funnyn.1
/ˈfʌni/, U.S. /ˈfəni/ Now historical.
A narrow, clinker-built pleasure boat designed to carry a pair of scullers. Also more generally: any small, light boat.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > pleasure vessel > [noun] > for rowing
funny1779
society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > vessels propelled by oars or poles > [noun] > rowing boat > sculling-boat
sculler1567
scull1611
sculler-boat1663
funny1779
sculling-boat1856
sculling float1874
1779 St. James's Chron. 11–14 July Two Westminster Scholars..were on Saturday overset in one of the Boatmen's Funnies.
1799 Caldron or Follies Cambr. 9 While others woo The well-oar'd funney, or the slim canoo.
1808 Ann. Reg. 109 A young couple..took a sail in a funny off Fulham.
1843 Zoologist 1 293 I was in a ‘funny’—as the small boats at Cambridge are called.
1870 G. W. Dasent Ann. Eventful Life (ed. 4) I. 140 The funnies, cutters, wherries..that thronged the river daily.
1927 Living Age 1 Apr. 620/1 His comrades with their wherries, funnies, and shallops.
1957 D. Pike Paradise of Dissent ix. 205 Goods were usually landed by jollyboats and funnies.
2014 C. Cheater & J. Debenham Austral. Day Regatta iv. 71 The club owned a range of boats that included gigs, skiffs, eight-oared cutters and funnies.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
funnyadj.n.2adv.
/ˈfʌni/, U.S. /ˈfəni/ A. adj.
1. Humorous, comical, fun; causing laughter or amusement.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > [adjective] > comical
merryc1390
pleasant1553
comical1575
mowsome1596
zany1616
burlesque1656
humoursome1656
farce-like1681
foolish1691
farcical1715
amusive1727
farciful1731
funny1739
farcic1763
quizzical1785
quizzy1785
quizzish1792
rib-tickling1809
smileable1830
cocasse1868
priceless1907
skit1914
funny-ha-ha1916
gas1955
1739 Hist. Life Richard Turpin 11 They met him at the gate as he was going up to his door, three of them laying their hands upon his head. Mr Francis not apprehending them to be rogues, but done in a frolick, only said to them, methinks you are mighty funny, gentlemen.
1751 London Daily Advertiser 19 Aug. 1/2 A Man who..assures them of a hellish funny thing they'll see soon.
1762 S. Foote Orators i. 4 Is it damn'd funny and comical?
1827 T. De Quincey On Murder in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Feb. 206/2 He became very sociable and funny.
1877 Spirit of Times 24 Nov. 453/3 When this fine artist is on the stage the play is funny, when he is off it is downright flat.
1947 K. Amis Lett. (2000) 119 I shall be able to write you lots of long, funny letters to cheer you up.
1989 Stage 9 Feb. 17/1 The Lone Ranger is funnier than most sit-coms.
2015 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 8 Mar. (Review section) 12/3 Do not send video texts no matter how funny you think they are.
2. slang. Cheerful due to alcohol; slightly drunk, tipsy. Cf. merry adj. 4c. Now rare (U.S. regional in later use).
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > thirst > excess in drinking > [adjective] > drunk > partially drunk
merrya1382
semi-bousyc1460
pipe merry1542
totty1570
tipsy1577
martin-drunk1592
pleasant1596
mellow1611
tip-merry1612
flustered1615
lusticka1616
well to live1619
jolly1652
happy1662
hazy1673
top-heavy1687
hearty1695
half-seas-over1699
oiled1701
mellowish1703
half channelled over1709
drunkish1710
half-and-half1718
touched1722
uppisha1726
tosie1727
bosky1730
funny1751
fairish1756
cherry-merry1769
in suds1770
muddy1776
glorious1790
groggified1796
well-corned1800
fresh1804
to be mops and brooms1814
foggy1816
how-come-ye-so1816
screwy1820
off the nail1821
on (also, esp. in early use, upon) the go1821
swipey1821
muggy1822
rosy1823
snuffy1823
spreeish1825
elevated1827
up a stump1829
half-cockedc1830
tightish1830
tipsified1830
half shaved1834
screwed1837
half-shot1838
squizzed1845
drinky1846
a sheet in the wind1862
tight1868
toppy1885
tiddly1905
oiled-up1918
bonkers1943
sloshed1946
tiddled1956
hickey-
1751 J. Marchant Puerilia iii. xvi. 144 Now they drink and funny grow.
1756 W. Toldervy Hist. Two Orphans I. 62 More brandy was drank, and, Tom Throw beginning to be what is called funny, the house was full of uproar and confusion.
1825 Mirror Lit., Amusem., & Instr. 7 May 304/1 Massa often say when I funny, Quaco, you drunk!
1866 Natchez (Mississippi) Daily Courier 16 Aug. The belles..think it very amusing to be made ‘funny’ by drinking with gentlemen.
1967–9 in Dict. Amer. Regional Eng. (1991) II. 603/1 When a drinker is just beginning to show the effects of the liquor, you say he's..(Getting) funny.
3. colloquial.
a. Odd, peculiar, strange; interesting, surprising, unexpected.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > unconformity > abnormality > [adjective] > odd
quaintc1325
awkc1440
queer?a1513
odd1578
quaintish1594
odd-conceiteda1616
odd-ceited1652
whimsical1675
singulara1684
eccentric1685
oddish1705
rummish1709
comical1713
odd-like1718
rum1750
queerish1775
funny1793
quare1805
rummy1828
kinky1844
quirkish1848
quirky1873
odd-gates1906
funny-peculiar1916
antrin1925
off-brand1929
fanciful-
1793 Wonderful Mag. Jan. 406 He had what school boys call a funny phiz.
1806 T. C. Metcalfe in Marquess Wellesley Select. Despatches (1877) 809 This study to decrease our influence is funny. I cannot understand it.
1855 Ld. Houghton Let. in T. W. Reid Life Ld. Houghton (1890) I. xi. 527 Lady Ellesmere was very funny about E. C. Gaskell, wanting very much to Know her, and yet quite shy about it.
1876 Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 20 Mar. 3/2 He had suffered from short memory, and had also funny ways, sometimes sitting for hours and not speaking a word.
1889 Daily Independent (Monroe, Wisconsin) 2 Mar. You never sold any for a dollar? That's funny. I'm sure it was here.
1907 Condor 9 131 Well, it was funny how that wind kept changing.
1920 Scribner's Mag. Nov. 521/2 I came over all funny, so she took me home again very quick.
1937 Life 13 Sept. 77/2 (caption) I feel kind of funny being out of the water.
1957 G. Smith Friends 60 Funny thing is, it seems to improve my game.
1992 N. Singer To still Child (1993) xvi. 114 Well, now.., funny you should mention that.
2007 Independent Extra (Nexis) 29 Mar. 6 I've got a funny feeling that there's something she's not telling me.
2013 Guardian 23 Nov. (Cook Suppl.) 6/1 Even a short stint in the freezer can leave food with that funny taste.
b. Unusual in a way which causes suspicion or unease; deceptive, dishonest, unethical; (also) inappropriate, improper. Cf. funny business n. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > [adjective] > deceptive, misleading
swikelc1000
fellc1300
deceivable1303
falselya1350
blind1393
deceivant1393
fallacec1400
sinister1411
deceivousa1425
deceitful1483
fallacious1509
deceiving?a1513
falsesome1533
sophistical1558
misconceited1595
deceptive1611
abusable1660
self-deceptive1810
flambuginous1813
false1842
funny1903
mamaguy1973
braidie-
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > lack of confidence, distrust, suspicion > [adjective] > arousing or deserving of suspicion
suspecta1300
of suspicion1340
suspect1340
suspicious1340
untrusted1552
suspectiousa1558
suspected1559
suspected to1571
mistrusted1592
mistrustful1593
suspectful1603
slight1607
suspicable1614
distrustful1618
suspicionable1692
jealoused1695
suspectable1748
untrustable1862
funny1903
sus1958
hinky1961
sussy1965
1903 Cosmopolitan Mar. 527/2 The boy lowered the weapon in slow doubt. ‘I trust you, Bill Anstey; don't make no funny moves, though!’
1911 Proc. 9th Ann. Convent. N. Dakota Bankers' Assoc. 57 If there is any question about the person you have put in, if you think they are trying to do anything funny, you can leave them home next time and put in those whom you can trust.
1942 P. G. Wodehouse Money in Bank xii. 123 He is far too scared of our hostess to try any funny stuff on her.
1978 Washington Post 17 Mar. e2/6 He said he would monitor the economy monthly and, ‘if we see anything funny, we'll act, and boldly’.
2010 M. Gediman Journeywoman 109 ‘You aren't planning to try anything funny are you?’ Paul smiled, ‘I'm flattered, Maggie. Obviously you haven't noticed that I'm just about as old as dirt.’
B. n.2
1. With the. That which is amusing or comical.
ΚΠ
1821 W. M. Praed Eve of Battle in Etonian 1 38 A mixture of the grave and funny.
1898 Monist 8 257 Schütze regards the funny as a result of man's limitations. Man believes himself to be free but finds by experience that he is a plaything of nature. The comical reminds man of his dependence upon physical conditions.
1933 Manch. Guardian 5 May 12/5 His jokes, combining the funny and the slightly fantastic, have always an individual air.
1986 W. Sollors Beyond Ethnicity 131 The borderline between the funny and the offensive is difficult to draw.
2006 K. Rivers Quirky Girls' Guide Rest Stops & Road Trips 152 I don't need to tell you that I can find the funny in anything!
2.
a. Originally U.S. A funny person or thing; a joke, a witticism. Usually in plural.In quot. 1852 humorously imagined as a commodity on the stock exchange.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > [noun] > one who or that which is comical
comedy1535
toy1542
jest1602
joke1670
comic1674
high comedy1707
humorous1753
comicality1796
funny1852
funniosity1871
hot sketch1917
pisser1918
riot1919
panic1921
cocasserie1934
yell1938
mess1952
crack-up1961
1852 Lantern (N.Y.) 2 114/1 Keeping our dear public advised of all operations in the ‘Funnies’. The past week has been very dull, very; Puns have gone down when a good article was offered, but Jokes are flat.
1892 Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago) 12 Mar. 13/5 Listen to the ‘funnies’ of the clown.
1919 Outers' Recreation Oct. 267/1 In the career of every duck-hunter there are incidents which he has experienced, or knows to be authentic, which are far removed from the usual and which, for the lack of a better name, may, perhaps, be termed ‘Funnies’.
1941 H. Belloc Silence of Sea v. 33 What some modern funnies call ‘wish-fulfilment’.
1959 Punch 30 Dec. 682/2 Makers of pantomimes engaged the ripest music-hall funnies they could find.
1961 John o' London's 14 Sept. 307/1 The best bet would have been to ship this Mexican funny [sc. a film] straight out on circuit.
1970 New Yorker 17 Oct. 148/2 I hear he's a lawyer now, restricted, I suppose, to sneaking in a funny now and then in his summation to the jury.
2013 Radio Times 7 Dec. (South/West ed.) 77/1 Helping John out with the funnies will be Jimmy Carr, Seann Walsh.., and Dame Edna Everage.
b. spec. (North American). In plural. Chiefly with the. Comic strips in newspapers, or the section of a newspaper containing these.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > journalism > journal > matter of or for journals > [noun] > comic strips
funny1908
comic1912
1908 National Mag. May 234/1 For long I have been accustomed to read over and over again to a small maiden these ‘funnies’, and imagine my feelings when I see them referred to in a high class magazine as a ‘national shame and degradation’.
1914 Helena (Montana) Independent 6 June 2/5 The Comics. The Independent furnishes four pages ‘of funnies’ each week with its big Sunday newspaper.
1920 C. Sandburg Smoke & Steel 33 About the funnies in the papers.
1936 P. G. Wodehouse Laughing Gas xxvi. 272 We've only read the movie section and the funnies.
1971 Jrnl. Pop. Culture 5 167 The funnies are read by all classes.
1999 W. Coleman Mambo Hips & Make Believe xviii. 220 ‘May I have the funnies?’ ‘Grrrrrr—’ Tamala tore off the back page and handed it over.
2010 M. F. McHugh After Apocalypse 87 He made coffee and read the funnies.
C. adv.
regional and colloquial. In an odd or peculiar manner, strangely. Cf. funnily adv. 2.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > unconformity > abnormality > [adverb] > oddly
odd1603
oddlya1616
quirkishly1673
queerly1698
singularly1752
quarely1805
rumly1819
funnily1837
peculiarly1847
funny1852
rummily1891
quirkily1926
off1966
1852 C. M. Yonge Two Guardians iv. 58 They speak so funny, I can't hardly make them out.
1884 M. C. J. Leith From over Water xiii. 107 ‘Furriner Tony’ folks allers called he. I mind he spoke funny.
1922 ‘R. Crompton’ Just—William i. 19 ‘I'm not talkin' funny,’ said William in the same husky voice, ‘I can't help talkin' like this.’
1942 E. Ferber Saratoga Trunk (new ed.) vii. 123 I can't help seeing they kind of look at you funny.
1977 J. D. MacDonald Condominium i. 12 There are ripples in the west service court..and his service bounces funny.
1997 ‘Q’ Deadmeat 269 Froggy was a big guy who walked funny.
2009 N. Reding Methland i. 34 People..are..acting funny.
Phrases
P1.
funny-ha-ha adj. colloquial funny in the sense ‘amusing or comical’ (see sense A. 1), as distinguished from ‘strange or peculiar’ (see sense A. 3); cf. ha ha int.Usually used in collocation with funny-peculiar adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > [adjective] > comical
merryc1390
pleasant1553
comical1575
mowsome1596
zany1616
burlesque1656
humoursome1656
farce-like1681
foolish1691
farcical1715
amusive1727
farciful1731
funny1739
farcic1763
quizzical1785
quizzy1785
quizzish1792
rib-tickling1809
smileable1830
cocasse1868
priceless1907
skit1914
funny-ha-ha1916
gas1955
1916 Alpha Phi Q. June 249 The Mount Holyoke girls inquire as to an experience. ‘Was it funny, peculiar, or funny, ha! ha!?’.
1955 M. McCarthy Charmed Life (1956) iii. 58 His art-school training rendered him funny ha-ha to the cognoscenti.
2016 Herald (S. Afr.) (Nexis) 13 Jan. The funny part wasn't ‘funny-ha-ha’, but rather ‘funny peculiar’.
funny-peculiar adj. colloquial funny in the sense ‘strange or peculiar’ (see sense A. 3), as distinguished from ‘amusing or comical’ (see sense A. 1).Usually used in collocation with funny-ha-ha adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > unconformity > abnormality > [adjective] > odd
quaintc1325
awkc1440
queer?a1513
odd1578
quaintish1594
odd-conceiteda1616
odd-ceited1652
whimsical1675
singulara1684
eccentric1685
oddish1705
rummish1709
comical1713
odd-like1718
rum1750
queerish1775
funny1793
quare1805
rummy1828
kinky1844
quirkish1848
quirky1873
odd-gates1906
funny-peculiar1916
antrin1925
off-brand1929
fanciful-
1916 Alpha Phi Q. June 249 The Mount Holyoke girls inquire as to an experience. ‘Was it funny, peculiar, or funny, ha! ha!?’.
1970 ‘D. Shannon’ Unexpected Death (1971) ii. 24 He thought the blonde was rather funny..in the sense of funny-peculiar.
2015 Cape Argus (Nexis) 10 Oct. (Entertainment section) 12 Pinelands is a funny place (funny peculiar, not funny ha ha).
P2. very funny: used ironically or sarcastically to indicate that the speaker does not share another's amusement.
ΚΠ
1882 E. Thompson Figures of Hell 151 You call it a ‘gin-mill’. Very funny. Keep out of it, or somebody will call you a gin-miller.
1917 Chambers's Jrnl. Apr. 290/1 ‘Oh, very funny!’ said Mr Porson furiously; ‘very funny, I have no doubt! But let me tell you, sir, I consider your conduct outrageous!’
1975 Pocono (Stroudsburg, Pa.) Record 23 Aug. 3/1 ‘Don't you believe all pornography should be burned?’ ‘Why, because it's hot stuff..?’ ‘Very funny. Don't you know these books are written to destroy America?’
1998 D. Hecht Skull Session ii. l. 314 Very funny, asshole. You are a regular Jerry Lewis, so help me.
2012 C. L. Shultz Spellcaster 201 Very funny, Emma. I thought you were being serious... Don't screw with my head.
P3.
a. In phrases with negative constructions, as it's not funny, there's nothing funny about ——, emphasizing that something is serious, or should be taken seriously.Cf. no laughing matter at laughing n. Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1883 Lebanon (Indiana) Patriot 21 June There is nothing funny about being burned out of ‘house and home’.
1886 J. K. Jerome Idle Thoughts 33 It isn't funny to be shabby and to be ashamed of your address.
1905 Outlook 27 May 223/2 Don't throw away your money like this. It isn't funny to be starving.
1952 M. Harris City of Discontent i. ii. 58 It is a very serious matter and not in the least bit funny.
1983 A. Bleasdale Boys from Blackstuff iii. 206 It's not funny. It's not friggin' funny. I've had enough of that ‘if you don't laugh you'll cry’. I've heard it for years.
2006 K. Long Queen Mum xviii. 298 I don't want to fire up my emails and get a load of offers from strangers to wee on me... No, it's not funny.
b. colloquial (chiefly U.S.). to be so —— it isn't funny and variants: used to express that something is an extreme or incredible case. Cf. sense Phrases 3a.Cf. to be so —— it isn't true at true adj., n., adv., and int. Phrases 1f.
ΚΠ
1930 Santa Fe Mag. Mar. 56/1 He's been seasick so many times at sea that it isn't even funny.
1945 N.Y. Amsterdam News 21 July a1/4 The Navy is so far out in front of the Army it isn't funny.
1958 J. Kerouac Let. 13 Jan. in Sel. Lett. 1957–69 (1999) 102 I have invented so many new words it's not funny.
1974 ‘P. Mann’ Dog Day Afternoon (1975) xx. 175 He's so screwed-up it isn't funny.
1980 Skanner (Electronic ed.) 27 Aug. 2 [The agreement] removed the power so far from the parents it wasn't funny.
2014 Grimsby Tel. (Nexis) 19 Aug. 35 So out of touch it's not even funny.
Compounds
C1. Complementary (chiefly in sense A. 3) as funny-smelling, funny-sounding, funny-tasting, etc. Cf. funny-looking adj. at Compounds 2.
ΚΠ
1866 Daily Evening Bull. (San Francisco) 22 Sept. Funny-sounding drums.
1880 Boys of Eng. 10 Feb. 247/3 It's funny tasting stuff, and has a burning in the mouth.
1932 Illustr. London News 14 May 813/1 Regard them as big, funny-smelling animals.
1979 Bluefield (W. Va.) Daily Tel. 22 Aug. 31/1 This is a case of stretching a funny-seeming idea too thin.
1989 J. Sullivan Only Fools & Horses (2000) II. 6th Ser. Episode 1. 27/1 I wasn't drinking, in fact I was on some very trendy funny-tasting trendy water.
2014 Jerusalem Post (Nexis) 25 Apr. 14 Many funny-sounding words have been lovingly adopted from Yiddish into the English language.
C2. † funny dope n. Obsolete (a) funny or farcical actions, dialogue, etc. (cf. funny business n. 1); (b) deceptive, dishonest, or unethical actions or behaviour (cf. funny business n. 2).† funny party n. Nautical Obsolete a troupe of sailors who dress up or disguise themselves on festive occasions and entertain the rest of the crew by playing tricks, putting on comic or musical performances, etc.
funny car n. originally and chiefly U.S. a drag racing vehicle having a modified shortened wheelbase and, typically, a hinged body which may be raised at one end to expose the engine, chassis, etc.
ΚΠ
1965 Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland) 29 Apr. (Sports section) 33/3 For the first time anywhere on the East Coast this year, we will have Phil Bonners' '65 Mustang running against the ‘funny cars’ '65 Dodges!
1966 Valley News (Van Nuys, Calif.) 12 June 49 a/8 Because of changes in wheel base and tire size, which gives them a rather odd appearance drag racing enthusiasts immediately dubbed them ‘funny cars’.
1981 Pop. Hot Rodding Feb. 56/1 This month's gallery of mayhem is dedicated to the corps of Funny Cars and fearless drivers across the U.S.A.
2004 N.Y. Times 8 Aug. 25/2 New Jersey's premier home to dragsters, funny cars, jet cars and the rest.
ΚΠ
1904 Wisconsin State Jrnl. 17 Aug. 3/2 We all laughed until the tears ran down our faces... He did dish up a little funny dope one time.
1911 Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wiscosin) 3 June 12/2 Van Syckle [sc. an umpire] pulled such a bunch of funny dope.
1922 Santa Fe New Mexican 7 Feb. 4/2 Write us some of that funny dope.
funny column n. originally and chiefly U.S. a column in a newspaper or magazine containing humorous anecdotes, jokes, illustrations, etc.
ΚΠ
1849 Western Jrnl. Med. & Surg. 4 334 Matter which would have appeared to more advantage in the ‘Funny’ column of a country newspaper, than in a sober treatise of Practical Medicine.
1913 Fort Wayne (Indiana) News 25 Aug. 1/4 An association composed of men who write the funny columns.
2015 Guardian (Nexis) 25 June It is a great thrill to be published, either in or out of the funny column.
funny face n. humorous (a) an amusing or humorously grotesque facial expression; only in to make (also pull) a funny face; cf. face n. Phrases 2; (b) an affectionate form of address, esp. to a lover or friend.
ΚΠ
1836 Knickerbocker Feb. 161 You made such funny faces, I couldn't hold from laughing.
1894 S. Vane in Funny-folks 31 Mar. 7/2 Hullo, funny face!
1930 D. L. Sayers & ‘R. Eustace’ Documents in Case 38 Ever and ever yours, funny-face, old dear. I'd like to see your cheery grin now and again.
1991 J. Connor Distortions 58 Anna..pulled a funny face at the girl, which made her giggle more.
2011 B. J. Haynes Victoria's Park xxvi. 163 ‘Oh hi Funny Face!’ he said.
funny farm n. slang (chiefly depreciative) a psychiatric hospital.Now often regarded as potentially offensive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > places for the sick or injured > [noun] > hospital or infirmary > hospital for the mentally ill
bedlam-house1525
dull-house1622
madhouse1649
bedlam1663
lunatic hospital1762
asylum1776
retreat1796
lunatic house1813
lunatic asylum1828
maison de santé1843
idiot asylum1848
rat house1854
bughouse1887
Colney Hatch1891
booby hatch1896
mental hospital1898
booby house1900
nut factory1900
nut collegec1906
nuthouse1906
monkey house1910
booby-hutch1914
nuttery1915
loony bin1919
nut hatch1928
silly house1930
bin1938
snake-pit1947
funny farm1950
1950 F. B. Gilbreth & E. G. Carey Belles on their Toes iv. 39 I thought maybe it was Overbrook [sc. the name of a psychiatric hospital in New Jersey]. You know, the Funny Farm.
1963 J. N. Harris Weird World Wes Beattie v. 61 Before Baldwin Ogilvy agrees to locking his client away in the funny farm, he might like to investigate the whole bang shoot.
2002 Daily Record (Glasgow) (Nexis) 2 Mar. 15 By the end of the week the only place he's moving to is the funny farm. We shouldn't be so glib.
funny-looking adj. (a) having a comic appearance; (b) strange, peculiar, or odd-looking.
ΚΠ
1824 Morning Post 8 May 3/4 A funny looking little old man.
1895 ‘M. E. Francis’ Frieze & Fustian 283 ‘Yon's a funny-lookin' lass. Let's chase her!’
1932 French Rev. 5 271 Ugly gas jets, and funny looking stoves..are characteristic features of the class-rooms.
1985 ‘W. Tinasky’ Let. 8 May (1996) 44/1 Why wasn't I invited..? Because I'm old and poor and funny-looking?
2016 Times (Nexis) 13 Aug. The crowds surge forward to pat the camels as they parade proudly past. ‘They're funny looking,’ giggles a young girl.
funny man n. a male comic, comedian, or clown.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > performance of jester or comedian > [noun] > jester or comedian
jugglerc1175
foolc1300
jangler1303
fool sagec1330
ribald1340
ape-ward1362
japer1377
sage fool1377
harlotc1390
disporter?a1475
jocular?a1475
joculatora1500
jester?1518
idiot1526
scoffer1530
sporter1531
dizzardc1540
vice1552
antic1564
bauble-bearer1568
scoggin1579
buffoon1584
pleasant1595
zany1596
baladine1599
clown1600
fiddle1600
mimic1601
ape-carrier1615
mime1616
mime-man1631
merry man1648
tomfool1650
pickle-herring1656
badine1670
puddingc1675
merry-andrew1677
mimical1688
Tom Tram1688
Monaghan1689
pickled herring1711
ethologist1727
court-foola1797
Tom1817
mimer1819
fun-maker1835
funny man1839
mimester1846
comic1857
comedian1860
jokesman1882
comique1886
Joey1896
tummler1938
alternative comedian1981
Andrew-
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > [noun] > jest or pleasantry > one who jests or jokes > professional
japer1377
sage fool1377
harlotc1390
jocular?a1475
joculatora1500
jester?1518
bauble-bearer1568
buffoon1584
merry-andrew1677
court-foola1797
fun-maker1835
funny man1839
jokesman1882
1839 Odd Fellow 5 Oct. 157/2 After this comes a scene between the already known funny man and his sweetheart.
1935 Steubenville (Ohio) Herald-Star 3 Apr. 8/3 Even though their father may be the world's chief funny man, the two sons of Charlie Chaplin think some other fellows, also are funny.
2015 Milton Keynes Citizen (Nexis) 1 Nov. Clown around with Circus Starr's resident funnyman Chico Rico.
funny paper n. North American a newspaper or magazine (or a separate section of one) dedicated to humorous anecdotes, jokes, illustrations, etc., spec. a section of a newspaper devoted to comic strips; cf. sense B. 2b.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > journalism > journal > newspaper > [noun] > other types of newspaper
gazette1607
contemporary1670
packet1678
exchange1798
funny paper1837
blanket sheet1839
broadsheet1840
special1861
cocoa press1907
bladder1936
regional1958
electronic paper1967
free1982
1837 Metrop. Mag. Mar. 249 A little innocent mirth for the entertainment of the readers of the ‘funny papers’.
1883 Lebanon (Indiana) Patriot 21 June His funny paper, The Georgia Major, was in the hands of the sheriff.
1986 M. T. Inge in D. Fowler & A. J. Abadie Faulkner & Humor 153 There is evidence that William Faulkner—himself once an aspiring cartoonist—had a fondness for the funny papers.
2006 L. Austin Woman's Place 11 The boys sprawled on the floor with the family dog and the funny papers.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > variety, etc. > performers in variety, etc. > [noun] > ship's concert party
funny party1904
1904 G. R. Parker Comm. of H.M.S. Implacable 86 The decks had been decorated fore and aft, and the ‘funny party’ had mustered on a small platform on the stokers' mess-deck and gave an impromptu concert.
1917 ‘Taffrail’ Sub vii. 178 Once a year came the squadron regatta and sports, while at intervals our ‘Funny Party’, or pierrot troupe, gave an entertainment.
Derivatives
ˈfunnyism n. a joke or witticism.
ΚΠ
1839 C. Fox Jrnl. 3 Apr. in Mem. Old Friends (1882) 37 His stories and funnyisms of all descriptions.
1901 Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Republican 2 Feb. 4/4 Sometimes it takes a funnyism a long time to filter through his risibilities.
2003 S. Suberman When It was our War vii. 177 Paul was also very funny, though his funnyisms were not what I was accustomed to.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2017; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
n.11779
adj.n.2adv.1739