Chapter Cockney School to Coins of C by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Coffee The Turkish word is Kauhi, Kauveh or Kauvey.
   Coffee. In Ardennes ten cups of coffee are taken after dinner, and each cup has its special name. (1) Café (2) Gloria, (3) Pousse Café (4) Goutte, (5) Regoutte, (6) Sur-goutte, (7) Rincette, (8) Re-rincette, (9) Sur-rincette, and (10) Coup de l'érier.    Gloria is coffee with a small glass of brandy in lieu of milk; all the following have more and more l'eau de vie; and the last is the “stirrup-cup.”

Coffin A raised crust, like the lid of a basket. Hence Shakespeare speaks of a “custard coffin” (Taming of the Shrew, iv. 3). Mahomet's Coffin )

“Of the paste a coffin will I rear.'
Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus, v. 2.

Coggeshall A Coggeshall job. The saying is, that the Coggeshall folk wanted to divert the current of a stream, and fixed hurdles in the bed of it for the purpose. Another tale is that a mad dog bit a wheelbarrow, and the people, fearing it would go mad, chained it up in a shed. (See Gotham )

Cogito ergo sum Descartes' axiom. This is a petitio principii. “I think” can only prove this: that “I think.” And he might just as well infer from it the existence of thought as the existence of I. He is asked to prove the latter, and immediately assumes that it exists and does something, and then infers that it exists because it does something. Suppose I were asked to prove the existence of ice, and were to say, ice is cold, therefore there is such a thing as ice. Manifestly I first assume there is such a thing as ice, then ascribe to it an attribute, and then argue back that this attribute is the outcome of ice. This is not proof, but simply arguing in a circle.

Cohens (Stock Exchange term). The Turkish '69 loan, floated by the firm of that name.

Coif (1 syl.). The coif of the old serjeant-at-law was a relic of his ecclesiastical character. The original serjeants-at-law were clerical lawyers, and the coif is the representation of the tonsure.    Serjeants of the Coif. Serjeants-at-law (now abolished). (See above.)

Coiffe Il est né coiffé. He is born with a silver spoon in his mouth; born to fortune. (See page 229, col. 2, Caul )

“Quelques enfans viennent au monde avec une pellicule ... que l'on appelle du nom de coëffe; et que l'on croit estre une marque de bonheur. Ce qui a donné lieu au proverbe françois. ... Il est né coëffé. ”- Traite des Superstition, 1679.

Coiffer to Sainte Catherine To remain an old maid. “St. Catherine est la patronne des filles à marier et des vieilles filles. Ce sont ces dernières qui restent ordinairement pour soigner les chapelles consacrées à la sainte, et qui sont chargées de sa toilette.” (Hetaire le Gai: Encyclopédie des Proverbes Français. )

“Il crois peut-etre que je le regrette, que, de désespoir je vais coiffer St. Catherine. Ah! ah! mais non! moi aussi je veux me marier.”- La Mascotte (an opera).

Coin Paid in his own coin. Tit for tat. “Par pari referre. ”

Coin Money (To ). To make money with rapidity and ease.

“For the last four years ... I literally coined money.”- F. Kemble: Residence in Georgia.

Coins    BRITISH Iron rings were used for money by the ancient Britons, and Segonax, a petty king under Cassivelân, is the first whose head was impressed on the coin. Gold, silver, and copper coins were struck by Cunobelin.
   The ROMANS introduced their own coins into the island.
   The oldest ANGLO-SAXON coin was the sceatta (pl. sceattae), sixth century. In the reign of Ethelbert, King of Kent, money accounts were kept in pounds, mancuses, shillings, and pence. One of the last being equal to about 3 pence of our money. 5 pence = one scilling, 30 scillings one manca or mancus, and 40 one pound. Mancuses were in gold and silver also.
   The NORMANS introduced pence with a cross so deeply impressed that the coin could be broken either into two or four parts, hence the terms half-pence and fourthings.
   The Angel, a gold coin (7s. 6d.), was introduced by Edward IV., and had a figure of Michael slaying the dragon.
   The Bawbee first came into use in the reign of James VI. of Scotland. (French, bas-billon, base copper coin.)
   The Carolus