Motley refers to the traditional costume of the court jester, or the harlequin character in commedia dell’arte. When used as a noun, it can mean “a varied mixture.” As an adjective, it is generally disparaging — a motley collection is an uninspiring pile of stuff, as in the cliche motley crew.
How do you use the word motley?
having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly.
- The people she’d invited were a pretty motley crew.
- I looked at the motley bunch we were sailing with and began to feel uneasy about the trip.
- His friends were a motley crew.
- She had a motley group of friends at college.
Is motley a bad word?
If you’ve encountered the word motley, it’s most likely in the phrase “motley crew,” which means a diverse and poorly organized group. In contemporary usage, motley can be used in virtually any context as a synonym for mismatched, heterogeneous, or ragtag.
What does the slang term motley crew mean?
: an unusual mixed group We were a motley crew of musicians and athletes.
What does Bells and motley mean?
Bells and Motley is the name of three different inns in the works by Agatha Christie: Bells and Motley in Kirklington Mallet. (At the ‘Bells and Motley’) Bells and Motley in Wychwood under Ashe. (Murder is Easy)
Where did the term motley crew come from?
The phrase “motley crew” appeared in the eighteenth century referring to the ragtag crew of a ship. Today this is still a popular phrase and can refer to any non-uniform group.
How do you use desultory in a simple sentence?
Desultory sentence example
- His attendance was desultory , and he does not appear to have completed his arts course.
- After a year or two of desultory literary work he was (May 1839) appointed to the newlyinstituted chair of Humanity (Latin) in the Marischal College.
What is a motley dress?
Motley is the traditional costume of the court jester, fool, or the harlequin character in commedia dell’arte. The harlequin wears a patchwork of red, green and blue diamonds that is still a fashion motif. It was the characteristic dress of the professional fool.
Why are pirates called motley crew?
When groups of sailors were called “motley crews” it referred to their unruliness, but also their ethnic diversity. For example, Blackbeard’s crew of 100 had 60 black members.” Most pirates joined their crews as volunteers from captured merchant ships.
What mottled means?
: marked with spots of different colors : having blotches of two or more colors mottled tree bark a mottled complexion the bird’s mottled plumage A combination of red and blue pigments in the shell of a live lobster creates a mottled camouflage of indeterminate hue that blends in with the ocean floor.—
How do you use the word detachment in a sentence?
Detachment in a Sentence 🔉
- The woman’s air of detachment made the police question her involvement in her husband’s death.
- While I was heavily sedated after surgery, I felt a sense of detachment from my environment.
- Meditation creates an aura of detachment that allows people to temporarily escape from their troubles.
What is the meaning of the word motley?
Definition of motley. (Entry 1 of 3) 1 : variegated in color a motley coat. 2 : made up of many different people or things a motley crowd a motley collection of junk.
How did Motley interpret the motley bills?
Every act on the motley bills was produced and staged independently. Strip off the motley forms of culture and one finds the structural and functional regularities of social organization. Motley interpreted it as a negative signal.
What is a motley ship?
1 consisting of many things of different sorts. a ship with a motley crew of old salts, young adventurers, and shifty characters of all ages. Synonyms for motley. assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie,
What is the meaning of illustrate in English?
English Language Learners Definition of illustrate. : to give examples in order to make (something) easier to understand. : to be proof or evidence of (something) : to explain or decorate a story, book, etc., with pictures. See the full definition for illustrate in the English Language Learners Dictionary.
