The Writer's Museum

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Edinburgh. Honoring the works of Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns, and Sir Walter Scott.

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History and Meaning of Curtsy

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curtsy noun curt·sy \ ˈkərt-sē \ variants: or less commonly curtsey Definition of curtsy plural curtsies also curtseys : an act of civility, respect, or reverence made mainly by women and consisting of a slight lowering of the body with bending of the knees See curtsy defined for English-language learners See curtsy defined for kids Recent Examples of curtsy from the Web But never fear: Meghan did curtsy to Queen Elizabeth. — Lisa Ryan, The Cut, "The Best Gossip From the Royal Wedding," 22 May 2018 Despite concerns and questions online about whether Meghan curtsied to Queen Elizabeth, Meghan did curtsy to Queen Elizabeth at the royal wedding ceremony on May 19. — Ashley Hoffman, Time, "Yes, Meghan Markle Did Curtsy to the Queen at the Royal Wedding. Here's Why People Missed It," 19 May 2018 The British royal family may prefer a subtle genuflection, but events like debutante balls offer occasions for a more flamboyant curtsy like the Texas Dip. ...
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Idiom: "Hoist with one's own petard"

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Hoist with one's own petard/ be hoisted with/ by your own petard (formal): to suffer harm from a plan by which you had intended to harm someone else; victimized or hurt by one's own scheme. The phrase comes from William Shakespeare's Hamlet: "For 'tis the sport to have the enginer/ Hoist with his own petar" Hoist in this case is the past participle of the verb hoise, meaning, "to lift/ raise" and petar(d) refers to an explosive device used in siege warfare. Hamlet uses the example of the engineer (the person who sets the explosive device) being blown into the air by his own device as a metaphor for those who schemed against him being undone by their own schemes. The phrase has endured, even if its literal meaning has largely been forgotten. The phrase 'hoist with one's own petard' is often cited as 'hoist by one's own petard'. In the USA, 'hoisted' is preferred so the alternative forms there are 'hoist...
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