Chapter Bouders to Bower of Bliss of B by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Bowden Not every man can be vicar of Bowden. Not everyone can occupy the first place. Bowden is one of the best livings in Cheshire. (Cheshire proverb.)

Bowdlerise (To ). To expurgate a book in editing it. Thomas Bowdler, in 1818, gave to the world an expurgated edition of Shakespeare's works. We have also Bowdlerite, Bowdlerist, Bowdleriser, Bowdlerism, Bowdlerisation, etc. (See Grangerise. )

Bowels of Mercy Compassion, sympathy. The affections were at one time supposed to be the outcome of certain secretions or organs, as the bile, the kidneys, the heart, the head, the liver, the bowels, the spleen, and so on. Hence such words and phrases as melancholy (black bile); the Psalmist says that his reins, or kidneys, instructed him (Psa. x. 7), meaning his inward conviction; the head is the seat of understanding; the heart of affection and memory (hence “learning by heart”), the bowels of mercy, the spleen of passion or anger, etc.
   His bowels yearned over him (upon or towards him). He felt a secret affection for him.

“Joseph made haste, for his bowels did yearn upon his brother.”- Gen. xliii. 30; see also 1 Kings iii. 26.

Bower A lady's private room. (Anglo-Saxon bur, a chamber.) (To rhyme with flower.) (See Boudoir. )

“By a back staircase she slipped to her own bower.”- Bret Harte: Thankful Blossoms, part ii.

Bower Anchor An anchor carried at the bow of a ship. There are two: one called the best bower, and the other the small bower. (To rhyme with flower.)

“Starboard being the best bower, and port the small bower.”- Smyth: Sailor's Word-book.

Bower-woman (A ). A lady's maid and companion. The attendants were admitted to considerable freedom of speech, and were treated with familiarity and kindness. (“Bower” to rhyme with flower.)

“`This maiden,' replied Eveline, `is my bower-woman, and acquainted with my most inward thoughts. I beseech you to permit her presence at our conference.”'- Sir W. Scott: The Betrothed, chap. xi.

Bower of Bliss in Wandering Island, the enchanted residence of Acrasia, destroyed by Sir Guyon. (Spenser: Faërie Queene, book ii.) (“Bower” to rhyme with flower.)