merry-andrew

[ mer-ee-an-droo ]

noun

1. a clown; buffoon.

merry-andrew

noun

1. a joker, clown, or buffoon

Word History and Origins

Origin of merry-andrew¹

1665–75; merry + Andrew, generic use of the proper name

Word History and Origins

Origin of merry-andrew¹

C17: original reference of Andrew unexplained

Example Sentences

A Lord is a merry andrew, a Duke a jack pudding, and a King a tom fool: his name is man!

From Project Gutenberg

Pickle herring; the zany or merry andrew of a mountebank.

From Project Gutenberg

The jester, jack pudding, or merry andrew, to a   mountebank.

From Project Gutenberg

The merry andrew, zany, or jester to a mountebank.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• buffoon
• comedian
• comic
• fool
• jester
• mime
• prankster