On Tenterhooks

Eugene Nicholson
CHAPERONE, TO: A custom from medieval times. A chaperone was
originally a hood worn by priests. Much later on it became fashionable to
wear a mantle. By the 18 th century, the word "chaperone" was used to
describe an older married woman who accompanied a younger woman for the
sake of propriety.
CHECKLATOUN, TO WEAR: In Chaucer's time, "checklatoun" was a
cloth which was designed with squares or checks.
CHINTZ: This word is derived from the old Sanskrit word meaning
"speckled or variegated". Chintz or "chints" is the name for a plain woven
cotton cloth which featured various hand-painted images of flora or
fauna. These materials were introduced into Britain by the East India
Company in the 17 th century. They proved so popular that they soon posed a
threat to the British silk industry, resulting in a law being passed in c1700
preventing their importation.
CHUFF, TROUSER: A phrase used in the popular comic magazine “Viz" by
its creation Johnny Fart Pants. It means "to break wind".
CIRCLE, DRESS: In Victorian times and perhaps earlier, it was the
upper-class ladies who dressed for the theatre and were then escorted to the
circle to enjoy an evening's entertainment.
CLERK, DRESSED UP LIKE A POX DOCTOR'S: Used by Australians to
describe a person dressed in a gaudy manner and showing poor taste in his
choice of clothes.
CLOAK, A GREY: An interesting phrase used to describe an elected
member of a community who had the privilege of serving as mayor.
CLOAK, BLACK: A term taken from Shakespearian drama and denoting an
actor announcing a prologue. His outfit was quite often a very long,
sweeping, black cloak.
CLOAK, BLUE: The uniform used by domestic servants.
CLOAK, KNIGHT OF THE: A term often used to describe Sir Walter
Raleigh (1552-1618), who made gallant use of his cloak to prevent Queen
Elizabeth 1st (1558-1603) stepping into a puddle.
CLOAK, TO WEAR HECTOR'S: This phrase is a reference to Hector
Armstrong's betrayal of Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland in 1569. In
effect, it means to show treachery to one's closest friend.
CLOAK-AND-DAGGER: Taken from the type of theatrical productions
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