harlequin
To remove or conjure away, as if by a harlequin's trickTo remove or conjure away, as if by a harlequin's trick.
» Tom used to be a harlequin.
Miktsoanit · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
2 senses(transitive)To remove or conjure away, as if by a harlequin's trick.
(intransitive)To make sport by playing ludicrous tricks.
- variegate with spots or marks
Examples
4 sentencesTom used to be a harlequin.
The harlequin had large, red lips.
The harlequin amused the public.
A harlequin wore colorful clothing and covered his face with a mask to protect his identity.
deEin Harlekin trug farbenfrohe Kleider und verbarg sein Gesicht hinter einer Maske, um seine Identität nicht preiszugeben. — raggione
Origin
From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of aFrom 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”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
harlequins, harlequining, harlequined, harlequined| Base form | harlequin · to harlequin |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | harlequins |
| Present participle | harlequining |
| Past simple | harlequined |
| Past participle | harlequined |
regular · Lesson
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.