Chapter Hull Cheese to Hundred-handed of H by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Humbug A correspondent in Notes and Queries (March 5th, 1892) suggests as the fons et origo of this word the Italian Uomo bugiardo, a lying man.
    To hum used to signify "to applaud," "to pretend admiration," hence "to flatter," "to cajole for an end," "to deceive."

"He threatened, but behold! `twas all a hum."
Peter Pindar, i. 436.

" `Gentlemen, this humming [expression of applause] is not at all becoming the gravity of this court." - State Trials (1660).

Hume (David), the historian, takes the lead among modern philosophical sceptics. His great argument is this: It is more likely that testimony should be false than that miracles should be true. (1711-1776.)

Humming Ale Strong liquor that froths well, and causes a humming in the head of the drinker.

Hummums (in Covent Garden). So called from the Persian humoun (a sweating or Turkish bath).

Humour As good humour, ill or bad humour, etc. According to an ancient theory, there are four principal humours in the body: phlegm, blood, choler, and black bile. As any one of these predominates it determines the temper of the mind and body; hence the expressions sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic, and melancholic humours. A just balance made a good compound called "good humour;" a preponderance of any one of the four made a bad compound called an ill or evil humour. (See Ben Jonson: Every Man Out of His Humour (Prologue).

Humpback (The).
   Geronimo Amelunghi, Il Gobo di Pisa (sixteenth century).
   Andre'a Solari, the Italian painter, Del Gobbo (1470-1527).

Humphrey (Master). The imaginary collector of the tales in Master Humphrey's Clock, by Charles Dickens.
   The good Duke Humphrey. (See Good Duke Humphrey.)
   To dine with Duke Humphrey. To have no dinner to go to. Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, son of Henry IV., was renowned for his hospitality. At death it was reported that a monument would be erected to him in St. Paul's, but his body was interred at St. Albans. When the promenaders left for dinner, the poor stay-behinds who had no dinner used to say to the gay sparks who asked if they were going, that they would stay a little longer and look for the monument of the "good duke."
   To dine with Duke Humphrey in Powl's Walk.
    A similar locution is To sup with Sir Thomas Gresham. The Exchange built by Sir Thomas being a common lounge.

"Though little coin thy purseless pocket line,
Yet with great company thou art taken up;
For often with Duke Humphrey thou dost dine,
And often with Sir Thomas Gresham sup."
Hayman: Quodlibet (Epigram on a Loafer), 1628.

Humpty Dumpty An egg, a little deformed dwarf. Dumpty is a corruption of dumpy (short and thick). A dump is a piece of lead used in chuck-farthing. Humpty is having a hump or hunch. The two mean short, thick, and round-shouldered.

Hunchback Styled My Lord. Grose says this was done in the reign of Richard III., when many deformed men were made peers; but probably the word is the Greek lordos (crooked).

Hundred Hero of the hundred fights or battles.
   Lord Nelson (1758-1805)
   Conn, a celebrated Irish hero, is so called by O'Gnive, the bard of O'Niel: "Conn, of the hundred fights, sleeps in thy grass-grown tomb."

Hundred A county division mentioned in Domesday Book, and supposed to embrace ten tithings for military and constabulary purposes. If a crime was committed (such as robbery, maiming cattle, stack- burning, etc.), these sureties were bound to make it good, or bring the offender to justice.
   Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Durham are divided into "wards" (q.v.).
   Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Notts, into "wapentakes" (q.v.). Yorkshire has also a special division, called "ridings" (q.v.).
   Kent is divided into five lathes, with subordinate hundreds. (See Lathes.)
   Sussex is divided into six rapes (1 syl.), with subordinate hundreds. (See Rapes.)