E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Doctors’ Commons.
A locality near St. Paul’s, where the ecclesiastical courts were formerly held, and wills preserved. To “common” means to dine together; a term still used at our universities. Doctors’ Commons was so called because the doctors of civil law had to dine together four days in each term. This was called eating their terms.
