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Brewer's: Alert
To be on the watch. From the Latin erectus, part. of erigere, to set upright; Italian, erto, French, erte, a watch-tower. Hence the Italian starë allerta, the Spanish estar alerta, and the…Brewer's: Buffoon
means one who puffs out his cheeks, and makes a ridiculous explosion by causing them suddenly to collapse. This being a standing trick with clowns, caused the name to be applied to low…Brewer's: Credence Table
The table near the altar on which the bread and wine are deposited before they are consecrated. In former times food was placed on a credence-table to be tasted previously to its being set…Brewer's: Macaroni
A coxcomb (Italian, un macceherone). The word is derived from the Macaroni Club, instituted by a set of flashy men who had travelled in Italy, and introduced Italian maccheroni at Almack's…Brewer's: Saltarello
“le fils de la Folie et de Pulcinello.” A supposititious Italian dancer, sent to amuse Bettina in the court of the Grand Duke Laurent. Bettina was a servant on a farm, in love with the…Brewer's: Pell-mell
Headlong; in reckless confusion. From the players of pallmall, who rush heedlessly to strike the ball. The “pall” is the ball (Italian, palla), and the “mall” is the mallet or bat (Italian…Brewer's: Piccinists
(1774-1780). A French musico-political faction, who contended that pure Italian music is higher art than the mixed German school. In other words, that music is the Alpha and Omega of opera…Brewer's: Pindar
The French Pindar. Jean Dorat (1507-1588). Also Ponce Denis Lebrun (1729-1807). The Italian Pindar. Gabriello Chiabrera; whence Chiabreresco is in Italian tantamount to “Pindaric.” (1552-…Brewer's: Renaissance Period
(The). That period in French history which began with the Italian wars in the reign of Charles VIII. and closed with the reign of Henri II. It was the intercourse with Italy, brought about…Brewer's: Pasquinade
(3 syl.). A lampoon or political squib, having ridicule for its object; so called from Pasquino, an Italian tailor of the fifteenth century, noted for his caustic wit. Some time after his…Trending
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