From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Motley \Mot"ley\, n.
1. A combination of distinct colors; esp., the party-colored
cloth, or clothing, worn by the professional fool.
--Chaucer. "Motley 's the only wear." --Shak.
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2. Hence, a jester, a fool. [Obs.] --Shak.
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{Man of motley}, a fool. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Motley \Mot"ley\, a. [OE. mottelee, motle; cf. OF. mattel['e]
clotted, curdled, OF, ciel mattonn['e] a mottled sky, mate,
maton, curdled milk, Prov. G. matte curd. Cf. {Mottle}.]
1. Variegated in color; consisting of different colors;
dappled; party-colored; as, a motley coat.
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2. Wearing motley or party-colored clothing. See {Motley},
n., 1. "A motley fool." --Shak.
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3. Composed of different or various parts; heterogeneously
made or mixed up; discordantly composite; as, motley
style. --Byron.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
motley
adj 1: consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds;
"an arrangement of assorted spring flowers"; "assorted
sizes"; "miscellaneous accessories"; "a mixed program of
baroque and contemporary music"; "a motley crew"; "sundry
sciences commonly known as social"- I.A.Richards [syn:
{assorted}, {miscellaneous}, {mixed}, {motley},
{sundry(a)}]
2: having sections or patches colored differently and usually
brightly; "a jester dressed in motley"; "the painted desert";
"a particolored dress"; "a piebald horse"; "pied daisies"
[syn: {motley}, {calico}, {multicolor}, {multi-color},
{multicolour}, {multi-colour}, {multicolored}, {multi-
colored}, {multicoloured}, {multi-coloured}, {painted},
{particolored}, {particoloured}, {piebald}, {pied},
{varicolored}, {varicoloured}]
n 1: a collection containing a variety of sorts of things; "a
great assortment of cars was on display"; "he had a variety
of disorders"; "a veritable smorgasbord of religions" [syn:
{assortment}, {mixture}, {mixed bag}, {miscellany},
{miscellanea}, {variety}, {salmagundi}, {smorgasbord},
{potpourri}, {motley}]
2: a garment made of motley (especially a court jester's
costume)
3: a multicolored woolen fabric woven of mixed threads in 14th
to 17th century England
v 1: make something more diverse and varied; "Vary the menu"
[syn: {vary}, {variegate}, {motley}]
2: make motley; color with different colors [syn: {motley},
{parti-color}]
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