Chapter Lion to Lips of L by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Lion of St. Mark (See under Lion , heraldry.)

Lion of the Reformation (The). Spenser says that while Una was seeking St. George, she sat to rest herself, when a lion rushed suddenly out of a thicket, with gaping mouth and lashing tail; but as he drew near he was awe-struck, and, laying aside his fury, kissed her feet and licked her hands; for, as the poet adds, “beauty can master strength, and truth subdue vengeance.” (The lion is the emblem of England, which waits upon Truth. When true faith was deserted by all the world, England the lion came to its rescue.) The lion then followed Una as a dog, but when Una met Hypocrisy, Sansloy came upon them and killed the lion. That is, during the reigns of Henry VIII. and Edward VI., England the lion followed the footsteps of Truth, but in the reign of Mary, Hypocrisy came and False-faith killed the lion, i.e. separated England from Truth by fire and sword.

Lion of the Zodiac One of the signs of the Zodiac (28th of July to the 23rd of August).

Lion's Claws Commonly used as ornaments to the legs of furniture, as tables, chairs, etc.; emblematical of strength and stability. The Greeks and Romans employed, for the same purpose, the hoofs of oxen.

“Les soutiens des tables et des trépieds [in Greece and Rome] se terminaiént souvent en forme de piedes de bœuf, pour exprimer la force et la stabilité.”- Noel: Dictionnaire de la Fable, vol. i. p. 237, col. 2.

Lion's Head In fountains the water generally is made to issue from the mouth of a lion. This is a very ancient custom. The Egyptians thus symbolised the inundation of the Nile, which happens when the sun is in Leo. The Greeks and Romans adopted the same device for their fountains.

Lion's Mouth To place one's head in the lion's mouth. To expose oneself needlessly and foolhardily to danger.

Lion's Provider A jackal; a foil to another man's wit, a humble friend who plays into your hand to show you to best advantage. The jackal feeds on the lion's leavings, and is supposed to serve the lion in much the same way as a dog serves a sportsman. The dog lifts up its foot to indicate that game is at hand, and the jackals yell to advertise the lion that they have roused up his prey. (See Jackal .)

“... the poor jackals are less foul,
As being the brave lion's keen providers.
Than human insects catering for spiders.”
Byron: Don Juan, ix. 27.

Lion's Share The larger part: all or nearly all: In Æsop's Fables, several beasts joined the lion in a hunt; but, when the spoil was divided, the lion claimed one quarter in right of his prerogative, one for his superior courage, one for his dam and cubs, “and as for the fourth, let who will dispute it with me.” Awed by his frown, the other beasts yielded and silently withdrew. (See Montgomery .)

Lions (The). The lions of a place are sights worth seeing, or the celebrities; so called from the ancient custom of showing strangers, as chief of London sights, the lions at the Tower. The Tower menagerie was abolished in 1834.

Lionise a Person (To) is either to show him the lions, or chief objects of attraction; or to make a lion of him, by fêting him and making a fuss about him. To be lionised is to be so treated.

Liosalfar The light Alfs who dwell in the city Alf-heim. They are whiter than the sun. (See Dock-Alfar .) (Scandinavian mythology.)

Lip (Anglo-Saxon, lippe, the lip.)
   To curl the lip. To express contempt or disgust with the mouth.
   To hang the lip. To drop the under lip in sullenness or contempt. Thus Helen explains why her brother Troilus is