Chapter Punch to Puss in Boots of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Punch to Puss in Boots

Punch A Suffolk punch. A short, thick-set cart-horse.

“I did hear them call their child Punch, which pleased me mightily, that word having become a word of common use for everything that is thick and short.”- Pepys's Diary.

Punctual No bigger than a point, exact to a point or moment. (Latin, ad punctum.) Hence the angel, describing this earth to Adam, calls it “This spacious earth, this punctual spot”- i.e. a spot no bigger than a point. (Milton: Paradise Lost, viii. 23.)

Punctuality Punctuality is the politeness of kings. Attributed to Louis XVIII.

Punctuation The following advice of Bishop Orleton to Gourney and Maltravers in 1327 is an excellent example of the importance of punctuation:- Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est- “Refrain not to kill King Edward is right.” If the point is placed after the first word, the sentence reads, “Not to kill the king is right;” but if after the second word, the direction becomes, “Refrain not; to kill the king is right.” (See Oracle .)

Pundit An East Indian scholar, skilled in Sanskrit, and learned in law, divinity, and science. We use the word for a porcus literarum, one more stocked with book lore than deep erudition.

Punic Apple A pomegranate; so called because it is the pomum or “apple” belonging to the genus Punica.

Punic Faith Treachery, violation of faith. “Punic faith” is about equal to “Spanish honesty.” The Puni (a corruption of Poeni) were accused by the Romans of breaking faith with them, a most extraordinary instance of the “pot calling the kettle black;” for whatever infidelity the Carthaginians were guilty of, it could scarcely equal that of their accusers.
   The Roman Poeni is the word Phoeni (Phoenicians), the Carthaginians being of Phoenician descent.

“Our Punic faith
Is infamous, and branded to a proverb.”
Addison: Cato, ii.

Punish a Bottle (To). To drink a bottle of wine or spirits. When the contents have been punished, the empty bottles are “dead men.”

“After we'd punished a couple of bottles of old Crow whisky ... he caved in all of a sudden [he got completely powerless].”- The Barton Experiment, chap. xiv.

Punjab [five rivers]. They are the Jelum, Chenab, Ravee, Beas, and Sutlej; called by the Greeks pente-potamia.

Pup properly means a little boy or girl. A little dog is so called because it is a pet. An insect in the third stage of existence. (Latin, pupus, fem. pupa; French, poupée, a doll; German, puppe.)

Purbeck (Dorsetshire). Noted for a marble used in ecclesiastical ornaments. Chichester cathedral has a row of columns of this limestone. The columns of the Temple church, London; the tomb of Queen Eleanor, in Westminster Abbey; and the throne of the archbishop in Canterbury cathedral, are other specimens.

Purgatory The Jewish Rabbi believed that the soul of the deceased was consigned to a sort of purgatory for twelve months after death, during which time it was allowed to visit its dead body and the places or persons it especially loved. This intermediate state they called by various names, as “the bosom of Abraham,” “the garden of Eden,” “upper Gehenna.” The Sabbath was always a free day, and prayer was supposed to benefit those in this intermediate state.

Puritani (I). The Puritans. Elvira, daughter of Lord Walton, a Puritan, is affianced to Lord Arthur Talbot, a Cavalier. On the day of espousals, Lord Arthur aids Henrietta, the widow of Charles I., to escape; and Elvira, thinking him faithless, loses her reason. On his return to England, Lord Arthur explains the circumstances, and the two lovers vow that nothing on earth shall part them more. The vow is scarcely uttered, when Cromwell's soldiers enter and arrest Lord Talbot for treason; but as they lead him forth to execution a herald announces the defeat of the Stuarts, and free pardon to all political prisoners, whereupon Lord Arthur is liberated, and marries Elvira. (Bellini: I Puritani; libretto by C. Pepoli.)