What is the meaning of word motley?
1 : variegated in color a motley coat. 2 : made up of many different people or things a motley crowd a motley collection of junk. motley.
Is motley a good word?
exhibiting great diversity of elements: a motley crowd. being of different colors combined: a motley flower border. wearing a parti-colored garment: a motley fool.
What is a motley group?
If you’ve encountered the word motley, it’s most likely in the phrase “motley crew,” which means a diverse and poorly organized group. Think of a band of pirates, or the assorted characters who became The Fellowship of the Ring.
What is 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.
Where does 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.
Who would wear motley?
Motley is the traditional costume of the court jester, fool, or the harlequin character in ‘commedia dell’arte’ (early form of professional theatre). The harlequin wears a patchwork of red, green and blue diamonds that is still a fashion motif.
How did Motley Crue get their name?
While trying to find a suitable name, Mars remembered an incident which occurred when he was playing with a band called White Horse, when one of the other band members called the group “a motley looking crew.” He had remembered the phrase and later copied it down as Mottley Cru-.
Does Motley have a negative connotation?
Motley can mean “mismatched” or “variegated” so it might be considered somewhat derogatory, but only in a superficial sense.
Why was a pirate crew sometimes called a motley crew?
The term “motley crew” is actually used in fictional material, such as books or films. … Because members of Jack Sparrow’s crew aboard the Black Pearl in the films were referred to as the “Motley Crew”, fans assume that was the name of their group.
Why did kings have fools?
Court Jester, Jester, or Fool was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras.
What is a female jester called?
Other European terms which represent a jester include ‘fol’, ‘mimus’, ‘truhan’ and ‘sot’, to name a few. Female jesters don’t go by a different name as there is such little known about them. For example, Jane Foole is the only known female court jester in history.