Motley Crew

motley c.1386, from Anglo-Fr. motteley, probably from O.E. mot "speck" (see mote). "Diversified in color," especially of a fool's dress. Hence, allusively, "a fool" (1600). crew c.1437, from O.Fr. creue "an increase, recruit, military reinforcement," from fem. pp. of creistre "grow," from L. crescare "arise, grow." Meaning "people acting or working together" is first attested 1570. "Gang of men on a warship" is from 1692. Crew-cut first attested 1938, so called because the style was originally adopted by boat crews at Harvard and Yale. Does anyone know the origin of the phrase, 'motley crew'? We know what it means, but where did it come from and who used it first? Thanks! : I do not know who used it first but motley is an adjective meaning "speck" from the Middle English mot or mote which in Middle Dutch can mean "sand". : Sand is composed of diverse and often incongruous elements--hence, the term "motley crew", a phrase maybe describing the employees of a ocean going vessel. I found a reference from 1748 from something called "Anson's Voyage" which speaks of "with this motley crew, Pizarro set sail." Motley has meant many-colored (like a patchwork) for centuries, and it's the colorful costume of a Fool. Motley (the noun) is cloth of vibrant mismatched colors. Motley (the adjective) borrows from the sense of a fool's costume, and a motley crew suggests a mismatched, raggle-taggle bunch of less than organized troops.