organ grinder

American  

noun

1. an itinerant street musician who earns a living by playing a hand organ or hurdy-gurdy.

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organ-grinder British  

noun

1. a street musician playing a hand organ for money

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Etymology

Origin of organ grinder

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

He rates a podcaster below “movies, TV, recording artist, radio personality, mime and organ grinder monkey.”

From Los Angeles Times

Johnson is on a short leash and looks like a trained monkey with an organ grinder named Trump.

From Salon

He cranks the handle like an organ grinder and more nuggets of phosphate issue forth.

From Washington Post

"Clarence Thomas organ grinder Frank DiLeo's dong," Crow sings as a dig to DiLeo.

From Fox News

“You’re a monkey dancing for an organ grinder to them,” he says.

From The Guardian