turncoat en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
A compound of turn + coat, reportedly derived from the sometime military practice of wearing uniform coats that were lined in material of a contrasting color, and which could be worn inside out to present a different appearance.
Meanings
-
A traitor; one who turns against a previous affiliation or allegiance.
The opposition members chanted slogans against the turncoats and termed the speaker’s attitude as partial. To them the speaker was promoting 'lotacracy' in the province, prompting them to chant 'go Speaker go', and 'lota speaker'.
2005 June 10, Raja Riaz, The Nation, archived from the original on 03 Dec 2007:But some will cry Turncoat, and rip up old stories, / How I always pretended to be for the tories: […]
1711 [December?] (date written), Jonathan Swift, “An Excellent New Song. Being the Intended Speech of a Famous Orator against Peace [i.e., Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham].”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume VII, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 72:Federal prosecutors say that in addition to turncoat witnesses, they are armed with secretly recorded conversations made in the Camden, N.J., office of Mr. Stanfa's lawyer, Salvatore Avena, who has also been indicted on racketeering charges.
1995 October 6, Selwyn Raab, “Brother of Mob Turncoat Is Gunned Down”, in The New York Times:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| turn-coat | alternative | lexicographic | |
| turncoats | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| turn coat | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
turncoat witness · turncoatism
Synonyms
runagate · turncloak · defector · traitor · turncoat · transfuge · changeling · renegade · defector · turntippet · withersake · apostate · balimbing · butterfly · apostate
Translations (62)
gl desertor (traitor) · hy ռենեգատ (traitor) · ba һатлыҡ (traitor) · fi takinkääntäjä (traitor) · ru перебе́жчик (traitor) · be здра́днiк (traitor) · de Überläufer (traitor) · sv överlöpare (traitor) · no forræder (traitor) · ru ренега́т (traitor) · ja 裏切り者 (traitor) · no overløper (traitor) · es chaquetero (traitor) · ru преда́тель (traitor) · hy ուրացող (traitor) · fr apostat (traitor) · gl traidor (traitor) · hy դավաճան (traitor) · sw popo (traitor) · mk вртикапа (traitor) · uk перебі́жчик (traitor) · ca trànsfuga (traitor) · es cambiacasaca (traitor) · nl renegaat (traitor) · nl verrader (traitor) · it pentito (traitor) · nl afvallige (traitor) · hy փախստակ (traitor) · es tránsfuga (traitor) · cmn 叛徒 (traitor) · fr renégat (traitor) · it traditore (traitor) · es veleta (traitor) · it banderuola (traitor) · uk пере́вертень (traitor) · es renegado (traitor) · cy gwrthgiliwr (traitor) · gl chaqueteiro (traitor) · bg ренегат (traitor) · ga cat breac (traitor) · da vendekåbe (traitor) · ba хыянатсы (traitor) · it giravolta (traitor) · uk зра́дник (traitor) · de Renegat (traitor) · gl virachaquetas (traitor) · be перабе́жчык (traitor) · de Überläuferin (traitor) · sv kappvändare (traitor) · ba хаин (traitor) · be рэнэга́т (traitor) · pl zdrajca (traitor) · nl deserteur (traitor) · de Verräter (traitor) · pt vira-casaca (traitor) · bg изменник (traitor) · fr traître (traitor) · gl defector (traitor) · sv någon som vänder kappan efter vinden (traitor) · uk ренега́т (traitor) · hu köpönyegforgató (traitor) · it voltagabbana (traitor)