Fred Karno's army
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A chaotic, poorly-managed group.
Register: slang
Examples
Whatever any hon. Member in any part of the Committee thinks about the advisability of this Bill, they all wish the Force that eventually is created to be an efficient one and not a Fred Karno's army.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “Fred Karno's army” mean?
A chaotic, poorly-managed group.
Is “Fred Karno's army” formal or informal?
Fred Karno's army is generally slang.