- skip - Brewer’s

Abesʹsa

.

The impersonation of Abbeys and Convents, represented by Spenser as a damsel. When Una asked if she had seen the Red Cross Knight, Abessa, frightened at the lion, ran to the cottage of blind Superstition, and shut the door. Una arrived, and the hon burst the door open. The meaning is, that at the Reformation, when Truth came, the abbeys and convents got alarmed, and would not let Truth enter, but England (the lion) broke down the door.—Faërie Queen, i. 3.

 

previous entry · index · next entry

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

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

previous entry · index · next entry

Abdera
Abderitan
Abderitan Laughter
Abderite
Abderus
Abdiel
Abecedarian
Abel and Cain
Abel Keene
Abelites
Abessa
Abesta
Abeyance
Abhigit
Abhor
Abiala
Abida
Abidharma
Abigail
Abimelech
Able