John-a-dreams

English

Noun

John-a-dreams (plural John-a-dreamses)

1. (archaic) A man who is a daydreamer and therefore unproductive.
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], line 503:

     […] Yet I, / A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak / Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, / and can say nothing.

Synonyms

• John-a-nokes
• John-a-stiles