harlequin
(noun) a clown or buffoon (after the Harlequin character in the commedia dell’arte)
harlequin
(verb) variegate with spots or marks; “His face was harlequined with patches”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
harlequin (plural harlequins)
A pantomime fool, typically dressed in checkered colorful clothes.
A greenish-chartreuse color.
(informal) A harlequin duck.
(entomology) Any of various riodinid butterflies of the genera Taxila and Praetaxila.
• Because of its origin in the name of an Italian theatrical character, Harlequin is often used as a proper noun.
harlequin (not comparable)
Brightly colored, especially in a pattern like that of a harlequin clown's clothes.
Of a greenish-chartreuse color.
harlequin (third-person singular simple present harlequins, present participle harlequining, simple past and past participle harlequined)
(transitive) To remove or conjure away, as if by a harlequin's trick.
(intransitive) To make sport by playing ludicrous tricks.
Source: Wiktionary
Har"le*quin, n. Etym: [F. arlequin,formerly written also harlequin (cf. It, arlecchino), prob. fr. OF. hierlekin, hellequin, goblin, elf, which is prob. of German or Dutch origin; cf. D. hel hell. Cf. Hell, Kin.]
Definition: A buffoon, dressed in party-colored clothes, who plays tricks, often without speaking, to divert the bystanders or an audience; a merry-andrew; originally, a droll rogue of Italian comedy. Percy Smith. As dumb harlequin is exhibited in our theaters. Johnson. Harlequin bat (Zoöl.), an Indian bat (Scotophilus ornatus), curiously variegated with white spots.
– Harlequin beetle (Zoöl.), a very large South American beetle (Acrocinus longimanus) having very long legs and antennæ. The elytra are curiously marked with red, black, and gray.
– Harlequin cabbage bug. (Zoöl.) See Calicoback.
– Harlequin caterpillar. (Zoöl.), the larva of an American bombycid moth (Euchætes egle) which is covered with black, white, yellow, and orange tufts of hair.
– Harlequin duck (Zoöl.), a North American duck (Histrionicus histrionicus). The male is dark ash, curiously streaked with white.
– Harlequin moth. (Zoöl.) See Magpie Moth.
– Harlequin opal. See Opal.
– Harlequin snake (Zoöl.), a small, poisonous snake (Elaps fulvius), ringed with red and black, found in the Southern United States.
Har"le*quin, n. i.
Definition: To play the droll; to make sport by playing ludicrous tricks.
Har"le*quin, v. t.
Definition: Toremove or conjure away, as by a harlequin's trick. And kitten,if the humor hit Has harlequined away the fit. M. Green.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
30 April 2024
(verb) treat carefully; “He nursed his injured back by lying in bed several hours every afternoon”; “He nursed the flowers in his garden and fertilized them regularly”
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