The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions (Writers Library)

545 Pages·2008·2.48 MB·English

by  Martin H. Manser

THE FACTS ON FILE DICTIONARY OF
Allusions

THE FACTS ON FILE DICTIONARY OF
Allusions
MARTIN H. MANSER
David H. Pickering, Associate Editor
The Facts On File Dictionary of Allusions
Copyright © 2009 by Martin H. Manser
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Manser, Martin H.
Dictionary of allusions / Martin H. Manser; David H. Pickering, associate editor.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8160-7105-0 (hc : alk. paper) 1. Allusions—Dictionaries. I. Pickering, David, 1958– II. Title
PN43.M25 2008
422'.03—dc22 2007051375
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C o n t e n t s
R
Acknowledgments
vii
Introduction
ix
Entries A–Z
1
Index
519

A c k n o w l e d g m e n t s
R
The Editors wish to thank Rosalind Fergusson for Reference resources included the British
her meticulous editing, Rosalind Desmond and National Corpus, the use of which we gratefully
Lynda Drury for their very careful checking and acknowledge.
typing of the manuscript, and Martin Selman,
—Martin H. Manser
Stephen Curtis, John Barton, and Angela Gluck
David H. Pickering
Wood for their helpful comments on earlier drafts
of the text.
vii

I n t r o d u c t i o n
R
An allusion is a reference that evokes a certain set allusions in the Eng lish language. Entries have been
of aspects or features of a person or thing. For selected not simply because they are w ell-k nown
example, a kind and selfl ess person may be referred events, places, people, phenomena, etc., but also
to as a Good Samaritan; a musical genius may be because they have generally acquired some wider
hailed as a Mozart; a pol itic al, administrative, or linguistic signifi cance, conveying a part icu l ar mes-
fi nancial scandal may be referred to by name with sage beyond a mere reference. This method of
the suffi x–gate, after Watergate; a l arge-s cale nuclear selection distinguishes this volume from other ref-
accident may be referred to as another Chernobyl; a erences on the same subject, including other dic-
fatal weakness may be referred to as a person’s tionaries of allusions as well as more expansive (but
Achilles’ heel; something that rises anew in the face less focused) works such as Brewer’s Dictionary of
of defeat may be compared to a phoenix rising from Phrase and Fable.
the ashes; and 9/11 has become synonymous with Allusions in this volume are drawn from a
terrorist atrocity. wide range of sources, including Shakespeare and
The Facts On File Dictionary of Allusions builds the Bible; Greek, Roman, Norse, and other types
on the earlier volume of the Facts On File Dictionary of mythology; literary texts from all ages; histori-
of Classical and Biblical Allusions, doubling the con- cal events; and popu l ar culture, including fi lm and
tent to provide a comprehensive reference to tele vi sion.
Arrangement of entries
Allusions are listed in their original form and under the source of the original reference. Entries are listed
in strict letter- by- letter alphabetical order:
go and do thou likewise
gobbledygook
Godfather, the
God save the king/queen
God’s in his heaven, all’s right with the world
Godwin’s oath
ix