village idiot

English

Etymology

From the saying “Every village has its village idiot”, alleged to be an old Yiddish proverb.[1]

Noun

village idiot (plural village idiots)

  1. A person widely known in their community for their stupidity and ignorant behaviour.
    • 1825, The Abduction; Or, the Adventures of Major Sarney: A Story of the Times of Charles the Second, volume II, Charles Knight, page 170:
      It is true that the Doocot was occasionally appropriated to other purposes than that of a tolbooth for the sorner, the drunken gipsy, the village idiot at the change of the moon, the swearing bluegown, and the contumacious birdnester on the sabbath; […]
    • 1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, →OCLC, page 85:
      "So kindly keep the vainglorious enumeration of your pots for the benefit of those village idiots who compose your particular set of boozing companions."
    • 2002 July 4, David F. Gallagher, “Star of 'I Kiss You' Site Moves From Farce to Folklore”, in The New York Times‎[2], →ISSN, retrieved 13 August 2024:
      To some, Mr. Cagri was the Internet's village idiot, but others were touched by his warmth or just tickled by the absurdity of the whole phenomenon.

Usage notes

Usually used in the singular with the definite article (“the village idiot”) or preceded by another definite determiner (“its”, “our”, ...).

Translations

See also

References

  1. ^ Abigail Van Buren (26 March 1999) “Year 2000 is not quite the new millennium”, in Chicago Tribune‎[1], Tribune Publishing.
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