king's evil
- noun
- /kɪŋz ˈiːvəl/
- Archaic
:
mal de rey
- Syphilis as the "king's evil" and the chancre projected as the sun's rays might have been lifted from Measure for Measure's bawdry.
Examples
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In the past, many believed that the touch of a monarch could heal ailments like the king's evil.
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You've been touched with the king's evil.
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During the Middle Ages, people afflicted with king's evil would line up to receive the royal touch.
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The historical treatment for king's evil involved the king touching the swollen lymph glands of the patient.
Synonyms
50
3.7
A serious disease that spreads between people and usually affects the lungs, causing fever and coughing
1
9.9
Swelling of the lymph nodes that makes them larger than normal
1
9.9
A disease that causes swollen glands in the neck, often from tuberculosis
Swollen lumps in the neck caused by an infection, often tuberculosis
Surface Forms
Morphology
king's + evil
Although composed of 'king's' and 'evil', the phrase historically names the disease scrofula and its link to 'evil' is metaphorical/historical (belief in a king's healing power) rather than indicating a medical condition; a B1 learner who knows the words 'king' and 'evil' would not infer a specific disease. This is a culturally and historically specific meaning that cannot be derived from the constituents, so it is opaque.
Etymology
King's evil comes from the old belief that the king could heal a swollen neck disease called 'scrofula' by laying on hands and touching the sick. Because people thought the evil (the illness) was linked to the king's touch, the disease became known as the king's evil. So today, king's evil refers to that old disease, 'scrofula'.