Chapter New Jerusalem to Nibelungen-Lied of N by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Newcomes Strangers newly arrived.

Newgate Before this was set up, London had but three gates: Aldgate, Aldersgate, and Ludgate. The new one was added in the reign of Henry I.
   Newgate. Nash, in his Pierce Penilesse. says that Newgate is “a common name for all prisons, as homo is a common name for a man or woman.”

Newgate Fashion Two by two. Prisoners used to be conveyed to Newgate coupled together in twos.

“Must we all march?
Yes, two and two, Newgate fashion.”
Shakespeare: 1 Henry IV., iii. 3.

Newgate Fringe The hair worn under the chin, or between the chin and the neck. So called because it occupies the position of the rope when men are about to be hanged.

Newgate Knocker (A). A lock of hair twisted into a curl, usually worn by costermongers and other persons of similar stations in life. So called because it resembles a knocker, and the wearers of it are too often inmates of Newgate. Newgate as a prison is abolished, but many phrases referring to the prison still remain.

Newland An Abraham Newland. A bank-note, so called from Abraham Newland, one of the governors of the Bank of England in the early part of the nineteenth century, to whom the notes were made payable.

“I've often heard say
Sham Abram you may.
But must not sham Abraham Newland.”
The Eaglet.

“Trees are notes issued from the bank of Nature, and as current as those payable to Abraham Newland.”- G. Colman: The Poor Gentleman, i. 2.

Newton (Sir Isaac) discovered the prismatic colours of light. (1642- 1727.)

“Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night,
God said, `Let Newton be,' and all was light.”
Pope.

   The Newton of Harmony. Jean Philippe Rameau was so called from his work entitled a Dissertation on the Principles of Harmony. (1683-1764.)

Newtonian Philosophy The astronomical system at present received, together with that of universal gravitation. So called after Sir Isaac Newton, who established the former and discovered the latter. (See Apple .)

Next Door to ... Very nearly; as “next door to a fool.”

Next to Nothing A very little. As, “It will cost next to nothing,” “He eats next to nothing.”

Nibelung A mythical king of Norway, whose subjects are called Nibelungers and territory the Nibelungenland. There were two contemporary kings in this realm, against whom Siegfried, Prince of the Netherlands, fought. He slew the twelve giants who formed their paladins with 700 of their chiefs, and made their country tributary (Lay iii.). The word is from nebel (darkness), and means the children of mist or darkness. (See Nibelungen-Lied .)

Nibelungen Hoard A mythical mass of gold and precious stones, which Siegfried obtained from the Nibelungs, and gave to his wife Kriemhild as her marriage portion. It was guarded by Albric the dwarf. After the murder of Siegfried, his widow removed the hoard to Worms; here Hagan seized it, and buried it secretly beneath “the Rhine at Lochham,” intending at a future time to enjoy it, “but that was ne'er to be.” Kriemhild married Etzel with the view of avenging her wrongs. In time Günther, with Hagan and a host of Burgundians, went to visit King Etzel, and Kriemhild stirred up a great broil, at the end of which a most terrible slaughter ensued. (See Kriemhild .)

“ 'T'was much as twelve huge waggons in four whole nights and days
Could carry from the mountain down to the salt sea bay;
Though to and fro each waggon thrice journeyed every day.

“It was made up of nothing but precious stones and gold;
Were all the world bought from it, and down,