Barmecidal
adjective
Bar·me·cid·al ˌbär-mə-ˈsī-dᵊl 
variants or Barmecide
ˈbär-mə-ˌsīd
: providing only the illusion of abundance
a Barmecidal feast
Did you know?
Barmecide is the name of a family of princes in a tale from The Thousand and One Nights (also known as The Arabian Nights' Entertainment). One prince in the family torments a beggar by inviting him to a fabulous feast, at which all the dishes are imaginary. The poor man plays along with his malicious host, pretending to get drunk on the imaginary wine; he then gets even by knocking down the patronizing royal.
Word History
Etymology
Barmecide, a wealthy Persian, who, in a tale of The Arabian Nights' Entertainments, invited a beggar to a feast of imaginary food
First Known Use
1823, in the meaning defined above
- take a firm line
- take a flier
- take a flying leap
- take a gamble
- take a hard pass
- take a high polish
- take a hike
- take a hint
- take a husband
- take a jab at
- take a joke
- take a leaf out of someone's book
- take a leak
- take a liking to
- take a load off
- take a load off (one's feet)
- take a load off one's feet
- take a load off someone's mind
- take a load/weight off someone's mind
- take a loss
- take a lot of doing
- take a lot of lumps
- take a lot of time
- take a lot out of
- take a lot out of (someone)