bell, book, and candle
bell, book, and candle
1. A method of putting a curse on someone. The phrase refers to the implements once used when someone was excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. I'll go after him bell, book, and candle if he threatens my family again.
2. Items that are symbolic or indicative of the strange or miraculous. She's the type of person who will come over with bell, book, and candle to try to bring about positive changes in your life.
See also: and, candle
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
bell, book, and candle things that are miraculous or that signal that something
unusual or bizarre may soon happen. (Alluding originally to the items used when performing the rite of excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church.) Look, I can't work miracles! Do you expect me to show up at your house with bell, book, and candle, and make everything right? You have to take charge of your own destiny! On the top shelf of the tiny used-book store, Jim saw a bell, book, and candle sitting in a row, and he knew he was going to find some very interesting reading material.
See also: and, candle, miraculous, signal, that, thing
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
bell, book, and candle
a formula for laying a curse on someone.This expression alludes to the closing words of the rite of excommunication, ‘Do to the book, quench the candle, ring the bell’, meaning that the service book is closed, the candle put out, and the passing bell rung, as a sign of spiritual death.
See also: and, candle
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- bell, book, and candle things that are miraculous or that signal that
- be out of (one's) league
- be out of somebody's league
- accompany (one) on a/(one's) journey
- accompany on a journey
- (one) puts (one's) pants on one leg at a time
- bring (someone or something) into contact with (someone or something)
- a stranger to (someone or something)
- be in bad with (someone)
- be (not) a patch on