napoleon

name

1. Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821), a French military commander and political leader.
2. A male given name from Italian sometimes given in honor of the French emperor.
3. A village in Silesia, Poland.
4. A number of places in the United States:
5. A number of places in the United States:
6. A number of places in the United States:
7. A number of places in the United States:
8. A number of places in the United States:
9. A number of places in the United States:
10. A number of places in the United States:
11. A number of places in the United States:
12. A number of places in the United States:
13. A surname.

noun

1. (alt-of, countable, uncountable)Alternative letter-case form of napoleon.

   “He [Professor Moriarty] is the Napoleon of crime, Watson.”

   “He [William McKinley] has been called the Napoleon of protection, as other men have been called Napoleons of finance.”

   “Always an eloquent speaker, Polk became known as the Napoleon of the stump.”

   “I recall floating my blimp-like self down to the ladies’ room for what was my ninth or tenth visit when I was offered a beautiful slice of pastry—a Napoleon—by a passing waiter. […] By the time I returned to my table, there were no beautiful, fluffy, shiny little slices of Napoleon left. All gone.”

2. (countable, historical, slang, uncountable)The franc germinal: a 20-franc gold coin issued under Napoleon I of France.
3. (countable, historical, slang, uncountable)Other subsequent 20-franc coins, notes, or values.

   “We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources, and borrowed, for that purpose, thirty thousand napoleons from the Bank of France.”

4. (countable, uncountable)A person resembling Napoleon Bonaparte, (usually) in having come to dominate an area or sphere of activity through ruthlessness or illegality as well as surpassing ability.

   “He [sc. James Moriarty] is the Napoleon of crime, Watson. He is the organizer of half that is evil and of nearly all that is undetected in this great city [sc. London]. He is a genius, a philosopher, an abstract thinker.”

   “He [sc. McKinley] has been called the Napoleon of protection, as other men have been called Napoleons of finance.”

5. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, obsolete, uncountable)Clipping of Napoleon boot, a form of topboot worn by officers during the Napoleonic Wars.

   “Always an eloquent speaker, Polk became known as the Napoleon of the stump.”

6. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, historical, uncountable)Clipping of Napoleon gun, a 12-pounder cannon first used by the Second French Empire.
7. (uncountable)A 19th-century five-card trick-taking game simplified from euchre.
8. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, uncountable)Clipping of double napoleon, a form of patience/solitaire.
9. (UK, alt-of, alternative, countable, obsolete, rare, slang, uncountable)Alternative form of nap: a horse to go nap on, a sure thing, a certain winner; a prediction of such a horse; a bet on such a horse.
10. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, uncountable)Clipping of Napoleon bigarreau, a variety of the white-fleshed bigarreau cherry; a variety of cherry tree bearing such fruit.
11. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, uncountable)Clipping of Napoleon cake, another name for a millefeuille pastry.

    “Fascinated, Miss Manvers thrust aside a garnished plate, took a gulp of the decoction called coffee, and attacked her napoleon.”

12. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, rare, uncountable)Clipping of Napoleon brandy, any excellent brandy; a serving of such a brandy.
13. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable)Ellipsis of Napoleon slice.