Barmecide feast
Also found in: Idioms.
Barmecide feast
a sham banquet, with empty plates, given to a beggar by wealthy Bagdad nobleman. [Arab. Lit.: Arabian Nights, “The Barmecide’s Feast”]
See: Feast
Barmecide feast
imaginary feast served t0 beggar by prince. [Arab. Lit.: Arabian Nights, “The Barmecide’s Feast”]
See: Illusion
Barmecide feast
beggar given empty dishes, imaginary food. [Arab. Lit.: Arabian Nights, “The Barmecide’s Feast”]
See: Joke, Practical
Allusions—Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.