Crossword clues for buskin
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Buskin \Bus"kin\, n. [Prob. from OF. brossequin, or D. broosken. See Brodekin.]
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A strong, protecting covering for the foot, coming some distance up the leg.
The hunted red deer's undressed hide Their hairy buskins well supplied.
--Sir W. Scott. -
A similar covering for the foot and leg, made with very thick soles, to give an appearance of elevation to the stature; -- worn by tragic actors in ancient Greece and Rome. Used as a symbol of tragedy, or the tragic drama, as distinguished from comedy.
Great Fletcher never treads in buskins here, No greater Jonson dares in socks appear.
--Dryden.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"half boot," c.1500, origin unknown. The word exists in different forms in most of the continental languages, and the exact relationship of them all apparently has yet to be determined. The English word is perhaps immediately from Old French broissequin "buskin; a kind of cloth" (14c., Modern French brodequin by influence of broder "to embroider"), or from Middle Dutch brosekin "small leather boot," which is of uncertain origin. OED suggests a likely candidate in Spanish borcegui, earlier boszegui \n
\nFigurative senses in English relating to tragedy are from the word being used (since mid-16c.) to translate Greek kothurnus, the high, thick-soled boot worn in Athenian tragedy; contrasted with sock, the low shoe worn by comedians. Related: Buskined.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context now historical English) A half-boot. 2 A type of boot worn by the ancient Athenian tragic actors; tragic drama, tragedy. 3 An instrument of torture for the foot; bootikin.
WordNet
n. a boot reaching halfway up to the knee [syn: chukka boot, combat boot, desert boot, half boot, top boot]
Wikipedia
A buskin is a knee- or calf-length boot made of leather or cloth which laces closed, but is open across the toes. It was worn by Athenian tragic actors, hunters and soldiers in Ancient Greek, Etruscan, and Roman societies.
The word buskin, only recorded in English since 1503 meaning "half boot", is of unknown origin, perhaps from Old French brousequin (in modern French brodequin) or directly from its Middle Dutch model brosekin "small leather boot". Figurative senses relating to tragedy are from the word being used (since 1570) to translate Greek kothornos or Latin cothurnos, the high, thick-soled boot worn in Athenian tragedy; contrasted with sock (from Latin soccus), the low shoe worn by comedians.
Byzantine emperors were formally clad in purple buskins, embroidered in gold with double-headed eagles.
In rural Norfolk, buskins made of sacking were worn by farm labourers prior to the 1960s, especially at haymaking and wheat harvest, to prevent rats from running up the inside of the trouser legs.
It is also used as a name of a torturing device used in the Middle Ages, for example the Scotch Boot. See Boot_(torture).
Buskin (foaled in 1910) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse is best known for winning the 1913 Preakness Stakes. Owned and trained by Mr. John Whalen, he was sired by Hamburg. Buskin was out of the mare Slippers, a daughter of Meddler.
Usage examples of "buskin".
If Buskin did get loose that night, it was because the devil monster grabbed him and dropped him somewhere else.
But it was clear enough that Mr Buskin was a great personage in his way, and extremely modest into the bargain.
Mr Buskin shrugged his shoulders, and replied he was sure he hoped so.
Mr Buskin shook hands in a very cordial manner, and the next moment was making his way rapidly in the direction of the town.
As he had expected, Aunt Charlotte was much pleased at hearing of his encounter with Mr Buskin, who, she thought, must be a most delightful person.
He had not been inside a theatre for years, and the vivid description that Mr Buskin had given him of the show he was about to witness filled him with pleasurable anticipation.
And this magnificent, absurd creature--this mouthing, grimacing, attitudinising popinjay, thought Austin, was no other than Mr Bucephalus Buskin, with whom he had chatted on easy terms in a common field only a few days previously!
Mr Buskin would look if he were now going through all these fanciful gesticulations in his walking dress.
In fact, it soon became evident that his code of ethics was deplorable, and Austin could only console himself with the thought that the real Mr Buskin was, no doubt, a most virtuous and respectable person who never gave Mrs Buskin--if there was one--any grounds for jealousy.
Mr Sardanapalus Buskin, as the slim figure of Austin, in his simple evening-dress, appeared at the entrance.
He reproached himself for this, for poor Buskin rolled his eyes and twisted his mouth and pulled such lugubrious faces that Austin felt how pathetic it all was, and how hard the man was trying to work upon the feelings of the audience.
It gave me a lot to think about, as I told Mr Buskin himself when I went to see him for a few minutes behind the scenes.
Sardanapalus for a moment, even before I had the privilege of seeing and hearing him as Mr Buskin in his dressing-room.
So he wrenched himself away with what dignity he might, and, relapsing into his natural or Buskin phase as soon as he got outside, comforted himself with a glass of stiff whiskey and water at the refreshment bar of the railway station before getting into the train for London.
St Aubyn, his days with Lubin in the garden, his encounters with Mr Buskin, and those strange experiences that had reached him from another world.