organ-grindern.
/ˈɔːɡ(ə)nˌɡrʌɪndə/, U.S. /ˈɔrɡ(ə)nˌɡraɪndər/ 1. An itinerant street musician who produces music by turning the handle of a barrel organ.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > street performance > [noun] > performer
street singer1789
organ-grinder1792
busker1851
society > leisure > the arts > music > musician > instrumentalist > other instrumentalists > [noun] > barrel-organ grinder
organ-grinder1792
organist1793
hand organist1805
barrel-organist1866
organ-man1868
1792 D. Lysons Environs London I. 114 It appears to have been usual for trumpeters to go about, not only on particular festivals, but at other times, like the organ-grinders of the present day.
1887 Spectator 26 Mar. 412/2 The Italian fruit-vendor or organ-grinder is often a retired workman.
1920 W. D. Howells Vacation of Kelwyns 151 One morning..there came a family of organ-grinders.
2000 C. Tudge Variety of Life ii. xix. 478 The squirrel monkeys..are the archetypal organ-grinder's monkeys, with big brains.., foreshortened faces and close-set eyes.
2. A person who is more important or powerful than another. Usually contrasted with monkey.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > [noun] > one who is important > one who is more important
morec1275
major1626
organ-grinder1957
1957 A. Bevan in Hansard Commons 16 May 680 I am not going to spend any time whatsoever in attacking the Foreign Secretary... If we complain about the tune, there is no reason to attack the monkey when the organ grinder is present.
1999 Racing Post (Electronic ed.) 30 Sept. Shut it, four-eyes. We'll talk to the organ grinder if that's all the same to you.
2003 Morning Star (Nexis) 6 June We do not want to be speaking to the monkeys, we want to speak to the organ-grinders.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1792