Abyssinia. The country of the Abassins, or “mixed races.”
Academy. From the garden of Academus, where Plato taught his disciples; called on this account the Academics, or Academic School of Philosophy.
According to Cocker. Strictly correct. After Edward Cocker of Paul’s Chain, who published a most popular arithmetic.
According to Gunter. An expression much used in America for anything done properly and systematically. The allusion is to Edmund Gunter, the celebrated mathematician, who invented a chain and scale for measuring.
3Achilles Tendon. The tendon reaching from the calf of the leg to the heel. See “Heel of Achilles.”
Acknowledge the Corn. An Americanism of extremely popular application. Its origin is thus given by The Pittsburg Commercial Advertiser: “Some years ago a raw customer from the upper country determined to try his fortune at New Orleans. Accordingly he provided himself with two flat boats–one laden with corn and the other with potatoes–and down the river he went. The night after his arrival he went up town to a gambling-house. Of course, he commenced betting, and, his luck proving unfortunate, he lost. When his money was gone he bet his ‘truck’; and the corn and potatoes followed the money. At last, when evidently cleaned out, he returned to his boats at the wharf, where the evidences of a new misfortune presented themselves. Through some accident or other the flat boat containing the corn was sunk, and a total loss. Consoling himself as well as he could he went to sleep, dreaming of gamblers, potatoes, and corn. It was scarcely sunrise, however, when he was disturbed by the ‘child of chance,’ who had arrived to take possession of the two boats as his winnings. Slowly awakening from his sleep, our hero, rubbing his eyes and looking the man in the face, replied: ‘Stranger, I acknowledge the corn–take ’em; but the potatoes you can’t have, by thunder!’ Since that time it has become customary for a man who frankly admits having been hoaxed or beaten to say: ‘I acknowledge the corn.’”
Acropolis. From the Greek akros, highest, and polis, city. A citadel or fortress overlooking a city, as at Athens.
Acton. Anglo-Saxon for “Oak Town,” built in the neighbourhood of a great oak forest.
Actors’ Day. A day–the third Thursday in October–set apart for a performance in all the theatres of the United Kingdom in aid of the various theatrical charities–actors being pledged to give their services, dramatic authors to forego their fees, and managers to devote the entire receipts to the good cause.