Chapter Hell Gate to Henricans of H by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Helmets Those of Saragossa were most in repute in the days of chivalry.
   Close helmet. The complete head-piece, having in front two movable parts, which could be lifted up or let down at pleasure.
   Visor. One of the movable parts; it was to look through.
   Bever, or drinking-piece. One of the movable parts, which was lifted up when the wearer ate or drank. It comes from the Italian verb bevere (to drink)
   Morion. A low iron cap, worn only by infantry.
   Mahomet's helmet. Mahomet wore a double helmet; the exterior one was called al mawashah (the wreathed garland).
   The helmet of Perseus (2 syl.) rendered the wearer invisible. This was the "helmet of Hades," which, with the winged sandals and magic wallet, he took from certain nymphs who held them in possession; but after he had slain Medusa he restored them again, and presented the Gorgon's head to Athena [Minerva], who placed it in the middle of her aegis.

Helon in the satire of Absalom and Achitophel, by Dryden and Tate, is meant for the Earl of Feversham.

Helot A slave in ancient Sparta. Hence, a slave or serf.

Help (American.) A hired servant.

Helter-skelter Higgledy-piggledy; in hurry and confusion. The Latin hilariter-celeriter comes tolerably near the meaning of post-haste, as Shakespeare uses the expression (2 Henry IV., v. 3): -

"Sir John, I am thy Pistol and thy friend,
And helter-skelter have I rode to thee,
And tidings do I bring."

Helve To throw the helve after the hatchet. To be reckless, to throw away what remains because your losses have been so great. The allusion is to the fable of the wood-cutter who lost the head of his axe in a river and threw the handle in after it.

Helvetia Switzerland. So called from the Helvetii, a powerful Celtic people who dwelt thereabouts.

"See from the ashes of Helvetia's pile
The whitened skull of old Servetus smile."
Holmes.

Hemp To have some hemp in your pocket. To have luck on your side in the most adverse circumstances. The phrase is French (Avoir de la corde-de-pendu duns sa poche), referring to the popular notion that hemp brings good luck.

Hempe (1 syl.). When hempe is spun England is done. Lord Bacon says he heard the prophecy when he was a child, and he interpreted it thus: Hempe is composed of the initial letters of H enry, E dward, M ary, P hilip, and E lizabeth. At the close of the last reign "England was done," for the sovereign no longer styled himself "King of England," but "King of Great Britain and Ireland." (See Notarica.)

Hempen Caudle A hangman's rope.

"Ye shall have a hempen caudle then, and, the help of a hatchet." - Shakespeare: 2 Hen. VI., iv. 7.

Hempen Collar (A). The hangman's rope. In French: "La cravate de chanvre. "

Hempen Fever Death on the gallows, the rope being made of hemp.

Hempen Widow The widow of a man who has been hanged. (See above.)

"Of a hempen widow the kid forlorn."
Ainsworth: Jack Sheppard.

Hemus or Hæmus. A chain of mountains in Thrace. According to mythology, Hæmos, son of Boreas, was changed into a mountain for aspiring to divine honours.

Hen-pecked A man who submits to be snubbed by his wife.

Hen and Chickens (in Christian art), emblematical of God's providence. (See St. Matthew xxiii. 37.)
   A whistling maid and crowing hen is neither fit for God nor men. A whistling maid means a witch, who whistles like the Lapland witches to call up the winds; they were supposed to be in league with the devil. The crowing of a hen was supposed to forbode a death. The usual interpretation is that masculine qualities in females are undesirable.