Goat and Compasses

A public-house sign in the Commonwealth; a corruption of “God en-compasses [us].” Some say it is the carpenters' arms—three goats and a chevron. The chevron being mistaken for a pair of compasses.

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language