matador
(ˈmætədɔː(r))
Also 7–9 matadore, 8 mattador(e.
[a. Sp. matador:—L. mactātōr-em, agent-n. f. mactāre (Sp. matar) to kill.]
1. a. In Spanish bull-fights, the man appointed to kill the bull.
| 1681 Dryden Span. Friar i. 10 Stranger! Cavalier..will you not hear me? you Moore-killer, you Matador. 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) III. 772 The matador at length gives the mortal blow. 1812 Byron Ch. Har. i. lxxiv, The light-limb'd Matadore. 1882 H. De Windt Equator 134 The bull-fighters themselves are of four grades: the espada or matador, the picadores [etc.]. |
b. fig.
| 1930 R. Campbell Adamastor 8 The matador of truth, he trails his scorn Before their lowered horns and blood⁓shot eyes. 1944 Auden For Time Being (1945) 118 George, you old matador, Welcome back to the Army. |
c. Used attrib. to designate garments resembling those worn by a matador. Cf. toreador c.
| 1959 M. Shadbolt New Zealanders 217 She was..clad in black, in tight sweater and matador slacks. 1960 Tamarack Rev. xiv. 137 The girls dress mostly in matador pants and bright blouses. 1962 C. Rohan Delinquents 144 She used to sit on the top of the front steps, clad in her matador pants and skin-tight sweater. |
2. Card-playing. In some card games (as quadrille, ombre, solo), a name applied to certain principal cards.
| 1674 Cotton Compl. Gamester (1680) 70 [Ombre.] The Matadors (or killing Cards) which are the Spadillo, Mallillio, and Basto are the chief Cards. 1728 Swift Jrnl. Mod. Lady Wks. 1755 III. ii. 190 Well, if I ever touch a card! Four mattadores, and lose codill! 1778 C. Jones Hoyle's Games Impr. 99 Four Matadores in Hearts. 1876 Capt. Crawley Card Players Man. 194 [Quadrille.] There are three matadores—viz., spadille, manille, and basto. |
3. Dominoes. (See quot.)
| 1865 Compl. Domino-Player 14 The Matadore Game. In this game, instead of fitting the same numbers together, you are only allowed to play by placing a number at one or the other end, which added to the number there, will make seven; but those dominoes which will make that number in themselves are termed matadores, and can be played at any stage of the hand,..These are the 4/3, 6/1, and 5/2; the double blank is also a matadore, and can be played at any time. 1897 Foster Compl. Hoyle 563. |