Chapter Bird in thy Bosom to Bites and Bams of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Bird in thy Bosom to Bites and Bams

Bird in thy Bosom Thou hast kept well the bird in thy bosom. Thou hast remained faithful to thy allegiance or faith. The expression was used by Sir Ralph Percy (slain in the battle of Hedgly Moor in 1464) to express his having preserved unstained his fidelity to the House of Lancaster.

Bird of Este The white eagle, the cognisance of the house.

“His dazzling way
The bird of Estë soars beyond the solar ray.”
Tasso: Jerusalem Delivered, x.

Birds Birds of a feather flock together. Persons associate with those of a similar taste and station as themselves. Qui se ressemble s'assemble. Cicero says, “Similes similibus gaudent, pures cum paribus facillime congregantur.” “Ne nous associons qu'avec nos égaux” (La Fontaine).
   To kill two birds with one stone. To effect two objects with one outlay of trouble.

Birds (protected by superstitions).
   Choughs are protected in Cornwall, because the soul of King Arthur migrated into a chough.
   The Hawk is held sacred by the Egyptians, because it is the form assumed by Ra or Horus.
   The Ibis is sacred in Egypt, and to kill one was at one time a capital offence. It is said that the god Thoth escaped (as an Ibis) from the pursuit of Typhon.
   Mother Carey's Chickens, or Storm Petrels are protected by sailors, from a superstition that they are the living forms of the souls of deceased sailors.
   The Robin is protected, both from Christian tradition and nursery legend. (See Robin Redbreast.)
   The Stork is a sacred bird in Sweden, from the legend that it flew round the cross, crying Styrka, Styrka, when Jesus was crucified. (See Stork.)
   Swans are superstitiously protected in Ireland from the legend of the Fionnuala (daughter of Lir), who was metamorphosed into a swan and condemned to wander in lakes and rivers till Christianity was introduced. (See Irish Melodies, Silent O'Moyle.)
    The bat (a winged animal) was regarded by the Caribs as a good angel, which protected their dwellings at night; and it was accounted sacrilegious to kill one.

Bird's-eye View A mode of perspective drawing in which the artist is supposed to be over the objects delineated, in which case he beholds them as a bird in the air would see them. A general view.

Birdcage Walk (St. James's Park, London); so called from an aviary.

Birmingham Poet John Freeth, who died at the age of seventy-eight in 1808. He was wit, poet, and publican, who not only wrote the words and tunes of songs, but sang them also, and sang them well.

Birthday Suit He was in his birthday suit. Quite nude, as when first born.

Bis Bis dat, qui cito dat (he gives twice who gives promptly)- i.e. prompt relief will do as much good as twice the sum at a future period (Publius Syrus Proverbs.)
   Purple and bis, i.e. purple and fine linen (Latin, byssus, fine flax). The spelling is sometimes biss, bys, etc.

Biscuit (French-Latin, bis, twice; cuit, baked). So called because it was originally twice ovened. The Romans had a bread of this kind.
   In pottery, earthenware or porcelain, after it has been hardened in the fire, but has not yet been glazed, is so called.

Bise A wind that acts notably on the nervous system. It is prevalent in those valleys of Savoy that open to the north.

“The Bise blew cold.”
Rogers: Italy, part 1. div. ii. stanza 4.

Bishop (Evêque ), the same word, episcopus; whence episc, evesc, evesque, evéque; also 'piscop, bishop.

Bishop, Cardinal, Pope (as beverages):
   Bishop is made by pouring red wine (such as claret or burgundy), either hot or cold, on ripe bitter oranges. The liquor is then sugared and spiced to taste. In Germany, “bishop” is a mixture of wine, sugar, nutmeg, and orange or lemon. It is sometimes called “Purple Wine,”