NAPOLEON

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does Napoleon mean? 

• NAPOLEON (noun)
  The noun NAPOLEON has 3 senses:

1. French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)

2. a rectangular piece of pastry with thin flaky layers and filled with custard cream

3. a card game similar to whist; usually played for stakes

  Familiarity information: NAPOLEON used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NAPOLEON (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

French general who became emperor of the French (1769-1821)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Bonaparte; Little Corporal; Napoleon; Napoleon Bonaparte; Napoleon I

Instance hypernyms:

emperor (the male ruler of an empire)

full general; general (a general officer of the highest rank)

Derivation:

Napoleonic (of or relating to or like Napoleon Bonaparte)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A rectangular piece of pastry with thin flaky layers and filled with custard cream

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("napoleon" is a kind of...):

French pastry (sweet filled pastry made of especially puff paste)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A card game similar to whist; usually played for stakes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

nap; Napoleon

Hypernyms ("Napoleon" is a kind of...):

card game; cards (a game played with playing cards)

 Context examples 

"Yes," was all he said, but he turned and strained his eyes to see the island which a greater usurper than even Napoleon now made interesting in his sight.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It was a bust of Napoleon, like the one which we had seen that morning, and it had been broken into similar fragments.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He is the Napoleon of crime, Watson.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Something there was of Napoleon III., something of Don Quixote, and yet again something which was the essence of the English country gentleman, the keen, alert, open-air lover of dogs and of horses.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We had spent gigantic sums and made enormous exertions to curb the power of Napoleon and to prevent him from becoming the universal despot of Europe.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources and borrowed for that purpose 30,000 napoleons from the Bank of France.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“When I dismantled my old Pantheon and cast out Napoleon and Cæsar and their fellows, I straightway erected a new Pantheon,” she answered gravely, “and the first I installed was Dr. Jordan.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Finally, he picked up his hunting-crop and struck Napoleon a sharp blow on the top of the head.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Dirty old hole, isn't it? he added, with a look of disgust as they drove along the boulevard to the Place Napoleon in the old city.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The crate upon which I sit contains 2,000 napoleons packed between layers of lead foil.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)