Chapter Knot and Bridle to Kremlin of K by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Knot and Bridle to Kremlin

Knot and Bridle (A). A mob-cap.

“Upon her head a small mob-cap she placed.
Of lawn so stiff, with large flowered ribbon graced,
Yclept a knot and bridle; in a bow,
Of scarlet flaming, her long chin below.”
Peter Pindar: Portfolio (Dinah).

Knots of May The children's game. “Here we go gathering nuts of May” is a perversion of “Here we go gathering knots of May,” referring to the old custom of gathering knots of flowers on May-day, or, to use the ordinary phrase, “to go a-Maying.” Of course, there are no nuts to be gathered in May.

Knotted Stick is Planed (The). The house of Orleans is worsted by that of Burgundy. The house of Orleans bore for its badge a bâton noueux, the house of Burgundy a plane; hence the French saying, “Le bâton noueux est plané. ”

Knotgrass Supposed, if taken in an infusion, to stop growth.

“Get you gone, you dwarf;
You minimus, of hindering knotgrass made.”
Shakespeare: Midsummer Night's Dream, iii. 2.

Knout (1 syl.) is a knotted bunch of thongs made of hide. It is a Tartar invention, but was introduced into Russia. (Knout, Tartar for knot.)

Know Thyself The wise saw of Solon, the Athenian lawgiver (B.C. 638-558).

Know the Fitting Moment The favourite maxim of Pittacos, one of the “seven wise men.”

Know Your Own Mind By Murphy; borrowed from Destouches, the French dramatist.

Know-Nothings A secret political party of the United States, which arose in 1853, who replied to every question asked about their society, “I know nothing about it.” Their object was to accomplish the repeal of the naturalisation laws, and of the law which excluded all but natives from holding office. The party split on the slavery question and died out.
   The chief principle of the party was that no one who had not been 21 years in the United States should be permitted to have any part in the government.

Knows which Side his Bread is Buttered (He). He is alive to his own interest. In Latin, “Scit uti foro. ”

Knowledge-box (Your). Your head, the brain being the seat of all human knowledge.

Knox's Croft in Gifford Gate, Haddington; so called because it was the birthplace of John Knox.

Knuckle-duster A metal instrument which is fitted to a man's fist, and may be readily used in self-defence by striking a blow. Sometimes these instruments are armed with spikes. It was an American invention, and was used in England in defence against the infamous attacks of Spring-heel Jack. We have the phrase “To dust your jacket for you,” meaning to “beat you,” as men dust carpets by beating them.

Knuckle Under (To). To kneel for pardon. Knuckle here means the knee, and we still say a “knuckle of veal or mutton,” meaning the thin end of the leg near the joint. Dr. Ogilvie tells us there was an old custom of striking the under side of a table with the knuckles when defeated in an argument; and Dr. Johnson, following Bailey, says the same thing.

Kobold A house-spirit in German superstition; the same as our Robin Goodfellow, and the Scotch brownie (q.v.). (See Fairy Hinzelmann .)

Kochlani Arabian horses of royal stock, of which genealogies have been preserved for more than 2,000 years. It is said that they are the offspring of Solomon's stud. (Niebuhr.)

Koh-i-Nur [Mountain of light]. A large diamond in the possession of the Queen of England. It was found on the banks of the Godavery (Deccan), 1550, and belonged to Shah Jehan and Aurungzebe the Great (Mogul kings). In 1739 it passed into the hands of Nadir Shah, who called it the Koh-i-nûr. It next