buffoon

buffoon
buffoon uf*foon", n. [F. bouffon (cf. It. buffone, buffo, buffa, puff of wind, vanity, nonsense, trick), fr. bouffer to puff out, because the buffoons puffed out their cheeks for the amusement of the spectators. See {Buffet} a blow.] A man who makes a practice of amusing others by low tricks, antic gestures, etc.; a droll; a mimic; a harlequin; a clown; a merry-andrew. [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • buffoon — uf*foon , a. Characteristic of, or like, a buffoon. Buffoon stories. Macaulay. [1913 Webster] To divert the audience with buffoon postures and antic dances. Melmoth. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • buffoon — uf*foon , v. i. To act the part of a buffoon. [R.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Buffoon — Buf*foon , v. t. To treat with buffoonery. Glanvill. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • buffoon — 1540s, type of pantomime dance, 1580s, clown, from M.Fr. bouffon (16c.), from It. buffone jester, from buffare to puff out the cheeks, a comic gesture, of echoic origin. Also Cf. OON (Cf. oon) …   Etymology dictionary

  • buffoon — [n] clownlike person antic, bozo*, clown, comedian, comic, droll, fool, harlequin, jester, joker, merry andrew, wag, zany; concept 423 …   New thesaurus

  • buffoon — ► NOUN ▪ a ridiculous but amusing person. DERIVATIVES buffoonery noun buffoonish adjective. ORIGIN French bouffon, from Latin buffo clown …   English terms dictionary

  • buffoon — [bə fo͞on′] n. [Fr bouffon < It buffone, jester < buffare, to jest, puff: of echoic orig.] a person who is always clowning and trying to be funny; clown buffoonery n. buffoonish adj …   English World dictionary

  • buffoon — n. to play the buffoon * * * [bə fuːn] to play the buffoon …   Combinatory dictionary

  • buffoon — [[t]bʌfu͟ːn[/t]] buffoons N COUNT (disapproval) If you call someone a buffoon, you mean that they often do foolish things. [OLD FASHIONED] ...the man once dismissed by the West as a drunken buffoon. Syn: clown …   English dictionary

  • buffoon — noun 1) archaic the king s buffoon Syn: clown, jester, fool, comic, comedian, wag, wit, merry andrew, harlequin, Punchinello, Pierrot 2) they regarded him as a buffoon Syn …   Thesaurus of popular words

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