Barmecide

American  

[bahr-muh-sahyd] / ˈbɑr məˌsaɪd /

noun

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.

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adjective

1. Barmecidal.

Barmecide British  

/ ˈbɑːmɪˌsaɪd /

adjective

1. lavish or plentiful in imagination only; illusory; sham

   a Barmecide feast

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Etymology

Origin of Barmecide

< Persian Barmekī family name, literally, offspring of Barmek, with -ide -id ¹ for Persian -ī < Arabic

Example Sentences

The latter piece, titled “The Barmecide Feast,” is well built — down to the corny Late Empire porcelains employed as backdrop on the luminous white set.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2017

Thus, if The Barmecide is being played, Alnaschan and Ina will be "discovered" standing in an empty room, at the back of which a placard will bear this inscription in large letters—A Street in Bagdad.

From The Peace Egg and Other tales by Ewing, Juliana Horatia Gatty

To write without having the subject abundantly in mind is to invite the reader to a Barmecide feast of empty dishes.

From Vocal Expression A Class-book of Voice Training and Interpretation by Everts, Katherine Jewell

Wouldst re-enact the Barmecide, And taunt our wretchedness With visioned feast, and song, and dance,— While, daily, our grim heritance Is famine and distress?

From The Baron's Yule Feast: A Christmas Rhyme by Cooper, Thomas

Everything tastes so desiccated and deodorized, the mere shadow of really substantial viands, a veritable feast of Barmecide.

From In Jeopardy by Sutphen, Van Tassel