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the emperor's new clothes

Used to express when many people believe something that is not true. Used also to express something as untrue. See also the expression "the Emperor has no clothes".

Based on Sufi wisdom, Hans Christian Andersen tells the tale in his "The Emperor's New Clothes", the story this expression derives from. In it. there existed an emperor who loved wearing fine clothes and spent all of his people's money on them. He had a different set for each hour and was, without doubt, the finest dressed man in the land.

One day, two swindlers claiming to be weavers entered the Emporer's city and proclaimed they were capable of making the finest, lightest, most magnificent cloth the world has ever seen. So extraordinary was this cloth, it was invisible to anyone who was incompetent or stupid.

Hearing of the weaver's amazing "talent", the foolish Emporer thought he could use such cloth to weed out undesirables in his city. He paid the swindlers an enormous sum & they set out to "create" the clothes; knowing they would only need go through the motions.

The Emperor sent several advisors to guage their progress and all the advisors reported the cloth magnificent, not wanting to appear unworthy for seeing nothing at all; the cloth didn't exist!

Finally the clothes were "finished", the swindlers already having counted the gold and jewels they had received. A procession was arranged to show off the Emporer's new clothes and the entire city gathered in the center to view them. Having been "dressed" by the swinglers, who remarked how wonderful he looked, and how light the cloth appeared on him, he appeared before his people.

The people, having heard of the weaver's abilities and the cloth's fictious properties, were amazed and offered thunderous applause to the now beaming Emperor. None of them were willing to admit that they hadn't seen a thing; for if anyone did, then he was either stupid or unfit for the job he held. Never before had the emperor's clothes been such a success.

While expressing admiration at their Emporer's new "invisible" clothes, a small boy cried out... "But the Emperor has no clothes!"
"This entire adventure in Iraq has been based on propaganda and manipulation. Eighty-seven billion dollars is too much to pay for the continuation of a war based on falsehoods. The Emperor has no clothes."
- U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd in a Senate Hearing speech October, 2003.
by casemon July 26, 2005
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nigger clothes

Overpriced branded named clothing, worn for no reason other then some sort of social status.
Both Ray-Ray and Pookie buy Dereon, Ecko, Enyce, DKNY, G-Unit, Mark Ecko, Phat Farm, Rocawear, Sean John, Vokal, Pastry, Fubu, Blac label, Tommy Hilfiger, Reebok, Nike, Timberland, Puma, Adidas etc. because they are niggers and must buy "nigger clothes ".
by omegs greek March 4, 2009
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Related Words

clicheic

Cliche in adjective form; something that is representing the normal qualities/symptoms of a cliche.
"The story we read in class today was so clicheic; I was bored out of my mind by its disturbing predictability and lack of originality."
by shokalatte July 22, 2009
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Clocked

Predominantly used in London.
To 'clock' is: to realise, to catch on, to notice.
1.) Shit! he clocked that i stole his phone.
2.) She clocked that something was wrong.
by martelldesu March 19, 2015
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clothes horse

A person who is passionate about new clothes. A big shopper and consequently, a big spender.
Suzy is a real clothes horse!
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Cliché

A word referring to something that means 'overused' or ' unoriginal', but lately it's been used to define things as 'expected'.
Hipster: "Man, I saw the ending of Anabelle coming from a mile away. So cliché."

Average horror lover: "I thought it was okay, but the doll part reminded me of Chucky; but the story was pretty good."

Hipster: "... What?"
by Curfew April 8, 2015
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Colchester

The oldest recorded town in England.
The Roman Wall in Colchester needs urgent funding.
by trekship1701 December 23, 2008
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