CLOWNING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does clowning mean? 

• CLOWNING (noun)
  The noun CLOWNING has 2 senses:

1. acting like a clown or buffoon

2. a comic incident or series of incidents

  Familiarity information: CLOWNING used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLOWNING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Acting like a clown or buffoon

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

buffoonery; clowning; frivolity; harlequinade; japery; prank

Hypernyms ("clowning" is a kind of...):

craziness; folly; foolery; indulgence; lunacy; tomfoolery (foolish or senseless behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "clowning"):

schtick; schtik; shtick; shtik ((Yiddish) a prank or piece of clowning)

Derivation:

clown (act as or like a clown)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A comic incident or series of incidents

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

clowning; comedy; drollery; funniness

Hypernyms ("clowning" is a kind of...):

fun; play; sport (verbal wit or mockery (often at another's expense but not to be taken seriously))

Derivation:

clown (act as or like a clown)