“The Investigators” Report on 1923 Auto Theft Ring
Macy Anderson, Brady Kraft, Alex Pickering, and Zovia Waters researched an auto theft gang that operated in Kinsley in 1923 as part of the “Oceans of Possibilities” summer reading program.
Definition:
A Barmecide is something that gives the illusion of abundance or generosity but is actually empty or non-existent. It often refers to a false or pretended generosity.
Origin:
The word comes from “The Barmecide Feast,” a story in The Arabian Nights (One Thousand and One Nights).
In the tale, a wealthy noble named Barmecide invites a beggar to a sumptuous feast—but all the dishes are imaginary. The beggar plays along and pretends to eat, impressing the host, who then rewards him with a real feast.
From this, Barmecide came to mean illusory or pretended luxury or benefit.
Example Sentence:
The company’s promise of “limitless opportunities” turned out to be a Barmecide feast—impressive in words but empty in reality.