TO BURN THE PARADE, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. Warning more men for a guard than were necessary, and excusing the supernumeraries for money…. A practice formerly winked at in most garrisons, a perquisite to the adjutants and sergeant majors; the pretence for it was to purchase coal and candle for the guard, whence it was called BURNING THE PARADE.
