Mountebank — Mount e*bank, v. i. To play the mountebank. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Mountebank — Mount e*bank, n. [It. montimbanco, montambanco; montare to mount + in in, upon + banco bench. See {Mount}, and 4th {Bank}.] 1. One who mounts a bench or stage in the market or other public place, boasts of his skill in curing diseases, and vends… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
mountebank — [mount′ə baŋk΄] n. [It montambanco < montare,MOUNT2 + in, on + banco, a bench: see BANK1] 1. Archaic a person who mounted a bench, or platform, in a public place and sold quack medicines, usually attracting an audience by tricks, stories, etc … English World dictionary
Mountebank — Mount e*bank, v. t. To cheat by boasting and false pretenses; to gull. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
mountebank — (n.) a doctor that mounts a bench in the market, and boasts his infallible remedies and cures [Johnson], 1570s, from It. montambanco, contraction of monta in banco quack, juggler, lit. mount on bench (to be seen by crowd), from monta, imperative… … Etymology dictionary
mountebank — n *impostor, faker, charlatan, quack … New Dictionary of Synonyms
mountebank — [n] charlatan cheat, con man/woman*, grifter, imposter, rip off artist*, swindler; concept 412 … New thesaurus
mountebank — ► NOUN ▪ a swindler. ORIGIN originally meaning a person who sold patent medicines in public places : from Italian monta in banco! climb on the bench! , with allusion to the raised platform used by mountebanks to attract an audience … English terms dictionary
mountebank — 1. noun /ˈmaʊntəˌbæŋk/ a) One who sells dubious medicines There is nothing so impossible in Nature but mountebanks will undertake; nothing so incredible but they will affirm. John Bull b) One who sells by deception; a con artist; a charlatan.… … Wiktionary
mountebank — I. noun Etymology: Italian montimbanco, from montare to mount + in in, on + banco, banca bench Date: 1577 1. a person who sells quack medicines from a platform 2. a boastful unscrupulous pretender ; charlatan • mountebankery noun II … New Collegiate Dictionary
