napoleon
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /nəˈpəʊlɪən/
ipa: /nəˈpoʊli.ən/
ipa: /nəˈpoʊljn/
ipa: /nəˈpoʊljən/
rhymes: -əʊliən
Forms: form: napoleons
form: Napoleon
Etymology: Borrowed from French Napoléon (“given name, usually in reference to Napoleon Bonaparte”). In reference to coins, via French napoléon (“(slang) a coin that originally had the appearance of Napoleon's face in the obverse”). In reference to guns and possibly cards, in reference to Napoleon III.
Senses: topics: hobbies
lifestyle
numismatics
glosses: The franc germinal: a 20-franc gold coin issued under Napoleon I of France.
examples: text: We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources, and borrowed, for that purpose, thirty thousand napoleons from the Bank of France.
ref: 1891, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Red-Headed League, Norton, published 2005, page 67:
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
numismatics
glosses: Other subsequent 20-franc coins, notes, or values.
examples: text: He [sc. James Moriarty] is the Napoleon of crime, Watson. He is the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city [sc. London]. He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker.
ref: 1894, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, page 260:
text: He [sc. McKinley] has been called the Napoleon of protection, as other men have been called Napoleons of finance.
ref: 1896, J.S. Ogilvie, The Life and Speeches of William McKinley:
ref: 1997, Ben Macintyre, The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief:
qualifier: usually admiringly derogatory
glosses: A person resembling Napoleon Bonaparte, (usually) in having come to dominate an area or sphere of activity through ruthlessness or illegality as well as surpassing ability.
examples: text: Always an eloquent speaker, Polk became known as the Napoleon of the stump.
ref: 2011, Robert Morgan, Lions of the West::
topics: fashion
lifestyle
glosses: Clipping of Napoleon boot, a form of topboot worn by officers during the Napoleonic Wars.
topics: engineering
government
military
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
politics
tools
war
weaponry
glosses: Clipping of Napoleon gun, a 12-pounder cannon first used by the Second French Empire.
topics: card-games
games
glosses: A 19th-century five-card trick-taking game simplified from euchre.
topics: card-games
games
glosses: Clipping of double napoleon, a form of patience/solitaire.
topics: hobbies
horse-racing
horseracing
horses
lifestyle
pets
racing
sports
glosses: Alternative form of nap: a horse to go nap on, a sure thing, a certain winner; a prediction of such a horse; a bet on such a horse.
glosses: Clipping of Napoleon bigarreau, a variety of the white-fleshed bigarreau cherry; a variety of cherry tree bearing such fruit.
examples: text: Fascinated, Miss Manvers thrust aside a garnished plate, took a gulp of the decoction called coffee, and attacked her napoleon.
ref: 1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter I (Anarchy), page 373, column 1:
topics: food
lifestyle
glosses: Clipping of Napoleon cake, another name for a millefeuille pastry.
glosses: Clipping of Napoleon brandy, any excellent brandy; a serving of such a brandy.
glosses: Ellipsis of Napoleon slice.
Synonyms: sense: gold coin
word: louis
sense: gold coin
word: louis d'or
sense: gold coin
word: franc germinal
sense: pastry
word: custard slice
sense: pastry
word: vanilla slice
sense: pastry
word: mille-feuille
sense: pastry
word: millefeuille
Hyponyms: strawberry napoleon
raspberry napoleon
berry napoleon
Derived terms: word: double napoleon
word: double Napoleon
english: as a card game
translation: as a card game
word: nap
word: napoleon bigarreau
word: Napoleon bigarreau
word: Napoleon Bigarreau
word: napoleon boot
word: Napoleon boot
word: napoleon brandy
word: Napoleon brandy
word: napoleon cake
word: Napoleon cake
word: napoleon cherry
word: Napoleon cherry
word: napoleon gun
word: Napoleon gun
word: napoleon pastry
word: Napoleon pastry