Holophernes (4 syl.). Master Tubal Holophernes. The great sophister-doctor, who, in the course of
five years and three months, taught Gargantua to say his A B C backward. (Rabelais: Gargantua, book i.
14.)
Holofernes, in Love's Labour's Lost. Shakespeare satirises in this character the literary affectations
of the Lyly school. An anagram of Johnes Florio.
Holy Alliance A league formed by Russia, Austria, and Prussia to regulate the affairs of Europe "by the principles of Christian charity," - meaning that each of the contracting parties was to keep all that the league assigned them (1816).
Holy City That city which the religious consider most especially connected with their religious faith, thus:
Allahabad' is
the Holy City of the Indian Mahometans.
Benares (3 syl.) of the Hindus.
Cuzco of the ancient Incas.
Fez
of the Western Arabs.
Jerusalem of the Jews and Christians.
Kairwan, near Tunis. It contains the Okbar
Mosque, in which is the tomb of the prophet's barber.
Kief, the Jerusalem of Russia, the cradle of Christianity
in that country.
Mecca and Medina of the Mahometans.
Moscow and Kief of the Russians.
Solovetsk, in
the Frozen Sea, is a holy Island much visited by pilgrims.