The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions - Green Valley High School

command that you exterminate the treacherous
En glish, and walk over General French’s contemptible
little army.” <strong>The</strong> soldiers of the BEF, who
proved less easy to overwhelm than the kaiser had
envisaged, assumed the nickname Old Contemptibles
themselves. “<strong>The</strong> Old Contemptibles had
become a compulsory and unwilling army” ( John
Cairney, Worlds Apart, 1991).
old guard A body of individuals representing
established values and typically old- fashioned,
conservative thinking. <strong>The</strong> reference is to the
imperial Old Guard of veteran soldiers who constituted
the most revered elite regiments of napoleon’s
French armies. Members of the Old Guard,
many of whom were of relatively advanced years,
were selected from other regiments for their courage
and imposing physical appearance, which was
enhanced by tall bearskin hats and long, fl owing
mustaches. <strong>The</strong> Old Guard was resolute in its loyalty
to the emperor, a dedication refl ected in its
refusal to surrender at the Battle of waterloo in
1815, even when all was clearly lost. “Colborne
conceded that he was fi ghting a losing battle; a
battle against the entire social structure within the
palace and the snobbery and jealousy of the Old
Guard that surrounded the Prince” (Penny Junor,
Charles and Diana, 1991).
Old Man of the Sea A heavy burden, especially
one that is virtually impossible to lay down. <strong>The</strong>
allusion is to the tales of the arabian nights,
specifi cally to that of sinbad the Sailor and an episode
in which Sinbad offers to carry an old man,
only to fi nd that the old man refuses to dismount
for many days and nights. Sinbad fi nally frees himself
of his burden after getting the old man drunk,
so that he falls off. “She fastened on to the person
whose house it was like the Old Man of the Sea in
‘Sinbad the Sailor’ ” (Winifred Beechey, <strong>The</strong> Reluctant
Samaritan, 1991).
old men dream dreams Even the old may harbor
dreams about the future. <strong>The</strong> expression comes
from Joel 2:28, which looks forward to the messianic
age when all, young and old, will share in
the Spirit of God: “Your old men shall dream
dreams, your young men shall see visions.” Some
later writers suggested that another reading may
be that young men’s visions are clearer—and
hence more reliable—than old men’s dreams. In
modern usage the phrase is usually quoted in discussions
of idealism and ambition. Her grandfather
grinned ruefully and noted, “Old men dream dreams, you
know.”
Old Mother Hubbard (huberd) A very poor old
woman. <strong>The</strong> allusion is to a nursery rhyme, fi rst
published in 1805, in which Old Mother Hubbard
is described as a poor old lady whose cupboard is
so bare she lacks even a bone to offer her dog. <strong>The</strong>
nursery rhyme was written by Sarah Catherine
Martin (1768–1826) on a visit to Kitley, east of
Plymouth in Devon, En gland, possibly about a poor
lady who lived in a cottage at nearby Yealmpton.
Her situation resembled that of Old Mother Hubbard,
and she had nothing she could offer her visitors.
Old Nick See satan.
old school tie
old school tie A notional network linking people
who have been to the same school or university,
enabling them to gain access to privileged information,
assistance, promotion, etc. <strong>The</strong> allusion is
to the distinguishing ties worn by pupils at par tic ular
schools. <strong>The</strong> earliest record of the phrase is in
Rudyard Kipling’s Limits and Renewals (1932). “<strong>The</strong>
whole squirearchy, old school tie, old boy network
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