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Lord of Misrule

American  

noun

  1. (in England) a person formerly chosen to direct the Christmas revels and sports.


Lord of Misrule British  

noun

  1. (formerly, in England) a person appointed master of revels at a Christmas celebration

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Lord of Misrule

First recorded in 1490–1500

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He was, Bradford wrote, "the Lord of Misrule" – the archetype of a dangerous type who Puritans believed create mayhem, including at Christmas.

From Salon • Dec. 24, 2020

Simon Callow narrates Rik Mayall: Lord of Misrule, a look at the career of the late comic, while Mrs Brown's Boys returns for a two-part special.

From BBC • Nov. 25, 2014

He became known as the King of the Bean because of how he was chosen and also as the Lord of Misrule due to the mayhem that occurred while he presided over Carnival.

From Scientific American • Mar. 4, 2014

And Lord of Misrule is the name of “a shiny black beetle of a horse” who arrives in this book’s last lap, just in time to serve as deus ex machina for a dramatic finale.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2010

On the Lord of Misrule, see Chambers op. cit.

From Medieval English Nunneries c. 1275 to 1535 by Power, Eileen