Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
harlequin en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/ (UK)
- /ˈhɑɹlɪkwɪn/ (US)
Etymology
From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent spirit), probably of Germanic origin, connected to the Old English figure of *Herla Cyning (“King Herla”, a mythical figure identified with Woden) or possibly to Old Frisian helle kin, Old English helle cyn, Old Norse heljar kyn (“the kindred of Hell”). Related to Middle English Hurlewain (“a mischievous sprite or goblin”).
Meanings
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(not-comparable) Brightly colored, especially in a pattern like that of a harlequin clown's clothes.
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(not-comparable) Of a greenish-chartreuse color.
Deriveds
harlequin beetle · harlequin cabbage bug · harlequin snake · harlequin ice cream · harlequin moth · harlequin caterpillar · harlequin duck · harlequinade · harlequin opal · yellow harlequin · harlequin bat · harlequinery · harlequinesque
Translations (3)
fi harlekiinikuvioinen (brightly colored) · fi riemunkirjava (brightly colored) · it arlecchino (brightly colored)
wikipedia: King Herla
harlequin en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/ (UK)
- /ˈhɑɹlɪkwɪn/ (US)
Etymology
From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent spirit), probably of Germanic origin, connected to the Old English figure of *Herla Cyning (“King Herla”, a mythical figure identified with Woden) or possibly to Old Frisian helle kin, Old English helle cyn, Old Norse heljar kyn (“the kindred of Hell”). Related to Middle English Hurlewain (“a mischievous sprite or goblin”).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock character in commedia dell'arte and other genres.
Motives are like harlequins—there is always a second dress beneath their first.
1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XX, in Romance and Reality. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 241:[…] were certainly the worst and dullest company into which an audience was ever introduced; and (which was a secret known to few) were actually intended so to be, in order to contrast the comic part of the entertainment, and to display the tricks of harlequin to the better advantage.
1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling:
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(countable, uncountable) A greenish-chartreuse color.
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(countable, informal, uncountable) A harlequin duck.
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(countable, uncountable) Any of various riodinid butterflies of the genera Taxila and Praetaxila.
Forms
Deriveds
harlequin annual lupine · harlequin lady beetle · harlequin syndrome · harlequin ladybug · harlequin mantis shrimp · harlequinize · harlequin ladybird · harlequinic · harlequin ichthyosis · harlequin darter · harlequin-type ichthyosis · harlequinism · harlequin baby · harlequin bug
Translations (49)
ro arlechin (pantomime fool) · fi harlekiini (pantomime fool) · nn harlekin (pantomime fool) · ru арлеки́н (pantomime fool) · da harlekin (pantomime fool) · az arlekin (pantomime fool) · lmo arlechì (pantomime fool) · tl harlekin (pantomime fool) · fr arlequin (pantomime fool) · bo ཨར་ལེ་ཀི་ནོ། (pantomime fool) · it arlecchino (pantomime fool) · sv harlekin (pantomime fool) · ga airleacán (pantomime fool) · gsw Harlekin (pantomime fool) · sh harlèkīn (pantomime fool) · pl arlekin (pantomime fool) · lv arlekīns (pantomime fool) · es arlequín (pantomime fool) · bg арлекин (pantomime fool) · nb harlekin (pantomime fool) · gl arlequín (pantomime fool) · el αρλεκίνος (pantomime fool) · wa harlikin (pantomime fool) · sh харлѐкӣн (pantomime fool) · io arlekino (pantomime fool) · he מוּקְיוֹן (pantomime fool) · lmo arlechin (pantomime fool) · sh арлѐкӣн (pantomime fool) · eo arlekeno (pantomime fool) · tr arleken (pantomime fool) · cs harlekýn (pantomime fool) · de Harlekin (pantomime fool) · mk арлекин (pantomime fool) · et arlekiin (pantomime fool) · pt arlequim (pantomime fool) · ca arlequí (pantomime fool) · ja アルレッキーノ (pantomime fool) · uz arlikin (pantomime fool) · fi narri (pantomime fool) · bg арлекино (pantomime fool) · nl harlekijn (pantomime fool) · sk harlekýn (pantomime fool) · lt arlekinas (pantomime fool) · uz arlekino (pantomime fool) · hu harlekin (pantomime fool) · sh arlèkīn (pantomime fool) · eu arlekin (pantomime fool) · ko 아를레키노 (pantomime fool) · uk арлекі́н (pantomime fool)
wikipedia: King Herla
harlequin en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/ (UK)
- /ˈhɑɹlɪkwɪn/ (US)
Etymology
From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent spirit), probably of Germanic origin, connected to the Old English figure of *Herla Cyning (“King Herla”, a mythical figure identified with Woden) or possibly to Old Frisian helle kin, Old English helle cyn, Old Norse heljar kyn (“the kindred of Hell”). Related to Middle English Hurlewain (“a mischievous sprite or goblin”).
Meanings
-
(transitive) To remove or conjure away, as if by a harlequin's trick.
And kitten, if the humour hit / Has harlequin'd away the fit.
1737, Matthew Green, The Spleen:
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(intransitive) To make sport by playing ludicrous tricks.
Forms
wikipedia: King Herla