Chapter Bowie Knife to Brag of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Bowie Knife to Brag

Bowie Knife A long, stout knife, carried by hunters in the Western States of America. So called from Colonel James Bowie, one of the most daring characters of the States. Born in Logan, co. Kentucky. A bowie knife has a horn handle, and the curved blade is 15 in. long, and 1 1/4 wide at the hilt. (“Bowie” to rhyme with showy. )

Bowing We uncover the head when we wish to salute anyone with respect; but the Jews, Turks, Siamese, etc., uncover their feet. The reason is this: With us the chief act of investiture is crowning or placing a cap on the head; but in the East it is putting on the slippers. To take off our symbol of honour is to confess we are but “the humble servant” of the person whom we thus salute. (“Bowing” to rhyme with ploughing or plowing.)

Bowled He was bowled out. A term in cricket. (Pronounce bold.)

Bowling Tom Bowling. The type of a model sailor in Smollett's Roderick Random. (To rhyme with rolling.)
    The Tom Bowling referred to in Dibdin's famous sea-song was Captain Thomas Dibdin, brother of Charles Dibdin, who wrote the song, and father of Dr. Dibdin, the bibliomaniac.

“Here a sheer hulk lies poor Tom Bowling,
The darling of the crew.” Dibdin.

Bowls They who play bowls must expect to meet with rubbers. Those who touch pitch must expect to defile their fingers. Those who enter upon affairs of chance, adventure, or dangerous hazard must make up their minds to encounter crosses, losses, or difficulties. Those who play with edged instruments must expect to get cut. Soldiers in battle must look out for wounds, gamblers for losses, libertines for diseases.
    “Bowls” to rhyme with rolls.

Bowse (See Browse. )

Bowyer God The same as the “archer god,” meaning Cupid. (“Bower” to rhyme with grower. )

Box I've got into the wrong box. I am out of my element. Lord Lyttelton used to say he ought to have been brought up to some business; that whenever he went to Vauxhall and heard the mirth of his neighbours, he used to fancy pleasure was in every box but his own. Wherever he went for happiness, he somehow always got into the wrong box. (See Christmas Box. )

Box and Cox The two chief characters in John M. Morton's farce, usually called Box and Cox.

Box the Compass Repeat in order the 32 points. (Spanish, boxar, to sail round.)

Box Days Two days in spring and autumn, and one at Christmas, during vacation, in which pleadings may be filed. This custom was established in 1690, for the purpose of expediting business. Each judge has a private box with a slit, into which informations may be placed on box days, and the judge, who alone has the key, examines the papers in private.

Box Harry (To ), among commercial travellers, is to shirk the table d'hôte and take something substantial for tea, in order to save expense. Halliwell says, “to take care after having been extravagant.” To box a tree is to cut the bark to procure the sap, and these travellers drain the landlord by having a cheap tea instead of an expensive dinner. To “box the fox” is to rob an orchard.

Boxing-Day (See Christmas Box. )

Boy in sailor language has no reference to age, but only to experience in seamanship. A boy may be fifty or any other age. A crew is divided into able seamen, ordinary seamen, and boys or greenhorns. A “boy” is not required to know anything about the practical working of the vessel, but an “able seaman” must know all his duties and be able to perform them.

“A boy does not ship to know anything.”