humour1 nounhumour2 verb
humourhu‧mour1 British English, humor American English /ˈhjuːmə $ ˈhjuːmər, ˈjuː-/ ●●○ noun [uncountable] 
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Everyone laughed except Dad, who obviously didn't appreciate the humour of the situation.
- But in London it brought belly laughs with a bawdy display of music hall humour and saucy songs.
- Do the best you can, hope for the best with the unpredictable and try to keep a sense of humour.
- He is immensely strong, but also shyly gentle and has great sense of humour.
- His flashes of light-hearted humour were commonly tinged with an awesome critical irony.
- In character he was kindly, genial, and modest, with an abundant sense of humour.
- The two types of humour perform opposing functions, pull in opposite directions.
- There was not a jot of humour in the man.
- This is the humour that does not heal, the sort that encourages hatred of outsiders.
Longman Language Activatorthe quality in someone or something that makes them funny
British humor American the quality or thing in a situation, book, remark etc that makes it funny: · Everyone laughed except Dad, who obviously didn't appreciate the humour of the situation.· The most popular children's books are ones that have plenty of humor in them.black humour (=about things such as death and violence): · Tom Lehrer's black humor offended some people, who found jokes about such subjects as nuclear war unacceptable.
the quality in a book, film, television programme etc that is intended to entertain people and make them laugh: · It was a brilliant play - full of drama, and both sadness and comedy.· Much of the comedy in Pratchett's books comes from the clever way he plays around with words and ideas.
the ability to use words and express ideas in a clever and amusing way, especially when it is shown in conversation or writing: · He seemed to have everything you could want in a man -- intelligence, wit, good looks and charm.· The wit and irony of the original novel has been lost in the film version.
the ability to realize when something is funny British /sense of humor American your ability to understand and enjoy jokes, funny situations etc: · Mr Hardman was a popular teacher, renowned for his sense of humor.have a (good/great/strange etc) sense of humour: · I like Ann - she has such a good sense of humour.lose your sense of humour: · Maybe I'm losing my sense of humor but I didn't find it at all funny.
especially spoken to be able to laugh and not get angry when other people make jokes about you or do something that makes you look stupid: · I hope he can take a joke - have you seen what they've done to his car?· You may find army life difficult if you can't take a joke.
to realize that a situation that seems to be bad is also funny: · I explained that it was all my fault and fortunately she saw the funny side of the situation.see the funny side of it: · As a teacher, things often go wrong, and you have to be able to see the funny side of it.see the funny side of life: · A cartoonist's job is all about making people see the funny side of life.
to be able to laugh and joke about your own mistakes and faults or about past experiences which did not seem funny when they were happening: · We can laugh now, but at the time it seemed like the end of the world.can laugh at yourself: · Don't take yourself too seriously -- it's a good thing if you can laugh at yourself sometimes.
someone who is quiet and does not laugh or joke much someone who is serious is quiet and sensible, and does not seem to enjoy laughing and joking: · Friends described him as a serious and thoughtful man.serious about: · Laura was always very serious about her work.
someone who is earnest is very serious or too serious, and believes that what they say or do is very important - use this especially about someone who is young or not very experienced: · One earnest young man asked De Mille about the philosophical meaning of his films.· a group of earnest musicians dressed completely in black
someone who is sober is very serious and thinks carefully about things, and does not laugh or joke very often: · I went to see Professor Dandavate, a sober and respected academic. · a sober-looking man in a grey suit
British /have no sense of humor American someone who has no sense of humour does not understand jokes, funny situations, etc - use this especially when you think someone like this is annoying or boring: · He didn't laugh at any of my jokes. Maybe taxi drivers just don't have a sense of humor.· My grandmother didn't have much of a sense of humour, and she could never understand what we were laughing about.
someone who is stuffy does not laugh or smile at things that other people think are funny, because they are a little formal and have old-fashioned attitudes: · Victor was as old-fashioned as his father, and equally stuffy.· Come on Dad. Don't be so stuffy!
British /humorless American someone who is humourless never laughs at anything and never tries to be funny or tell jokes: · I knew Deaver at college, and remember him as cold, humorless, and aloof.· Since the death of his wife he has become isolated, defensive and humorless.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Meanings 1 & 2phrases
She battled against cancer with unfailing good humour. You really have a warped sense of humour (=think strange and unpleasant things are funny). Tara hasn’t lost her wicked sense of humour.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· I'm afraid my dad doesn't have a very good sense of humour.
(=the type of jokes, funny stories etc that a particular person likes or tells)· Their brand of humour isn't to everyone's taste.
(=a very small amount of humour)· She replied with a rare flash of humour.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + humour (=jokes, funny stories etc about the unpleasant parts of life)· The tone of the film is light but there are moments of black humour.
(=jokes, funny stories etc which make very unpleasant or dangerous things seem funny)· It was the kind of gallows humor that medical students love.
(=jokes, funny stories etc that are silly and rude but not offensive)· The schoolboy humour appealed to him.
(=when someone makes it seem as if they are being serious, but really they are being funny)· His serious demeanour lends itself to deadpan humour.
(=when someone makes something seem both funny and sad)· He wrote with wry humour about his time in a Turkish prison.
(=jokes or stories that do not offend anyone)· The plays uses gentle humor to make a strong point.
(=jokes, funny stories etc in which you criticize or make fun of yourself)· Her self-deprecating humour made the audience howl with laughter.
verbs (=understand that something is funny)· I may have been wet and covered in mud, but I could still see the humour in the situation.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES British English, a sense of humor American English (=the ability to laugh and enjoy things that are funny)· A good teacher needs a sense of humour.
She battled against cancer with unfailing good humour. You really have a warped sense of humour (=think strange and unpleasant things are funny). Tara hasn’t lost her wicked sense of humour.· There were moments of black humour as well regarding the safety of deaf people in wartime conditions.· Michela Wrong tells her story with the bitter black humour of those who survived the Mobutu years.· An exercise in black humour set in an enclosed and hopeless world, the film ends with him remaining behind bars.· It is one of his most heartfelt works combining all the pungency, political commitment and black humour of his best plays.· That was the true black humour of colleagues I thought were my mates.· Either way, it was an occasion for black humour, or at least sick jokes.· Even the problems have unexpected black humour, such as the last-breath-of-a-dying man problem.· I have got a seriously black sense of humour.
· His letters confirm a highly inquisitive mind regarding natural and scientific phenomena and suggest a phlegmatic temperament and a dry humour.· Billican Geary had a dry humour and would often tell his yarns.· There is even a dry humour.· Aubrey had much the same rather dry sense of humour.· The old man, facing his death with such courage and dry humour, deserved respect.· He seemed to gain pleasure from the comradeship of Art teachers; their banter and dry North country humour.· He is quite witty and his dry humour comes across well.· John is sparse of frame and comment but had a very dry humour.
· Warm-up man Daley Pike works the enthusiastic crowd, carefully testing the good humour of various individuals.· They were in high good humour.· His sister invariably had the power to restore him to good humour.· With her ready compassion and cheerful good humour, she had provided much that was lacking in Celia's circumscribed upbringing.· The party, in good humour, applauded.· Despite the stress, Spens remained in good humour.· The foreman in a fine good humour.· Falconer was quiet and secretive but seemed in very good humour, laughing and talking rather garrulously.
· He had a great sense of humour and when we first met, I was instantly attracted to him.· He is immensely strong, but also shyly gentle and has great sense of humour.· She gets me food and she's a marvellous person, with a great sense of humour.· To understand life today, you have to have a great sense of humour.· She also has a great sense of humour.· He has a great sense of humour and will keep you all well-amused.· The children were wonderfully responsive, with a great sense of humour and they derived enormous excitement from the games and competitions.· Squeaking and even gasping with the great good humour of it all.
· The deep voice was taunting, but there was a wry humour hidden somewhere beneath the laconic façade.· And he retains the sense of wry humour which he reckons every newspaperman needs, if only to keep him sane.· His brilliance was carried lightly, and he possessed a wry sense of humour.· She relaxed and told Jay about her life, with the wry humour of a survivor.· However, wry humour was not a quality I detected in the lady.· Yet they are saved from sentimentality by the wry humour of both text and pictures.· A good thing they'd be in Winchester tonight ... Wry humour put a slight quirk in his mouth.· He has a wry sense of humour and an uncompromising disposition, particularly when it comes to talking about deeds of valour.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► schoolboy humour► a vein of humour/malice etc
1the ability or tendency to think that things are funny, or funny things you say that show you have this ability: - Bush was elected on the coat-tails of Ronald Reagan, who in turn worshipped Margaret Thatcher's brand of politics and economics.
- I was by no means immune from this brand of humour.
- Presenter, Jim Bowen, puts the contestants at ease with his own brand of humour.
- He showed his willingness to trade his mordant wit for the required political cliches.
his humour and charm Greg’s feeble attempt at humour English humour It’s vital to have a sense of humor in this job. The host puts the contestants at ease with his own brand of humour. He showed flashes of humor that delighted the audience.2the quality in something that makes it funny and makes people laugh: He failed to see the humour of the situation.3in a good/an ill/a bad humour formal in a good or bad mood → good humour4out of humour British English old-fashioned in a bad moodCOLLOCATIONS– Meanings 1 & 2phrasesa sense of humour· I'm afraid my dad doesn't have a very good sense of humour.somebody's brand of humour (=the type of jokes, funny stories etc that a particular person likes or tells)· Their brand of humour isn't to everyone's taste.a flash/trace/touch of humour (=a very small amount of humour)· She replied with a rare flash of humour.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + humourblack/dark humour (=jokes, funny stories etc about the unpleasant parts of life)· The tone of the film is light but there are moments of black humour.gallows humour (=jokes, funny stories etc which make very unpleasant or dangerous things seem funny)· It was the kind of gallows humor that medical students love.schoolboy humour (=jokes, funny stories etc that are silly and rude but not offensive)· The schoolboy humour appealed to him.dry/deadpan humour (=when someone makes it seem as if they are being serious, but really they are being funny)· His serious demeanour lends itself to deadpan humour.wry humour (=when someone makes something seem both funny and sad)· He wrote with wry humour about his time in a Turkish prison.gentle humour (=jokes or stories that do not offend anyone)· The plays uses gentle humor to make a strong point.self-deprecating humour (=jokes, funny stories etc in which you criticize or make fun of yourself)· Her self-deprecating humour made the audience howl with laughter.verbssee/appreciate the humour (=understand that something is funny)· I may have been wet and covered in mud, but I could still see the humour in the situation.humour1 nounhumour2 verb
humourhumour2 British English, humor American English verb [transitive] VERB TABLE
humour (BrE)
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | humour (BrE) |
| he, she, it | humours (BrE) | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | humoured (BrE) |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have humoured (BrE) |
| he, she, it | has humoured (BrE) | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had humoured (BrE) |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will humour |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have humoured (BrE) |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am humouring (BrE) |
| he, she, it | is humouring (BrE) | |
| you, we, they | are humouring (BrE) | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was humouring (BrE) |
| you, we, they | were humouring (BrE) | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been humouring (BrE) |
| he, she, it | has been humouring (BrE) | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been humouring (BrE) |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be humouring (BrE) |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been humouring (BrE) |
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- Children go through defined periods of oppositional behaviour and may need humouring out of them.
- I humoured the old lady, who soon went on her way.
- I want the police to look for her, not humour me.
- Shana was forced to resort to humouring me rather than getting into arguments with me.
- She wasn't even going to humour Mrs Fanshawe any more.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES She battled against cancer with unfailing good humour. You really have a warped sense of humour (=think strange and unpleasant things are funny). Tara hasn’t lost her wicked sense of humour.
British English, a sense of humor American English (=the ability to laugh and enjoy things that are funny)· A good teacher needs a sense of humour.
She battled against cancer with unfailing good humour. You really have a warped sense of humour (=think strange and unpleasant things are funny). Tara hasn’t lost her wicked sense of humour.PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► schoolboy humour► a vein of humour/malice etc
to do what someone wants or to pretend to agree with them so that they do not become upset: - Bush was elected on the coat-tails of Ronald Reagan, who in turn worshipped Margaret Thatcher's brand of politics and economics.
- I was by no means immune from this brand of humour.
- Presenter, Jim Bowen, puts the contestants at ease with his own brand of humour.
- He showed his willingness to trade his mordant wit for the required political cliches.
‘Of course,’ he said, humouring her.