# out-paramour the Turk

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/out-paramour-the-turk
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To have many romantic affairs.

## Examples

- He really likes to out-paramour the Turk.
- Everyone in the village knows that he loves to out-paramour the Turk with his constant string of secret romances.
- The scandalous nobleman seemed determined to out-paramour the Turk, leaving a trail of broken hearts across every capital in Europe.

## Origin

Uttered by the character Edgar in Shakespeare's King Lear (see quote). Likely a reference to one of various Ottoman Sultans (often referred to as the Grand Turk) famous for their large harems, or to the more general practice of polygyny associated with Islam.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.