Barmecide feast

Barmecide feast
Something that promises much but delivers nothing; an illusion.
See Also: barmecidal

Wikipedia foundation.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Barmecide feast — Barmecide feast, 1. a pretended feast with empty dishes. 2. an empty pretense of hospitality, generosity, or other kindnesses or benefits. ╂[< Barmecide] …   Useful english dictionary

  • Barmecide (feast) — [bär′mə sīd΄] n. 〚after a prince in The Arabian Nights who served such a feast〛 1. a pretended feast with no food 2. any pretended or illusory generosity or hospitality Barmecidal [bär΄məsīd′ l] adj. * * * …   Universalium

  • Barmecide (feast) — [bär′mə sīd΄] n. [after a prince in The Arabian Nights who served such a feast] 1. a pretended feast with no food 2. any pretended or illusory generosity or hospitality Barmecidal [bär΄məsīd′ l] adj …   English World dictionary

  • Barmecide (feast) — [bär′mə sīd΄] n. [after a prince in The Arabian Nights who served such a feast] 1. a pretended feast with no food 2. any pretended or illusory generosity or hospitality Barmecidal [bär΄məsīd′ l] adj …   English World dictionary

  • Barmecide —    , BARMECIDE S FEAST    According to the The Barber s Story of his Sixth Brother in the Tales from the Arabian Nights, Barmecide is an illusion, particularly one containing a great disappointment. The story begins in Baghdad, where a member of… …   Dictionary of eponyms

  • Barmecide — Bar me*cide, n. [A prince of the Barmecide family, who, as related in the Arabian Nights Tales , pretended to set before the hungry Shacabac food, on which the latter pretended to feast.] One who proffers some illusory advantage or benefit. Also… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Barmecide — /bahr meuh suyd /, n. 1. a member of a noble Persian family of Baghdad who, according to a tale in The Arabian Nights Entertainments, gave a beggar a pretended feast with empty dishes. adj. 2. Barmecidal. [ < Pers Barmeki family name, lit.,… …   Universalium

  • Barmecide — [ bα:mɪsʌɪd] adjective rare illusory or imaginary and therefore disappointing. Origin C18: from Arab. Barmakī, a prince in the Arabian Nights Entertainments, who gave a beggar a feast consisting of ornate but empty dishes …   English new terms dictionary

  • barmecide — adj. & n. adj. illusory, imaginary; such as to disappoint. n. a giver of benefits that are illusory or disappointing. Etymology: the name of a wealthy man in the Arabian Nights Entertainments who gave a beggar a feast consisting of ornate but… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Barmakids — The Barmakids (Persian: برمکیان Barmakīyān ; Arabic: البرامكة al barāmika , also called Barmecides) were a noble Persian [ Barmakids. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 4 June 2007 ] family which came to great… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”