Brewer's: Barbe

(Ste.) The powder-room in a French ship; so called from St. Barbara, the patron saint of artillery. (See Barbary.)

A barbe de fou apprend-on à raire
(French). An apprentice is taught to shave on the chin of a fool.

Tel a fait sa barbe, qui n'est pas beau fils
(French). You may waste half the day on making your toilet, and yet not come forth an Adonis. You cannot make a silk purse of a sow's ear. Not every block will make a Mercury. 
Heap lying curls a million on your head; On socks, a cubit high, plant your proud tread, You're just what you are—that's all about it.

Goethe: Faust (Dr. Anster), p. 163.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
Barbecue
Barbazure
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Related Content

✖
 

 

sandbbox logo
©2022 Sandbox Networks Inc. All rights reserved. Sandbox Learning is part of Sandbox & Co., a digital learning company.