H'ARL H'ARLEQUIN, noun A buffoon, dressed in party-colored clothes, who plays tricks, like a merry-andrew, to divert the populace. This character was first introduced into Italian comedy, but is now a standing character in English pantomime entertainments. H'ARLEQUIN, verb intransitive To play the droll; to make sport by playing ludicrous tricks.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI