motley
pronunciation
How to pronounce motley in British English:
UK [ˈmɒtli]
How to pronounce motley in American English:
US [ˈmɑtli]
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- Noun:
- a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
- a garment made of motley (especially a court jester's costume)
- a multicolored woolen fabric woven of mixed threads in 14th to 17th century England
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- Verb:
- make something more diverse and varied
- make motley; color with different colors
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- Adjective:
- consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds (even to the point of incongruity)
- having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly
Word Origin
- motley (adj.)
- late 14c., "parti-colored" (originally of fabric), from Anglo-French motteley, probably from Old English mot "speck" (see mote). But Klein's sources say probably from Gaulish. "Diversified in color," especially of a fool's dress. Hence, allusively, "a fool" (1600). As a noun meaning "cloth of mixed color" from late 14c.
Example
- 1. This method can also be applied to the motley hall problem .
- 2. It all marks a huge improvement on the ragtag troops with motley weapons who patrolled here three years ago .
- 3. But another draft resolution tabled by the sri lankan government itself , praising its own commitment to human rights , was passed by a vote of 29 to 12 . Its motley crew of supporters included china , cuba , india , russia , pakistan and egypt .
- 4. The younger boy had already run off towards a motley collection of mud brick houses nearby ; but the eldest was still there , muttering darkly , chest out , showing that he wasn 't intimidated .