merlin chair
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An invalid's chair, which can be propelled by the hands of the occupant. So called from the inventor, J. J. Merlin (d. 1803).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “merlin chair” mean?
An invalid's chair, which can be propelled by the hands of the occupant. So called from the inventor, J. J. Merlin (d. 1803).
Is “merlin chair” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.