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ridicule

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To ridicule is to make fun of someone.

(verb)

An example of to ridicule is to laugh at someone when they spill coffee on themselves.

Ridicule is defined as what is said to make others joke about or laugh at someone.

(noun)

An example of ridicule is what a student feared when reading a poem.

See ridicule in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

1. the act of making someone or something the object of scornful laughter by joking, mocking, etc.; derision
2. words or actions intended to produce such laughter
Archaic
1. an absurdity
2. foolishness

Origin: Fr < L ridiculum, a jest, laughable (thing), neut. of ridiculus, laughable, comical < ridere, to laugh < IE *wrizd-, to avert the face (> Sans vrīda, embarrassment) < base *wer-, to turn

transitive verb ridiculed, ridiculing

to make the object of scornful laughter; make fun of; deride

See ridicule in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Words or actions intended to evoke contemptuous laughter at or feelings toward a person or thing: “I know that ridicule may be a shield, but it is not a weapon” (Dorothy Parker).

transitive verb rid·i·culed, rid·i·cul·ing, rid·i·cules

To expose to ridicule; make fun of.

Origin:

Origin: French

Origin: , from Latin rīdiculum, joke

Origin: , from neuter of rīdiculus, laughable; see ridiculous

Related Forms: