Prophesy upon Velvet(To). To prophesy what is already a known fact. Thus, the issue of a battle flashed to an individual may, by some chance, get to the knowledge of a “sibyl,” who may securely prophesy the issue to others; but such a prediction would be a “prophecy on velvet;” it goes on velvet slippers without fear of stumbling. “If one of those three had spoken the news over again ... the old
lady [or sibyl] prophesies upon velvet.” — Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Prophesy upon Velvet from Infoplease:
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