buffoonery
(bəˈfuːnərɪ)
Also 7 buffonnerie, 7–8 buffon-, buffoonry.
[f. buffoon n. + -ery.]
The practice of a buffoon; low jesting or ridicule, farce.
| 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 450 Flatterie and Buffonrie swayed all in the Romane Senate. 1631 Weever Anc. Fun. Mon. 685 Ianglery, buffonnerie, and such other vices. 1670 G. H. Hist. Cardinals i. iii. 81 They are the first that laugh and applaud any Buffonry. 1745 Fielding True Patr. Wks. 1775 IX. 296 Power and government..have been set up as the butts of ridicule and buffoonry. 1751 Johnson Rambl. No. 125 ¶6 This conversation..degenerates too much towards buffoonery and farce. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 132 You may often laugh at buffoonery which you would be ashamed to utter. |