Brewer's: Derwentwater

Lord Derwentwater's lights. The Aurora borealis; so called from James, Earl of Derwentwater, beheaded for rebellion February 24th, 1716. It is said that the northern lights were unusually brilliant on that night.

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Related Content