Chapter Remigius to Revulsion of R by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Repartee' properly means a smart return blow in fencing. (French, repartir, to return a blow.)

Repenter Curls The long ringlets of a lady's hair. Repentir is the French for a penitentiary, and les repentirs are the girls sent there for reformation. Repentir, therefore, is a Lock Hospital or Magdalen. Now, Mary Magdalen is represented to have had such long hair that she wiped off her tears therewith from the feet of Jesus. Hence, Magdalen curls would mean the long hair of a Mary Magdalen made into ringlets.

Reply Churlish (The). Sir, you are no judge; your opinion has no weight with me. Or, to use Touchstone's illustration: “If a courtier tell me my beard is not well cut, and I disable his judgment, I give him the reply churlish, which is the fifth remove from the lie direct, or rather, the lie direct in the fifth degree.”

Reproof Valiant (The). Sir, allow me to tell you that is not the truth. To use Touchstone's illustration: “If a courtier tells me my beard is not well cut, and I answer, `That is not true,' I give him the reply valiant, which is the fourth remove from the lie direct, or rather, the lie direct in the fourth degree.”
   The reproof valiant, the countercheck quarrelsome, the lie circumstantial, and the lie direct, are not clearly defined by Touchstone. The following, perhaps, will give the distinction required: That is not true; How dare you utter such a falsehood; If you said so, you are a liar; You are a liar, or you lie.

Republican Queen Sophie Charlotte, wife of Frederick I. of Prussia.

Republicans (See Black .)

Resolute (The). John Florio, the philologist, tutor to Prince Henry; the Holofernes of Shakespeare. (1545- 1625.)
   The resolute doctor. John Baconthorp (-1346).
   The most resolute doctor. Guillaume Durandus de St. Pourcain (-1332).

Rest (The). A contraction of residue- thus, resid', resit, res't.

Rest on One's Oars (See Oars .)

Restive (2 syl.) means inclined to resist, resistive, obstinate or self-willed. It has nothing to do with rest (quiet).

Restorationists The followers of Origen's opinion that all persons, after a purgation proportioned to their demerits, will be restored to Divine favour and taken to Paradise. Mr. Ballow, of America, has introduced an extension of the term, and maintains that all retribution is limited to this life, and at the resurrection all will be restored to life, joy, and immortality.

Resurrection Men Grave robbers. First applied to Burke and Hare, in 1829, who rifled graves to sell the bodies for dissection, and sometimes even murdered people for the same purpose.

Resurrection Pie is made of broken cooked meat. Meat réchauffé is sometimes called “resurrection meat.”

Retiarius A gladiator who made use of a net, which he threw over his adversary.

“As in thronged amphitheatre of old
The wary Retiarius trapped his foe.”
Thomson: Castle of Indolence, canto ii.

Retort Courteous (The). Sir, I am not of your opinion: I beg to differ from you: or, to use Touchstone's illustration, “If I said his beard was not cut well, he was in the mind it was.” The lie seven times removed; or rather, the lie direct in the seventh degree.

Reuben Dixon A village school-master “of ragged lads.”

“Mid noise, and dirt, and stench, and play, and prate,
He calmly cuts the pen or views the slate.”
Crabbe: Borough, letter xxiv.

Reveille [re-vay'-ya]. The beat of drum at daybreak to warn the sentries that they may forbear from challenging, as the troops are awake. (French, réveiller, to awake.)