Brewer's: Dives

(l syl.), Divs or Deevs. Demons of Persian mythology. According to the Koran, they are ferocious and gigantic spirits under the sovereignty of Eblis.

“At Lahore, in the Mogul's palace, are pictures of Dews and Dives with long horns, staring eyes,shaggy hair, great fangs, ugly paws, long tails, and such horrible deformity, that I wonder the poor women are not frightened.” —William Finch: Purchas' Pilgrims, vol. i.

Dives
(2 syl.). The name popularly given to the rich man in our Lord's parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke xvi.). The Latin would be Dives et Lazarus.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Related Content