E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Beauty and the Beast.
The hero and heroine of Madame Villeneuve’s fairy tale. Beauty saved the life of her father by consenting to live with the Beast; and the Beast, being disenchanted by Beauty’s love, became a handsome prince, and married her. (Contes Marines, 1740.)
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A handsome woman with an uncouth or uncomely male companion.
A handsome woman with an uncouth or uncomely male companion.
