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Glite Dictionary
organ-grinder

organ-grinder

8.8
A street musician who plays a small organ turned by hand for tips
  • noun
  • /ˈɔrɡənˌɡraɪndər/
  • Archaic
translation icon : organillero
  • In the old days, an organ-grinder was a common sight at fairs and in city squares.

Examples

  • The organ-grinder was accompanied by a small monkey collecting coins from passersby.

  • The organ-grinder played a cheerful tune on the street corner.

  • As they walked down the street, they heard an organ-grinder playing lively tunes for the crowd.

  • Many organ-grinders perform in busy tourist areas.

  • The organ grinder played cheerful tunes on the corner, entertaining the children.

  • As the organ grinder turned the handle, curious passersby stopped to listen.

  • She dropped a coin into the hat held by the organ grinder after enjoying his lively performance.

Surface Forms

organ-grinder singular
organ-grinders plural

Morphology

organ-grinder = organ + grinder (transparent) = organ + grinder

A straightforward compound of 'organ' + 'grinder' meaning the person who operates (turns or 'grinds') a hand organ; the parts and agentive sense are directly interpretable.

Etymology

Organ-grinder comes from organ, a small musical instrument, and grinder, from 'grind' meaning 'to turn a handle'. So an organ-grinder is a street musician who turns a hand organ or hurdy-gurdy to play music for people and collect tips.