Chapter Frithiof's Sword to Fulsome of F by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Frithiof's Sword to Fulsome

Frithiof's Sword Angurvadel (stream of anguish). (See Sword.)

Fritz (Old Fritz). Frederick II. the Great, King of Prussia (1712, 1740-1786).

Frog A frog and mouse agreed to settle by single combat their claims to a marsh; but, while they fought, a kite carried them both off. (Æsop: Fables, clxviii.)

"Old Æsop's fable, where he told
What fate unto the mouse and frog befel."
Cary: Dante, cxxiii.

   Nic Frog is the Dutchman (not Frenchman) in Arbuthnot's History of John Bull. Frogs are called "Dutch, nightingales."

Frog's March Carrying an obstreperous prisoner, face downwards, by his four limbs.

Frogs Frenchmen, properly Parisians. So called from their ancient heraldic device, which was three frogs or three toads. "Qu'en disent les grenouilles? " - What will the frogs (people of Paris) say? - was in 1791 a common court phrase at Versailles. There was a point in the pleasantry when Paris was a quagmire, called Lutetia (mud-land) because, like frogs or toads, they lived in mud, but now it is quite an anomaly. (See Crapaud.)
   Frogs. The Lycian shepherds were changed into frogs for mocking Latona. (Ovid: Metamorphoses, vi. 4.)

"As when those hinds that were transformed to frogs
Railed at Latona's twin-born progeny."
Milton: Sonnet, vii.

   It may be all fun to you, but it is death to the frogs. The allusion is to the fable of a boy stoning frogs for his amusement.

Frollo (Archdeacon Claude). A priest who has a great reputation for sanctity, but falls in love with a gipsy girl, and pursues her with relentless persecution because she will not yield to him. (Victor Hugo: Notre Dame de Paris.)

Fronde (1 syl.). A political squabble during the ministry of Cardinal Mazarin, in the minority of Louis XIV. (1648-1653). The malcontents were called Frondeurs, from a witty illustration of a councillor, who said that they were "like schoolboys who sling stones about the streets. When no eye is upon them they are bold as bullies; but the moment a `policeman' approaches, away they scamper to the ditches for concealment" (Montglat). The French for a sling is fronde, and for slingers, frondeurs.

"It was already true that the French government was a despotism ... and as speeches and lampoons were launched by persons who tried to hide after they had shot their dart, some one compared them to children with a sling (fronde), who let fly a stone and run away." - C. M. Yonge: History of France, chap. viii. p.136.

Frondeur A backbiter; one who throws stones at another.

"`And what about Diebitsch?' began another frondeur." - Vera, p. 200.

Frontino (See Horse .)

Frost Jack Frost. The personification of frost.

"Jack Frost looked forth one still, clear night,
And he said, `Now I shall be out of sight:
So over the valley and over the height
In silence I'll take my way.'"
Miss Gould

Frost Saints (See Ice Saints .)

Froth (Master). "A foolish gentleman" in Measure for Measure.
   Lord Froth. A pompous coxcomb in The Double Dealer, by Congreve.

Froude's Cat This cat wanted to know what was good for life, and everyone gave her queer answers. The owl said, "Meditate, O cat;" and so she tried to think which could have come first, the fowl or the egg. (Short Studies on Great Subjects.)

"If I were to ask, like Froude's cat, `What is my duty?' you would answer, I suppose, like the sagacious animal in the parable, `Get your own dinner ... that is my duty, I suppose."' - Edna Lyall: Donovan, chap. ix.

Frozen Music Architecture. So called by F. Schlegel.