i Register
In some senses, motley is marked as figuratively. Watch for register when choosing this word.
motley
UK /ˈmɒtli/ US /ˈmɑtli/
noun 3adj 2verb 2name 2
Collocations
2VERB + MOTLEY
made, married
MOTLEY + NOUN
crew, educators
Definitions
adj
1
Comprising greatly varied elements, to the point of incongruity.
I met a fool i' th' forest, / A motley' fool.
Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers,[…]. Even such a boat as the Mount Vernon offered a total deck space so cramped as to leave secrecy or privacy well out of the question, even had the motley and democratic assemblage of passengers been disposed to accord either.
2
Having many colours; variegated.
noun
1
An incongruous mixture.
2
A jester's multicoloured clothes.
3
A jester; a fool.
Wil you be married, Motley?
Alas, 'tis true, I have gone here and there, / And made myself a motley to the view, […]
verb
1
To give something a patchwork appearance.
2
To make something multicolored, variegated, or diverse in character.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
noun — a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
- assortment
- mixture
- miscellany
- miscellanea
- variety
- salmagundi
- smorgasbord
verb — make motley
- parti-color
adjective — having sections or patches colored differently and usually b
- calico
- multicolor
- multi-color
- multicolour
- multi-colour
- multicolored
- multi-colored
- multicoloured
adjective — consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
- assorted
- miscellaneous
- mixed
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
I met a fool i' th' forest, / A motley' fool.
Wiktionary02
Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers,[…]. Even such a boat as the Mount Vernon offered a total deck space so cramped as to leave secrecy or priv
Wiktionary03
"One of them can see you, and one of them can see an empty hallway." Reynders narrowed her bleary eyes — she wasn't wearing her glasses, for some reason — as though momentarily uncertain which sight s
Wiktionary04
Wil you be married, Motley?
Wiktionary05
Alas, 'tis true, I have gone here and there, / And made myself a motley to the view, […]
Wiktionary06
They're a motley crew.
Tatoeba · #1518482Usage Notes
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