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Etrennʹes (2 syl.)

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New-year’s gifts are so called in France. Strenʹia, the Roman goddess, had the superintendence of new-year’s gifts, which the Romans called strenæ. Taʹtius entered Rome on New-year’s Day, and received from some augurs palms cut from the sacred grove, dedicated to the goddess Strenia. Having succeeded, he ordained that the 1st of January should be celebrated by gifts to be called strenæ, consisting of figs, dates, and honey; and that no word of ill omen should be uttered on that day.

 

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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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Estuary
Eternal City (The)
Eternal Fitness of Things
Eternal Tables
Etesian Wind (An)
Ethnic Plot
Ethnophronēs
Ethon
Etiquette
Etna
Etrennes
Ettrick Shepherd
Etzel
Eucharis
Eucharist
Euclio
Eucratēs
Eudoxians
Eugenius
Eugubine Tables
Eulalie (St.)