The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
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
