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Laconʹic

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Very concise and pithy. A Spartan was called a Lacon from Lacoʹnia, the land in which he dwelt. The Spartans were noted for their brusque and sententious speech. When Philip of Macedon wrote to the Spartan magistrates, “If I enter Lacoʹnia, I will level Lacedæmon to the ground,” the ephors wrote word back the single word, “If.” (See above LacedÆmonian Letter.)

⁂ In 1490 OʹNeil wrote to OʹDonnel: “Send me the tribute, or else——.” To which OʹDonnel replied: “I owe none, or else——.”

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Labourer is Worthy of his Hire
Labourers (The Statute of)
Labyrinth
Lac of Rupees
Lace
Laced
Lacedæmonian Letter (The)
Lacedæmonians (The)
Lachesis [Lak-ĕ-sis]
Lackadaisical
Laconic
Lacustrine Deposits
Lacustrine Habitations
Lad o Wax
Ladas
Ladies
Ladon
Ladrones
Lady
Ladybird, Ladyfly, Ladycow
Lady Bountiful

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Lacedæmonian Letter (The)