Bury the Hatchet. At a deliberation of war the hatchet is always in evidence among the Indians of North America, but when the calumet, or pipe of peace, is being passed round, the symbol of warfare is carefully hidden.
Busking. Theatrical slang for an al fresco performance to earn a few coppers. To “go busking on the sands” is the least refined aspect of a Pierrot Entertainment. See “[Sock and Buskin].”
Buy a Pig in a Poke. A man naturally wants to see what he is bargaining for. “Poke” is an old word for a sack or large bag, of which pocket expresses the diminutive.
By Gad. A corruption of the old oath “By God.”
By George. Originally this oath had reference to the patron saint of England. In more modern times it was corrupted into “By Jove,” so that it might have applied to Jupiter; then at the Hanoverian Succession the ancient form came in again.
By Hook or by Crook. The final word here is a corruption of Croke. More than a century ago two eminent K.C.’s named Hook and Croke were most generally retained by litigants in action at law. This gave rise to the saying: “If I can’t win my case by Hook I will by Croke.”
By Jingo. An exclamation traceable to the Basque mountaineers brought over to England by Edward I. to aid him in the subjection of Wales at the time when the Plantagenets held possession of the Basque provinces. “Jainko” expressed the supreme deity of these hillmen.
By Jove. See “[By George].”
By the Holy Rood. The most solemn oath of the crusaders. “Rood,” from the Anglo-Saxon rod, was the Old English name for Cross.
By the Mass. A common oath in the days of our Catholic ancestors, when quarrels were generally made up by the parties attending Mass together.