Motley crew
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A group of people of mixed background, especially one with a common goal.
"Away they marched from the rocky region and miserable village where they were posted, a motley crew of Christians and Infidels, Catholics, Greeks, and adorers of the Prophet, all mingled together, to go and attack the holy city, and compel the governor to come to their terms, and supply them with provisions."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"Away they marched from the rocky region and miserable village where they were posted, a motley crew of Christians and Infidels, Catholics, Greeks, and adorers of the Prophet, all mingled together, to go and attack the holy city, and compel the governor to come to their terms, and supply them with provisions."
Etymology
From motley + crew. Originally used to refer to the crews of 17th- and 18th-century ships, which contained men of many different nationalities.