wise men of Gotham—(UK ironic) fools; simpletons:
- “I would pay no attention,” I replied, “to the wishes of those few wise men of Gotham who would arbitrate this matter.”
Note: The expression is unrelated in meaning to the phrase Gotham City—(U.S.) a nickname for New York City:
- I figured the one place he’d never find me would be Gotham City … the home of the hated Yankees.
wise men of the East—(the Bible) the three Magi who came from the East, bringing offerings to the infant Christ:
- It is chronicled in an old Armenian myth that the wise men of the East were none other than the three sons of Noe.
See also: wise guy / wise man.