subs. phr. (old).—Nobody. Hence, IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN DICK = Never; TO THE TUNE OF THE LIFE AND DEATH OF QUEEN DICK = no tune at all.—GROSE (1785).

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  ENGLISH SYNONYMS.—At Latter Lammas (see LAMMAS); on the GREEK CALENDS (q.v.); on St. Tib’s Eve (see TIB’S EVE); on to-morrow-come-never; in the month of five Sundays; when two Fridays (or three Sundays) come together; when Dover and Calais meet; when Dudman and Ramehead meet; when the world grows honest; when the Yellow River runs clear; on the 31st June (or some other impossible date); once in a blue moon; when two Sundays come in a week; when the devil is blind (or blind drunk); at Doomsday; one of these odd-come-shortlys; when my goose pisses; when the ducks have eaten up the dirt; when pigs fly; on St. Geoffrey’s day (GROSE).

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  FRENCH SYNONYMS.—Dans une semaine de trois ou quatre jeudis; Mardi s’il fait chaud (obsolete); Dimanche après la grande messe; quand les poules pisseront.

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  1691–2.  SWIFT, Actæon, in Gentlemen’s Journal, Feb., 15.

        And then from QUEEN DICK got a patent,
On Charlton-green to set up a tent.

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  1864.  Standard, 13 Dec. A bus driver in altercation with his conductor, who threatened him with paying off soon, replied, Oh yes, IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN DICK.

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