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A buffoon; a merry-andrew; a court fool. This . . . was Yorick's skull, the king's jester. Shak. Dressed in the motley garb that jesters wear. Longfellow.

A jester. [Obs.]

dress prescribed for appearance at the court of a sovereign. -- Court fool, a buffoon or jester, formerly kept by princes and nobles for their amusement. -- Court guide, a directory of the names and adresses of the nobility and gentry in a town. -- Court hand, the hand or manner of writing used in records and judici…

A strip of red cloth notched like the comb of a cock, which licensed jesters formerly wore in their caps.

One whose practice it is to raise mirth by odd tricks; a jester; a buffoon; a merry-andrew. Prior.

A jester; a droll. [Obs.] Glanvill.

One who counterfeits folly; a professional jester or buffoon; a retainer formerly kept to make sport, dressed fantastically in motley, with ridiculous accouterments. Can they think me . . . their fool or jester Milton. April fool, Court fool, etc. See under April, Court, etc. -- Fool's cap, a cap or hood to which bell…

A jester; a buffoon. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A jester; a joker. [Obs.] Strutt.

Hence, a jester, a fool. [Obs.] Shak. Man of motley, a fool. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

Having a mind of a jester; foolish. Shak.

A banterer; a jester; a mocker. [R.] Wycherley.

Such as befits a buffoon or vulgar jester; grossly opprobrious or loudly jocose in language; scurrilous; as, scurrile taunts. The wretched affectation of scurrile laughter. Cowley. A scurrile or obscene jest will better advance you at the court of Charles than father's ancient name. Sir W. Scott.