DEFINITIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 48

DEFINITIONS.

BONB TO PICK,

It is the custom in Sicily for the father of a bride to hand the bridegroom a bon>» «o.ving: " Pick this bone ; you have undt taken a more difficult task."

NUGGET.

Some have attempted to show that this ia a Persian word, signifying "ready cash." The word, however, is Scotoh, and signifies a lump — as a " nugget " of bread, a " nugget " of sugar, &c.

APPLE-PIE OKDEB.

A few years ago the origin of this phrase was the subject of discussion in the pages of Notes and Queries. The most probable derivation is that whioh attributes it to a corruption of " alpha-beta order " ; but even this is doubtful.

CANONISATION.

The ceremony whereby a deceased person is raised to the order of the Saints — a privilege now exclusively vested on the See of Rome. Canonisation cannot be made until at least 50 years have elapsed from the date of dsatb. — Hazell.

HEART OF GRACE.

Meaning to be of good pluck or to have plenty of courage. The saying is derived from a hunting phrase ; a stag in good condition being called "a bert of grease." A pun SBems co have been intended in the first instance, but the joke is neither very obvious nor a very lively one.

A sum of money ; generally the whole of a man's private means. The term was originally peculiar to the Oalifornian miners, in reference to their accumulated gold dust and nuggets. American gamblers speak of "putting all the • pile ' on " when they fancy anything very much. To go the whole pile "is equivalent to the English Eporting phrase " to go a raker."

This is the symbol of a first-class vessel at Lloyd's. The letter A refers to the character of the hull of the ship, and is assigned to a new ship for a number of years, varying from four to 15, according to the material used and the workmanship. After the original term has expired the A may be " contiued " for a further specific term on condition of certain specified repairs, &c. The figure 1 refers to the state of the anchors, cables, and other fittinga. Vessels of inferior character are classified under the letters M, E, and I. The term Al has latterly come into use to denote anything of undoubtedly good quality.

HE WHO FIGHTS AND HUNS AWAY.

It is generally thought that these lines are in " Hudibras," and many wagers have been won and lost on the subject, but those who search will not find them there. Butler wrote :

For those who fly may fight again, Which he can never do that's slain. And in this shape the words appeared from 1678 to 1762, when Goldsmith published a work, " The Art of Poetry on a New Plan," whore, paraphrasing Butler's couplet, he issued the following :

For he who fights and runs away May live to fight another day ; But he who is in battle slain Can never rise and fight again. Both Butler and Goldsmith, however, were plagiarists, for in Newman's " Church of the Fatherp," p. 215, is an extract from Tertullian as follows :—": — " The Greek proverb is sometimes urged, « Ha who flees will fight another day.' " And Goldsmith's lines, almost verbatim — e.g., J<"or he that fights and ruus away May live to right another dayappear in " The Muses' Recreation," a volume of poems published in 1656, and written by Sir John Minness, vice-admiral to Charles I and Comptroller of the navy after theßastoration. He died in 1670, and was buried in the Church of All Hallows, Barking, where there is a monument to his memory.