wear motley

wear motley

old-fashioned To be or act very foolish. "Motley" refers to the type of clothes court jesters traditionally wore, having different colors in different areas of patches. But I suspect it will be the president wearing motley in the end if his signature tax bill turns into the disaster many analysts are predicting.
See also: wear
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

wear motley

play the fool.
Motley was the name given to the particoloured clothes worn by a court jester in former times.
See also: wear
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • left, right and centre
  • left, right, and center
  • left, right, and centre
  • (as) different as chalk and cheese
  • as different as chalk and cheese
  • chalk
  • knock the habit
  • knock the/(one's) habit
  • keep (an amount of) plates spinning
  • keep balls in the air