Brummell, Beau (George Bryan Brummell), 1778-1840, English dandy and wit. Brummell was greatly admired for his fastidious appearance and confident manner. He was an intimate of the prince regent (later George IV), and as such influenced men of society to wear dark, simply cut clothes and elaborate neckwear. He is also credited with having set the fashion for trousers rather than breeches. Having quarreled with the prince, and deeply in debt from gambling, Brummell fled to France, where, ironically, he lived for 14 years in poverty and squalor. He died insane in a hospital at Caen.

Nash, Beau (Richard Nash), 1674-1761, Englishman of fashion. As master of ceremonies at Bath he was the recognized leader of society. He maintained his luxurious mode of living by gambling until gaming was forbidden in 1745. He died a poor pensioner.

orig. George Bryan

(born June 7, 1778, London, Eng.—died March 30, 1840, Caen, France) English dandy. The son of Lord North's private secretary, he attended Oxford and became famous for his dress and wit as well as for his friendship with George, prince of Wales (later King George IV). The leader of English fashion of his time, he had by 1816 exhausted his inherited fortune on gambling and extravagance, and his sharp tongue had alienated his patron. He fled to Calais, France to avoid his creditors and struggled for 14 years before becoming British consul at Caen (1830–32). In 1835 his friends rescued him from debtor's prison, but he soon lost all interest in his personal appearance, and he spent his final years in a charitable asylum.

Learn more about Brummell, Beau with a free trial on Britannica.com.

orig. George Bryan

(born June 7, 1778, London, Eng.—died March 30, 1840, Caen, France) English dandy. The son of Lord North's private secretary, he attended Oxford and became famous for his dress and wit as well as for his friendship with George, prince of Wales (later King George IV). The leader of English fashion of his time, he had by 1816 exhausted his inherited fortune on gambling and extravagance, and his sharp tongue had alienated his patron. He fled to Calais, France to avoid his creditors and struggled for 14 years before becoming British consul at Caen (1830–32). In 1835 his friends rescued him from debtor's prison, but he soon lost all interest in his personal appearance, and he spent his final years in a charitable asylum.

Learn more about Brummell, Beau with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Beau's lines are deep grooved lines that run from side to side on the fingernail. They may look like indentations or ridges in the nail plate. There are several reasons that humans get Beau's lines. It is believed that there is a temporary cessation of cell division in the nail matrix. This may be caused by an infection or problem in the nail fold, where the nail begins to form, or it may be caused by an injury to that area. Some other reasons for these lines include: trauma, coronary occlusion, hypocalcaemia, skin disease and may be a sign of systemic disease. It may also be caused by an illness of the body, such as diabetes, certain drugs - including beta blockers according to the Cleveland Clinic, as well as other drugs used in chemotherapy, or even malnutrition. This condition of the nail was named by a French physician, Joseph Honoré Simon Beau (1806–1865), who first described it in 1846.

Beau's lines should be distinguished from Muehrcke lines of the fingernails. While Beau's lines are actual ridges and indentations in the nail plate, Muehrcke lines are areas of hypopigmentation without palpable ridges.

A researcher found Beau's lines in the fingernails of 6 divers following a deep saturation dive to a pressure equal to 335 meters of sea water, and in 2 of 6 divers following a similar dive to 305 meters.

References