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merry-andrew

[ mer-ee-an-droo ]

/ ˌmɛr iˈæn dru /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR merry-andrew ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a clown; buffoon.

Origin of merry-andrew

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

Words nearby merry-andrew

merry dancers, merry men, merry mount, merry widow, merry wives of windsor, the, merry-andrew, merry-bells, merry-go-round, merrymaker, merrymaking, merrythought

Example sentences from the Web for merry-andrew

It was his custom when in banter to drop from English to his native brogue like a merry-andrew.

Lords of the North |A. C. Laut
The Merry-Andrew was the funniest creature—in salmon-coloured tights—turned head over heels, and said he came from Timbuctoo.

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 69, No. 424, February 1851 |Various
The worthy fellow soon became the jester and merry-andrew of the boatswain's mess, where a berth had been kept for him.

Five Weeks in a Balloon |Jules Verne
But his chief delight was in pursuing the profession of a juggler, mountebank, or merry-andrew, among the lowest rabble.

Curiosities of Human Nature |Anonymous

Even the school-boys left the merry-andrew and came to gaze, with wide-open eyes, at this tall, strange-looking old man.

Biographical Stories |Nathaniel Hawthorne

British Dictionary definitions for merry-andrew

merry-andrew

noun

a joker, clown, or buffoon

Word Origin for merry-andrew

C17: original reference of Andrew unexplained