Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
ridicule en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
The obsolete adjective is borrowed from French ridicule, from Latin rīdiculus (“laughable, comical, amusing, absurd, ridiculous”), from ridere (“to laugh”).
The noun is either from French, noun use of adjective, or from Latin rīdiculum, noun use of neuter of rīdiculus.
The verb is from the noun or else from French ridiculer, from ridicule.
Meanings
-
(obsolete) ridiculous
late 17th century, John Aubrey, Brief Lives
This action […] became so ridicule.
Forms
ridicule en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
The obsolete adjective is borrowed from French ridicule, from Latin rīdiculus (“laughable, comical, amusing, absurd, ridiculous”), from ridere (“to laugh”).
The noun is either from French, noun use of adjective, or from Latin rīdiculum, noun use of neuter of rīdiculus.
The verb is from the noun or else from French ridiculer, from ridicule.
Meanings
-
(countable, uncountable) Derision; mocking or humiliating words or behavior.
Safe from the Bar, the Pulpit, and the Throne, / Yet touch'd and sham'd by Ridicule alone.
1738, Alexander Pope, Epilogue to the Satires: Dialogue II:When he was young you'd not find him doing well in school,
His mind would turn unto the waters.
Always the focus of adolescent ridicule,
He has no time for farmer's daughters.
Alienated from the clique society,
A lonely boy finds peace in fishing.
1989, “John the Fisherman”, performed by Primus:
-
(countable, uncountable) An object of sport or laughter; a laughing stock.
To the people […] but a trifle, to the king but a ridicule.
1563 March 30 (Gregorian calendar), John Foxe, Actes and Monuments of These Latter and Perillous Dayes, […], London: […] Iohn Day, […], →OCLC:[Marlborough] was so miserably ignorant, that his deficiencies made him the ridicule of his contemporaries.
1857, Henry Thomas Buckle, History of Civilization in England:
-
(countable, uncountable) The quality of being ridiculous; ridiculousness.
More keenly alive perhaps than any of her sisters to the little ridicules that belonged to Mrs. Palmer's character, she yet saw how small was their importance, and that Mrs. Palmer was not only a better but a happier person than most of those with whom she was acquainted.
1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VI, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 65:to see the ridicule of this monstrous practice
1710 March 31 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “MONDAY, March 21, 1709–1710”, in The Spectator, number 18; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume I, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
Forms
Deriveds
ridiculize · ridicule pole
Relateds
disrespect · contempt · ridiculous · humiliation · derision · deride · ridiculable · ridiculosity
Synonyms
scoff · ridicule · mockery · derision · katagelasticism
Translations (25)
fi pilkkaaminen (derision) · es ridiculización (derision) · fi halventaminen (derision) · sa निद् (derision) · sga cuitbiud (derision) · fi pilkka (derision) · eo mokado (derision) · cs výsměch (derision) · hu nevetség (derision) · hy ծաղր (derision) · ru насме́шка (derision) · fa استهزا (derision) · ml പരിഹാസം (derision) · hu gúny (derision) · scn sdilleggiu (derision) · hi उपहास (derision) · da latterliggørelse (derision) · grc κατάγελως (derision) · hi खिल्ली (derision) · izh pilkka (derision) · bg присмех (derision) · it derisione (derision) · az rişxənd (derision) · fi ivailu (derision) · fi iva (derision)
ridicule en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
The obsolete adjective is borrowed from French ridicule, from Latin rīdiculus (“laughable, comical, amusing, absurd, ridiculous”), from ridere (“to laugh”).
The noun is either from French, noun use of adjective, or from Latin rīdiculum, noun use of neuter of rīdiculus.
The verb is from the noun or else from French ridiculer, from ridicule.
Meanings
-
(transitive) To criticize or disapprove of someone or something through scornful jocularity; to make fun of.
His older sibling constantly ridiculed him with sarcastic remarks.
Forms
Synonyms
outlaugh · pillory
Translations (83)
pl wyśmiewać (to make fun of someone) · vi chế nhạo (to make fun of someone) · tr dalga geçmek (to make fun of someone) · uk насміха́тися (to make fun of someone) · cmn 嘲笑 (to make fun of someone) · fi ivata (to make fun of someone) · izh pilkata (to make fun of someone) · lt šaipytis (to make fun of someone) · fr ridiculiser (to make fun of someone) · bg осми́вам (to make fun of someone) · nb latterliggjøre (to make fun of someone) · be вы́смеяць (to make fun of someone) · zza delğa kerden (to make fun of someone) · el κοροϊδεύω (to make fun of someone) · ms memperlekeh (to make fun of someone) · pt ridicularizar (to make fun of someone) · es ridiculizar (to make fun of someone) · my သရော် (to make fun of someone) · tr alay etmek (to make fun of someone) · sv förlöjliga (to make fun of someone) · be выкпіва́ць (to make fun of someone) · bg осме́я (to make fun of someone) · th ล้อ (to make fun of someone) · et naeruvääristama (to make fun of someone) · mk исмејува (to make fun of someone) · sga con·tib (to make fun of someone) · ru насмеха́ться (to make fun of someone) · vi giễu cợt (to make fun of someone) · pl wyśmiać (to make fun of someone) · it ridicolizzare (to make fun of someone) · be вы́кпіць (to make fun of someone) · be кпіць (to make fun of someone) · grc διασύρω (to make fun of someone) · ro ridiculiza (to make fun of someone) · es poner en solfa (to make fun of someone) · bg присме́я се (to make fun of someone) · da gøre nar af (to make fun of someone) · ru высме́ивать (to make fun of someone) · et pilkama (to make fun of someone) · hu tréfát űz (to make fun of someone) · ota گولمك (to make fun of someone) · mi tāwai (to make fun of someone) · th หยอกล้อ (to make fun of someone) · got 𐌱𐌹𐌻𐌰𐌹𐌺𐌰𐌽 (to make fun of someone) · mi whakamanumanu (to make fun of someone) · bg присми́вам се (to make fun of someone) · ja 嘲笑う (to make fun of someone) · uk ви́сміяти (to make fun of someone) · de verspotten (to make fun of someone) · es poner en ridículo (to make fun of someone) · mi taunu (to make fun of someone) · chr ᎠᏙᏥᏗᎭ (to make fun of someone) · nl bespotten (to make fun of someone) · got 𐌱𐌹𐌷𐌻𐌰𐌷𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to make fun of someone) · eo ridindigi (to make fun of someone) · uk висмі́ювати (to make fun of someone) · sv håna (to make fun of someone) · hu kigúnyol (to make fun of someone) · grc μωκάομαι (to make fun of someone) · ro batjocori (to make fun of someone) · fa مسخره کردن (to make fun of someone) · hu gúnyol (to make fun of someone) · fr tourner en dérision (to make fun of someone) · scn sdillèggiri (to make fun of someone) · fr tourner en ridicule (to make fun of someone) · th เหน็บแนม (to make fun of someone) · ar تَهَكَّمَ (to make fun of someone) · be высме́йваць (to make fun of someone) · be высмяха́цца (to make fun of someone) · sv göra narr av (to make fun of someone) · el περιγελώ (to make fun of someone) · mi whakahahani (to make fun of someone) · ml പരിഹസിക്കുക (to make fun of someone) · fi pilkata (to make fun of someone) · ko 비웃다 (to make fun of someone) · ja 嘲笑する (to make fun of someone) · ar سَخِرَ (to make fun of someone) · ko 놀리다 (to make fun of someone) · vi nhạo báng (to make fun of someone) · ru вы́смеять (to make fun of someone) · da latterliggøre (to make fun of someone) · fi tehdä naurunalaiseksi (to make fun of someone) · eo moki (to make fun of someone)
ridicule en · NOUN · etymology 2
Pronunciation
Etymology
Apparently from French ridicule (“reticule”), probably a punning alteration of réticule after ridicule (“ridicule”).
Meanings
-
(historical, regional) A small woman's handbag; a reticule.
“Tills be blowed!” said Mr. Claypole; “there’s more things besides tills to be emptied.” “What do you mean?” asked his companion. “Pockets, women’s ridicules, houses, mailcoaches, banks,” said Mr. Claypole, rising with the porter.
1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “An Old Acquaintance of Oliver’s, Exhibiting Decided Marks of Genius, Becomes a Public Character in the Metropolis”, in Oliver Twist; […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 103:[…] while paying her own compliments to Mrs. Bates, and appearing to attend to the good old lady’s replies, she saw her with a sort of anxious parade of mystery fold up a letter which she had apparently been reading aloud to Miss Fairfax, and return it into the purple and gold ridicule by her side, […]
1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter XVI, in Emma: […], volume III, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, pages 295–296:I hastily drew my empty hand from my Ridicule.
c. 1825, Frances Burney, Journals and Letters, Penguin, published 2001, page 455:
Forms
Relateds
disrespect · contempt · deride
Synonyms
scoff · ridicule · mockery · derision · katagelasticism