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Fred Karno's army

name
/fɹɛd ˈkɑːnəʊz ɑːmiː/UK

Etymology

From the First World War marching tune "We're Fred Karno's Army", ultimately from the slapstick music hall entertainer Fred Karno.

Definitions

  1. A chaotic, poorly-managed group.

    • Whatever any hon. Member in any part of the Committee thinks about the advisability of this Bill, they all wish the Force that eventually is created to be an efficient one and not a Fred Karno's army.
    • It was like bloody Fred Karno's army out there. They were sods. Drunk as lords. Been to a wedding party or something.
    • 'Honest, Marian — it's a right Fred Karno's army setup . . .'

The neighborhood

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sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA