Silver bullet (figurative 1945)

[Michael Quinion]

Charles Doyle wrote:

> It is somewhat commonly reported--as in a novel I've been reading
> (Elizabeth Kostova'a _The Historian_)--that Stoker's _Dracula_ mentions the
> silver bullet among several vampire repellants.  As far as my memory
> serves, however, (often not very far) that information is incorrect.

Indeed. Surely you must use a sharp wooden stake for a vampire. Silver
bullets are effective against werewolves, witches and the devil. Sir
Walter Scott, for example, several times mentions silver bullets used to
counter such.

--
Michael Quinion
Editor, World Wide Words
Web: http://www.worldwidewords.org

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