cowcatcher – a metal frame on the front of a locomotive to remove obstructions from the tracks
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The author spent the earlier part of his life in Greece, hence his knowledge of the language.
to run to earth –
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forty-odd cages – more than forty cages; the word
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to come into one's own – to start performing one's duties
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to doll up
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Bosun ['bousn] = boatswain, the ship's officer who is in charge of the crew, the boats, rigging, etc.
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pale into insignificance – become insignificant, seem of no importance
full of beans
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the Great Fire of London – the fire that destroyed the most part, of London in 1666
beautifully appointed – very nicely furnished
at the double – at a run, at double speed
a whacking great shot
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kill or cure –
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carnavalitos
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she never looked back – she never returned to her previous bad state
by leaps and bounds – very quickly, with very rapid progress
porcine – pertaining to or characteristic of pigs (cf.
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to pull somebody round – to cause somebody to recover from an illness, to save
despachante
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We had twenty minutes to go. – We had twenty minutes at our disposal.
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stop press – the latest news inserted in a special-column of a newspaper after printing has begun