Chapter Back and Edge to Badaud of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

There seems to be another sense in which the term is used - viz. to escape loss; and in this sense the allusion is to the care taken by our forefathers to save from the numerous dogs that frequented their houses the bacon which was laid up for winter store, the loss of which would have been a very serious calamity.

A Chaw-bacon. A rustic. Till comparatively modern times the only meat which rustics had to eat was bacon. I myself know several farm labourers who never taste any meat but bacon, except on club and feast days.

He may fetch a flitch of bacon from Dunmow, i.e. he is so amiable and good tempered he will never quarrel with his wife. The allusion is to a custom founded by Juga, a noble lady, in 1111, and restored by Robert de Fitzwalter in 1244; which was, that "any person from any part of England going to Dunmow, in Essex, and humbly kneeling on two stones at the church door, may claim a gammon of bacon, if he can swear that for twelve months and a day he has never had a household brawl or wished himself unmarried."

Baconian Philosophy A system of philosophy based on principles laid down by Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, in the 2nd book of his Novum Organum. It is also called inductive philosophy.

Baconian Theory The theory that Lord Bacon wrote the plays attributed to Shakespeare.

Bactrian Sage Zoroaster, a native of Bactria (Balkh), about 500 years before the birth of Christ.

Bad Charles le mauvais.Charles II of Navarre (1332--1387).

He is gone to the bad. Has become a ruined man, or a depraved character. He has gone amongst bad people, in bad ways, or to bad circumstances.

To the bad. On the wrong side of the account; in arrears.

Bad Blood Vindictiveness, ill-feeling.

"If there is any bad blood in the fellow he will be sure to show it." - Brother Jonathan.

To make bad blood, to stir up bad blood. To create or renew ill-feeling and a vindictive spirit.

Bad Books You are in my bad books. Under disgrace. Also In my black books.(See Black Books.)

Bad Debts Debts not likely to be paid.

Bad Form not comme il faut. Not in good taste.

Bad Lot (A). A person of bad moral character, or one commercially unsound. Also a commercial project or stock of worthless value. The allusion is to auctioneering slang, meaning a lot which no one will bid for. So an inefficient soldier is called one of the Queen's bad bargains.

Bad Shot (A).A wrong guess. A sporting phrase; a bad shot is one which does not bring down the bird shot at, one that misses the mark.

Badaud A booby. C'est un franc badaud, he is a regular booby. Le badaud de Paris, a French cockney. From the Italian, badare, to gaze in the air, to stare about one.