courtnoll

English

Alternative forms

  • courtnal
  • courtnold
  • courtnole
  • courtnowle

Etymology

From court +‎ noll (“head”), with second part also found in such contemptuous expressions as "drunken noll", compare -head.

Noun

courtnoll (plural courtnolls)

  1. (obsolete, contemptuous) A courtier.
    • 1592, Robert Greene, A Quip for an Upstart Courtier‎[1], page 17, archived from the original on 18 January 2024:
      Now euery lowt muſt haue his ſonne a Courtnoll,and thoſe dunghill dꝛudges ware ſo pꝛoud,that they wil pꝛeſume to wear on their feet,what kings haue woꝛne on their heades.
    • 17th c., as printed in the Percy Manuscripts, King Henry II and the Miller of Mansfield‎[2], page 151, stanza 14, archived from the original on 10 October 2006:
      "Heere," quoth the Miller, "good fellowe, Ile drinke to thee
      & to all the courtnolls that curteous bee."
      "I pledge thee," quoth our King, "& thanke thee heartilye for my good welcome in euerye degree ;
      & heere in like manner I drinke to thy sonne."
      "doe then," saies Richard, "& quicke let it come."
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