addle pate

addle pate

See also: addlepate

English

Etymology

addle (confuse, confused) + pate (head)

Noun

addle pate (plural addle pates)

1. (archaic, idiomatic) A foolish or dull-witted person.
   • 1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives:

     Am I to be ramshaklt out of the super nakullums in spite o' my teeth? Yea and go softly! I crack the nut and you eat the kernel!

     I tellee once again you've an addle pate o' your own! [...] Squire Nincompoop!

   • 1882, Frank Lee Benedict, Miss Alderly's Law-Suit, published in Peterson's Magazine, volumes 81-82, page 443:

     Then he executed a war-dance, and at its close stepped before Crawford, regarded him for an instant, and croaked out:

     "Addle-pate! Addle-pate!"

     "Upon my word, I believe you are the foul fiend himself," muttered Mark.

   • 1910, Grace S. Richmond, Red Pepper Burns:

     “Go to bed, and don't bother your addle pate about your neighbours. Can't a man cut up a few sticks without your coming to investigate?”

Related terms

• addle-pated

References

• 1811 Dictionary of Vulgar Tongue

Anagrams

• dead plate