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Forty
A superstitious number, arising from the Scripture use. Thus
Moses was forty days in the mount; Elijah was forty days fed by ravens;
the rain of the flood fell forty days, and another forty days expired
before Noah opened the window of the ark; forty days was the period of
embalming; Nineveh had forty days to repent; our Lord fasted forty
days; He was seen forty days after His resurrection; etc.
St. Swithin betokens forty days' rain or dry weather; a quarantine
extends to forty days; forty days, in the Old English law, was the
limit for the payment of the fine for manslaughter; the privilege of
sanctuary was for forty days; the widow was allowed to remain in her
husband's house for forty days after his decease; a knight enjoined
forty days' service of his tenant; a stranger, at the expiration of
forty days was compelled to be enrolled in some tithing; members of
Parliament were protected from arrest forty days after the prorogation
of the House, and forty days before the House was convened; a new-made
burgess had to forfeit forty pence unless he built a house within forty
days; etc., etc.
The ancient physicians ascribe many strange changes to the period of
forty; the alchemists looked on forty days as the charmed period when
the philosopher's stone and elixir of life were to appear.
Fool or physician at forty.
(See under Fool.)
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Forty from Infoplease:
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