Hell Fire Club
now historical
noun
(The informal name of) a secret organization founded in London by Sir Francis Dashwood (1708–81), whose exclusively male, chiefly aristocratic members allegedly indulged in paganistic rituals, wild behaviour, and orgiastic activities; any of various clubs formed chiefly about the beginning of the 18th cent. of a similar nature.
- The original Hell Fire Club was formally known as the Friars of St Francis of Wycombe, The Monks of Medenham, or The Order of Knights of West Wycombe, having their later meetings in Medenham Abbey or in the caves under the hills of West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Famous members supposedly included the Earl of Sandwich, John Wilkes, William Hogarth, and Frederick, Prince of Wales..
Origin
Early 18th century; earliest use found in untitled.
- stay stitching
- stay the course (or distance)
- stay up
- stay well
- stay with
- Staël, Mme de
- St Bartholomew's Day Massacre
- St Barts
- St. Basil's Cathedral
- stbd.
- St Bernard
- St Bernard dog
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- St Christopher and Nevis, Federation of
- St Clements
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- STD
- std.
- St David's
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- stead
- steadfast
- steadfastly
- steadfastness