Francis's Distemper

(St.). Impecuniosity; being moneyless. Those of the Order of St. Francis were not allowed to carry any money about them.

“I saw another case of gentlemen of St. Francis's distemper.” —Rabelais: Pantagruel, v. 21.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language