E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Society.
The upper ten thousand, or “the upper ten.” When persons are in “society,” they are on the visiting lists of the fashionable social leaders. The “society” of a district are the great panjandrums thereof.
1
“All the society of the district were present at the prince’s ball.”—Newspaper paragraph, December, 1885.
