Dictionary

addle pate en · NOUN

Etymology

From addle (“confused”) + pate (“head”).

Meanings

1. (archaic) A foolish or dull-witted person.
   • Then he executed a war-dance, and at its close stepped before Crawford, regarded him for an instant, and croaked out: “Addle-pate! Addle-pate!” “Upon my word, I believe you are the foul fiend himself,” muttered Mark. 1882, Frank Lee Benedict, “Miss Alderly's Law-Suit”, in Peterson's Magazine, volumes 81-82, page 443:
2. (archaic) Such a person’s brain or mental faculties.
   • “Go to bed, and don’t bother your addle pate about your neighbours. Can’t a man cut up a few sticks without your coming to investigate?” 1910, Grace S. Richmond, Red Pepper Burns:
   • Am I to be ramshaklt out of the super nakullums in spite o’ my teeth? Yea and go softly! I crack the nut and you eat the kernel! I tellee once again you’ve an addle pate o’ your own! [...] Squire Nincompoop! 1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives:

Forms

Relateds

addle-pated