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

solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short See
hobbesian; nasty, brutish, and short.
Solomon See judgment of solomon; solomon’s
seal; solomon’s temple.
Solomon’s seal (solbmbnz) A fl owering plant of
the genus Polygonatum and a member of the lily
family. <strong>The</strong> plant owes its name to the shape of the
prominent leaf scars on its stem that supposedly
resemble seals. Another suggestion has it that it is
so called because its roots may be used medicinally
to seal wounds. <strong>The</strong> star of david emblem has
always been closely associated with Solomon himself
and is sometimes referred to as Solomon’s
seal. Celandine and Solomon’s seal were growing by the
side of the road.
Solomon’s temple (solbmbnz) A lavish building
or other structure notable for its extravagance.
<strong>The</strong> allusion is to the great Temple in Jerusalem
built on the command of King Solomon. <strong>The</strong> Temple,
as described in 1 Kings 5–8 and 2 Chronicles
3–7, was remarkable for the magnifi cence of its
decoration, which included rich cedar wood panels
and gold ornamentation. “In this pro cess the
chamber and its furniture grew more and more
dignifi ed and luxurious; the shawl hanging at the
window took upon itself the richness of tapestry;
the brass handles of the chest of drawers were as
golden knockers; and the carved bed- posts seemed
to have some kinship with the magnifi cent pillars
of Solomon’s temple” (Thomas Hardy, Tess of the
D’Urbervilles, 1891).
solon (solbn) A wise lawgiver; any member of
a legislative body. <strong>The</strong> allusion is to the Athenian
statesman Solon, who in the sixth century b.c.
repealed most of the unfeasibly severe laws imposed
by the draconian code. His reforms did much to
give power back to the Athenian people and helped
to lay the foundation for Athenian democracy. “I
saw thee once give a penny to a man with a long
beard, who, from the dignity of his exterior,
might have represented Solon” (Sir Walter Scott,
Redgauntlet, 1824).
some are more equal than others See all animals
are equal, but some animals are more
equal than others.
something is rotten in the state of Denmark
Something is wrong. This is a quotation from William
Shakespeare’s tragedy hamlet (c. 1600), in
which it is voiced by Marcellus, an offi cer of the
Danish palace guard, after the ghost of the dead
king has appeared. In modern usage, it tends to
be employed facetiously. A government spokesman
denied there was anything in the rumors, but the press all
agreed that there was something rotten in the state of
Denmark.
something nasty in the woodshed A shocking
secret, a hidden scandal, etc. <strong>The</strong> phrase comes
from the comic novel cold comfort farm (1932)
by the British novelist Stella Gibbons, in which the
aged Ada Doom claims to be haunted by a terrible
trauma (never detailed) that she experienced long
ago, when as a young child she “saw something
nasty in the woodshed.” You’d better not put yourself
up for election if you have anything nasty in the
woodshed.
Somme, the (som) A battle that leads to huge
losses on both sides without a decisive result being
reached, or more generally a very muddy piece of
ground. <strong>The</strong> Battle of the Somme on the western
front in 1916 was one of the bloodiest episodes of
Somme, the
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