Chapter E to Earth of E by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

up one's ears. To listen attentively to something not expected, as horses prick up their ears at a sudden sound.

"At which, like unbacked colts, they pricked their ears." Shakespeare: The Tempest, iv. 1.

   To set people together by the ears. To create ill-will among them; to set them quarrelling and pulling each other's ears.

"When civil dudgeon first grew high,
And men fell out, they knew not why;
When hard words, jealousies, and fears,
Set folks together by the ears."
Butler: Hudibras (The opening).

   To tickle the ears. To gratify the ear either by pleasing sounds or flattering words.
   Walls have ears. Things uttered in secret get rumoured abroad. Chaucer says, "That field hath eyen, and the wood hath ears." (Canterbury Tales, v. 1,524.)

Ears to ear Bible (The). (1810.) "Who hath ears to ear, let him hear." (Matt. xiii. 43.) (See Bible.)

Earing Ploughing. (Anglo-Saxon, erian, to plough; Latin, aro.)

"And yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest." - Genesis xiv. 6.

"In earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest." - Exodus xxxiv. 21.

Earl (Anglo-Saxon, eorl, a man of position, in opposition to ceorl, a churl, or freeman of the lowest rank; Danish, jarl). William the Conqueror tried to introduce the word Count, but did not succeed, although the wife of an earl is still called a countess.

"The sheriff is called in Latin vice-comés, as being the deputy of the earl or comés, to whom the custody of the shire is said to have been committed." - Blackstone: Commentaries, book i. chap. ix. p. 339.

Earl of Mar's Grey Breeks The 21st Foot are so called because they wore grey breeches when the Earl of Mar was their colonel. (1678-1686.)
   The 21st Foot is now called the "Royal Scots Fusiliers."

Early to Bed "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

"Lever à cinq, diner à neuf,
Souper à cinq, coucher à neuf,
Font vivre d'ans nonante neuf."
(The older of the two.)

"Lever à six, diner à dix,
Super à six, coucher à dix,
Fait vivre l'homme dix fois dix."

Earth To gather strength from the earth. The reference is to Antæos, son of Poseidon and Ge, a giant and wrestler of Libya (Africa). So long as he touched the earth his strength was irresistible. Hercules, knowing this, lifted him into the air and crushed him to death. Near the town of Tingis, in Mauritania, is a hill in the shape of a man, and called The hill of Antæos. Tradition says it is the wrestler's tomb. (See Malegea.)