| 单词 | devil's brushes |
| 释义 | > as lemmasdevil's brushes devil's brushes n. English regional (midlands) (now historical and rare) ferns.Apparently arising from a superstition regarding ferns as bad luck; see quot. 1862. ΚΠ 1862 C. Bede in Notes & Queries 1 Nov. 342/1 The natives [of the Black Country]..look upon them [sc. ferns] with a superstitious feeling, think it bad luck to gather them (even for fuel) or to touch them, and call them by the singular name of ‘the Devil's Brushes’. I have been unable to get at the why and the wherefore of this; but it may possibly have something to do with the belief that fern-seed will produce invisibility. 1903 Country Life 15 Aug. 238/2 The name of Devil's Brushes is bestowed upon the few ferns that are hardy enough to flourish in that locality. 1961 C. Hole Radford & Radford's Encycl. Superstitions (rev. ed.) 158 In some parts of England, they are considered Devil's plants, and are known as Devil's Brushes. < as lemmas |
| 随便看 |
|
英语词典包含1132095条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法，是英语学习的有利工具。