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Strap Oil

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A beating. A corruption of strap ʹeil, i.e. German theil (a dole). The play is palpable. The “April fool” asks for a pennyworth of strap ʹeil, that is dole of the strap, in French lʹhuile de cotret. (Latin, stroppus.)

 

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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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Stowe Nine Churches
Strabo (Walafridus)
Stradivarius (Antonio)
Straight as an Arrow
Strain
Stralenheim (Count of)
Strand (London)
Strange
Stranger of the Gate (The)
Strangers Sacrificed
Strap Oil
Strappado
Strasburg Goose (A)
Stratagem means generalship
Straw
Straw
Strawberry
Strawberry Preachers
Streak of Silver (The)
Street and Walker (Messrs.)
Stretcher