Word info Synonyms Antonyms

motley

Speech parts

1. motley - Noun

2. motley - Adjective

3. motley - Verb

4. motley - Adjective Satellite

5. Motley - Proper noun

Meaning

Variegated in color; consisting of different colors; dappled; party-colored; as, a motley coat.

Wearing motley or party-colored clothing. See Motley, n., 1.

Composed of different or various parts; heterogeneously made or mixed up; discordantly composite; as, motley style.

A combination of distinct colors; esp., the party-colored cloth, or clothing, worn by the professional fool.

Hence, a jester, a fool.

Source: Webster's dictionary

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Examples

He sees that this great roundabout; The world, with all its motley rout, Church, army, physic, law, Its customs and its businesses, Is no concern at all of his, And says -- what says he -- Caw. William Cowper

We have been entertained with a great variety of phrases, to avoid calling this sort of people a mob. Some call them shavers, some call them geniuses. The plain English is, gentlemen, most probably a motley rabble of saucy boys, negroes and mulattoes, Irish teagues and outlandish jack tars. John Adams

We have a wretched motley crew, in the fleet; the marines the refuse of every regiment, and the seamen, few of them, ever wet with salt water. Benedict Arnold

It is enough that we set out to mold the motley stuff of life into some form of our own choosing; when we do, the performance is itself the wage. Learned Hand

There are more motley dogs than the priest's. Swedish Proverb

There is seldom cattle without some motley animals. Swedish Proverb

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