TO KNOCK ANTHONY, verb. phr. (old).—1. To walk knock-kneed; TO CUFF JONAS (q.v.). Hence ANTHONY CUFFIN = a knock-kneed man. Also (2) to keep warm by beating one’s sides: see BEATING THE BOOBY (GROSE).
1662. FULLER, Worthies, ‘London,’ ii. 56. He will follow him like a ST. ANTHONY’S PIG. St. Anthonie is notoriously known for the Patron of hogs, having a Pig for his Page in all pictures…. There was a fair Hospital built to the honour of St. Anthony in Bennet’s Fink in the City; the Protectors and Proctors whereof claimed a priviledge to themselves to garble the live Pigs in the Markets of the City; and such as they found starved, or otherwise unwholesome for man’s sustenance, they would slit in the ear, tie a bell about their necks, and let them loose about the City. None durst hurt or take them up (having this Livery of St. Anthony upon them); but many would give them bread, and feed them in their passage, whom they used to follow, whining after them.
1787. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. The favourite or smallest pig in the litter; to follow like a TANTONY PIG, i.e., ST. ANTHONY’S PIG, to follow close at one’s heels.
ST. ANTHONY’S FIRE, subs. phr. (old).—See quots.
1527. L. ANDREWE, Brunswyck’s The Vertuose Boke of Distyllacyon of All Manner of Waters, A ij. Sorell water slaketh ST. ANTHONY’S FYRE.
1607. E. TOPSELL, Serpents, 815. The disease called Erisipelas, commonly called ST. ANTHONIES FIRE.
1834. Penny Cyclopædia, II. 96. 2. The cure of the distemper called the sacred fire, since that time called ST. ANTHONY’S FIRE.
1868. BREWER, Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, s.v. From the tradition that those who sought the intercession of ST. ANTHONY recovered from the pestilential erysipelas called the sacred fire which proved extremely fatal in 1089.
