a Roman." Shakespeare: Julius Cæsar, iv. 3

His bark is worse than his bite. He scolds and abuses roundly, but does not bear malice, or do mischief. The