subs. (colloquial).—A double quart. Cf. JEROBOAM, REHOBOAM, etc.

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  1796.  BURNS, Epistle to Robert Graham of Fintray.

        High-wav’d his MAGNUM-BONUM round
          With Cyclopean fury.

2

  1811.  GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. MAGNUM BONUM. A bottle containing two quarts of wine. See Scotch pint.

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  1815.  SCOTT, Guy Mannering, XXXVI. Discussing the landlord’s bottle, which was, of course, a MAGNUM.

4

  1829.  Edinburgh Review, XL. 378. Daily washing down turtle and venison with quarts of sherry and MAGNUMS of claret.

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  1837.  DICKENS, Pickwick Papers, xix. They … ordered a glass of brandy and water … with a MAGNUM of extra strength.

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  1850.  THACKERAY, Pendennis, xxxi. They had a MAGNUM of claret at dinner at the club that day.

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  1888.  Athenæum, 21 April, 449. 1.

        Your noble MAGNUM of Lafitte,
E’en Rothschild would have deemed a treat.

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