Chapter Credence Table to Crillon of C by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Credence Table to Crillon

Credence Table The table near the altar on which the bread and wine are deposited before they are consecrated. In former times food was placed on a credence-table to be tasted previously to its being set before the guests. This was done to assure the guests that the meat was not poisoned. The Italian credenzare means to taste meats placed on the credenza. (Italian, la credenza, a shelf or buffet; Greek, kreas, food.)

Credit Foncier (French). A company licensed to borrow money for city and other improvements connected with estates. A board of guardians may form such a company, and their security would be the parish rates. The money borrowed is repaid by instalments with interest. The word foncier means "landed," as impôt foncier (land-tax), bien foncier (landed property), and so on.

Credit Mobilier (French). A company licensed to take in hand all sorts of trading enterprises, such as railways, and to carry on the business of stock-jobbers. The word mobilier means personal property, general stock, as bien mobilier (personal chattels), mobilier vif et mort (live and dead stock).

Crekenpit A fictitious river near Husterloe, according to the invention of Master Reynard, who calls on the Hare to attest the fact. (Reynard the Fox.)

Cremona An organ stop, a corruption of the Italian cormorne, which is the German krummhorn, an organ stop of eight feet pitch; so called from a wind-instrument made of wood, and bent outwards in a circular arc (krummhorn, crooked horn).

Cremonas Violins of the greatest excellence; so called from Cremona, where for many years lived some makers of them who have gained a world-wide notoriety, such as Andrea Amati and Antonio his son, Antonius Stradivarius his pupil, and Giuseppe Guarnerius the pupil of Stradivarius. Cremona has long since lost its reputation for this manufacture.

"In silvis viva silui; canora jam mortua cano."
A motto on a Cremona.
Speechless, alive, I heard the feathered throng;
Now, being dead, I emulate their song. E. C. B.

Creole (2 syl.). A descendant of white people born in Mexico, South America, and the West Indies. (Spanish criado, a servant; diminutive criadillo, contracted into creollo, creole.) (See Mulatto.)
   Creole dialects. The various jargons spoken by the West India slaves.

Crepidam Supra crepidam. Talking about subjects above one's metier, meddling and muddling matters of which you know little or nothing. (See Cobbler.)

Crescent Tradition says that "Philip, the father of Alexander, meeting with great difficulties in the siege of Byzantium, set the workmen to undermine the walls, but a crescent moon discovered the design, which miscarried; consequently the Byzantines erected a statue to Diana, and the crescent became the symbol of the state."
   Another legend is that Othman, the Sultan, saw in a vision a crescent moon, which kept increasing till its horns extended from east to west, and he adopted the crescent of his dream for his standard, adding the motto, "Donec repleat orbem."

Crescent City (The). New Orleans, in Louisiana, U.S.

Crescit Crescit sub pondere Virtus (Virtue thrives best in adversity). The allusion is to the palm-tree, which grows better when pressed by an incumbent weight.
   Many plants grow the better for being pressed, as grass, which is wonderfully improved by being rolled frequently with a heavy roller, and by being trodden down by sheep.

Cressell'e (2 syl.). A wooden rattle used formerly in the Romish Church during Passion week, instead of bells, to give notice of Divine worship. Supposed to represent the rattling in the throat of Christ while hanging on the cross.