napoleon1
/nəˈpəʊlɪən
/noun
1 historical A gold twenty-franc French coin minted in the reign of Napoleon I.‘Offering French lessons for two gold napoleons cannot be a very reliable source of income,’ said the politician....
- You care only for the 10,000 gold napoleons he has filled your pockets with!
- He knew this was the doing of the Director, who had reported the theatre to Napoleon's secret police in return for a reward of 10,000 gold napoleons.
2 (also napoleon boot) historical A boot worn by men in the 19th century, reaching above the knee in front and with a piece cut out behind.I take it Will, that you have two pairs of Napoleon boots, two pairs of Hessians and another two pairs of button boots?...
- White breaches and black Napoleon boots complete the turnout.
- Those who had struck it rich wore black woollen trousers and Napoleon boots, and sported silk sashes and gaily coloured kerchiefs.
3North American A flaky rectangular pastry with a sweet filling.The napoleon of dark chocolate mousse with Mexican-chocolate ice cream and crisp chocolate wafer is almost too much for anyone but the most devoted chocoholic....
- Spoon a portion of sauce around the plate and place a quenelle of the marmalade next to the napoleon.
- For dessert there were cheesecake, ice cream, cream cake, fruit salad, and napoleons.
Rhymes
Napoleon2
/nəˈpəʊlɪən/1The name of three rulers of France:
1.1 Napoleon I (1769–1821), emperor 1804–14 and 1815; full name Napoleon Bonaparte; known as Napoleon. In 1799 Napoleon joined a conspiracy which overthrew the Directory, becoming the supreme ruler of France. He declared himself emperor in 1804, and established an empire stretching from Spain to Poland. After defeats at Trafalgar (1805) and in Russia (1812), he abdicated and was exiled to the island of Elba (1814). He returned to power in 1815, but was defeated at Waterloo and exiled to the island of St Helena.
1.2 Napoleon II (1811–1832), son of Napoleon I and Empress Marie-Louise; full name Napoleon François Charles Joseph Bonaparte. In 1814 Napoleon I abdicated on behalf of himself and Napoleon II, who had no active political role.
1.3 Napoleon III (1808–73), emperor 1852–70; full name Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte; known as Louis-Napoleon. A nephew of Napoleon I, Napoleon III was elected president of the Second Republic in 1848 and staged a coup in 1851. He abdicated in 1870 after defeat in the Franco-Prussian War.