any seemingly unfailing and marvelously effective way of bringing about a desired result, attaining
success or gaining admittance; something which opens doors or removes
barriers, as a password, etc. The
phrase was used as a magic
command to
open the door of a robber's cave in the story "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," from the
Arabian Nights (a
collection of approximately two hundred
Persian-
Indian-
Arabian tales of magical adventures, genies and
love, dating from the tenth century A.D.). In this story, Ali Baba (a poor woodcutter) overhears thieves opening the door of their cave by
use of this magic
command. He uses the
command in their absence and becomes a wealthy
man, taking as much of their riches as he can carry on his donkeys. The
origin of the
command is
obscure, but the sesame seed has been used in the Near East since an early age as a charm and an ingredient in magic prescriptions.
the password at which the door of the robbers' cave flew
open in the tale of The Forty Thieves (
Arabian Nights); hence a
key to a
mystery, or anything that
acts like magic in obtaining favor, admission,
recognition, etc.
-Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. the password at which the door of the robbers' cave flew
open in the tale of The Forty Thieves (
Arabian Nights); hence a
key to a
mystery, or anything that
acts like magic in obtaining favor, admission,
recognition, etc.