Meaning of Panjandrum | Babel Free

Definitions

1. An important, powerful or influential person; muckamuck.
2. A self-important or pretentious person.
3. A massive, rocket-propelled, explosive-laden cart designed by the British military during World War II.

Equivalents

Examples

“1755, Samuel Foote, The Grand Panjandrum (a nonsense poem written to test⟳ actor Charles Macklin's claim⟳ that he could accurately recite any paragraph of text after a single reading), So he died, / and she very imprudently married the Barber: / and there were present⟳ / the Picninnies, / and the Joblillies, / and the Garyulies, / and the great Panjandrum himself, / with the little round button at top;”

“1910, Eliakim Littell, Making of America Project, Robert S. Littell, Living age ... (Littell's Living Age), Volume 265, page 809, I think⟳ it's an excellent thing that the Great Panjandrum is coming for the week-end. Have⟳ you ever met him in private?" I ought to explain⟳ that the Great Panjandrum was the nickname for Lord Elkindale, the then Foreign Secretary.”

“But my family has served the Panjandrums of Beotia faithfully for seven centuries. The Panjandrums have⟳ kept our place⟳ for us at their courts, honored us, promoted us, shed⟳ their glory on us, made us what we are.”

“The territory I had sold him was largely occupied by the Duke of Oklahoma, and, no doubt⟳, by other potentates and panjandrums unknown to me.”

“His Jerusalem visit⟳ helped him refine his unique hybrid mystique as a Tory aristocrat and exotic Jewish panjandrum, convinced him that Britain had a role in the Middle East—and let⟳ him dream⟳ of a return⟳ to Zion.”

“To show⟳ that the panjandrums are worthy of their glory, the annual report⟳ has to show⟳ how well the business has done, regardless of the actual results.”

“The blame⟳ is shifted from 'the people who practise⟳ other religions' to the 'officious Left-wing panjandrums,' a term which conflates two criticisms into one from the point⟳ of view⟳ of this newspapaer: one that such deciisons are in themselves 'Left-wing' and the second that they are 'officious'.”

“You can never imagine⟳ how delighted I was to find⟳ that instead of being the correct⟳ sort⟳ of big panjandrum you were supposed to be, you were really an old rip like⟳ papa.”

“The Panjandrum lurched and overturned, the crash⟳ dislodging several of the rockets, which flew low over the beach in all directions […].”

“The idea was that the Panjandrum, a kind of explosion-driven Ferris wheel, would be set⟳ rotating and then released into shallow water to roll up onto enemy beaches.”

CEFR level