Brewer's: Michel

or Cousin Michael. A German. Michel means a dolt; thus the French call a fool who allows himself to be taken in by thimble-rigs and card tricks mikel. In Old French the word mice occurs, meaning a fool. (See Michon.)

“L'Anglais aime à étre représenté comme un John Bull; pour mous. notre type est l'Allemand Michel, qui recoit une tape par derrière et qui demande encore; `Qu'y a-t-il pour votre service?' ” —Dr. Weber: De l'Allemagne, etc.

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