baritsu:
The martial art in which Sherlock Holmes claimed proficiency, and with which he defeated Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls. There is no …
fichu:
A scarf-like square of linen tucked into the bodice (or worn as a shawl) to conceal the bosom. Despite a lot of …
agony column:
Holmes often turns to the agony column — ENGR: “Sherlock Holmes was, as I expected, lounging about his sitting-room in his dressing-gown, …
entailed:
To ensure that property remain in the family, many estates were entailed, meaning that only a male heir could inherit property. This …
deacon, curate:
The low man on the ecclesiastical totem pole. The deacon was a full-fledged clergyman but without the benefit of a benefice (living, …
dandy, Beau Brummell:
George Bryan Brummell was a trend setter in Regency England and a friend of the Prince Regent. Nowadays we might think of …
abbreviations:
I have taken to using Jay Finley Christ’s four-letter abbreviations to refer to the books and stories in the Canon.