mot´ley|ness

mot´ley|ness
mot|ley «MOT lee», adjective, noun, plural -leys.
–adj.
1. made up of different things or kinds: »

a motley crowd, a motley collection of butterflies, shells, and stamps.

SYNONYM(S): heterogeneous.
2. of different colors like a clown's suit: »

dressed in the motley garb that jesters wear (Longfellow).

SYNONYM(S): variegated, harlequin.
3. wearing motley: »

a motley fool (Shakespeare).

–n.
1. a mixture of things that are different. SYNONYM(S): medley, mélange.
2. a suit of more than one color worn by clowns: »

At the party he wore motley. Old-time fools and jesters wore motley.

3. a jester; fool: »

I have gone here and there and made myself a motley to the view (Shakespeare).

4. a woolen fabric of mixed colors, used for clothing from the 1300's to 1600's, especially in England.
[Middle English motteley, apparently < unrecorded Anglo-French motelé < Old English mot mote1]
mot´ley|ness, noun.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • mot|ley — «MOT lee», adjective, noun, plural leys. –adj. 1. made up of different things or kinds: »a motley crowd, a motley collection of butterflies, shells, and stamps. SYNONYM(S): heterogeneous. 2. of different colors like a clown s suit: »dressed in… …   Useful english dictionary

  • bur — al·bur·num; Bur·ber·ry; bur·bler; bur·bly; bur·bot; bur; bur·chell s; bur·de·kin; bur·den·less; bur·den·man; bur·den s; bur·den·some; bur·den·some·ly; bur·den·some·ness; bur·el; bur·gage; bur·gall; bur·ga·mot; bur·gao; bur·gee; bur·gess;… …   English syllables

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