To divert the audience with buffoon postures and antic dances. --Melmoth. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
buffoon — uf*foon , v. i. To act the part of a buffoon. [R.] [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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… … 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
