A rope of sand. Something nominally effective and strong, but in reality worthless and untrustworthy.
My sand of life is almost run. The allusion is to the hour-glass.
“Alas! dread lord, you see the case wherein I stand, and how little sand is left to run in my poor glass.”—Reynard the Fox, iv
· ·
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.
· 
· 
· ·