humorous, a.
(ˈhjuːmərəs)
Also 6–8 humerous, 7 humurous, 7–9 humourous.
[In sense 1, perh. a. obs. F. humereux damp, full of sap (16th c. in Godef.), ad. late L. (h)ūmōrōs-us moist, wet, f. hūmor moisture, etc. In other senses, from Engl. senses of humour. For the spelling and pronunciation see humour n.]
† 1. Moist, humid, damp: see humour n. 1. Obs.
(In first quot. with play on sense 3.)
| 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. ii. i. 31 He hath hid himselfe among these Trees To be consorted with the Humerous night. 1603 Drayton Bar. Wars i. xlvii, The hum'rous Fogges. c 1611 Chapman Iliad xxi. 186 All founts, wells, all deeps humorous. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xiii. 214 Every lofty top, which late the humorous night Bespangled had with pearle. |
† 2. Pertaining to the bodily humours (see humour n. 2); of diseases, Caused by a disordered state of the humours: = humoral 1. Obs.
| 1578 Burghley Let. to Hatton 21 Apr., in Ld. Campbell Chancellors (1857) II. xlv. 268 Only the withdrawing of some one tooth that is touched with some humorous cause. 1697 R. Pierce Bath Mem. ii. ii. 268 In all the three Degrees of Difficulty in Breathing..some Humerous, some Nervous, some mix'd. 1733 Cheyne Eng. Malady i. vi. §10 (1734) 60 Other chronical and humorous Distempers. 1831 J. Morison in Morisoniana 382 Small Pox Virus, inherent..in proportion to the state of your own humourous affections. |
† 3. Subject to, influenced by, or dependent on humour or mood; full of humours or fancies; fanciful, capricious, whimsical, humoursome; odd, fantastic. (Of persons, actions, etc.) Obs. or arch.
| 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iii. i. 177, I that haue beene loues whip? A verie Beadle to a humerous sigh. 1602 Kyd Sp. Trag. i, You know that women oft are humurous. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii. 71 The fluctuary motions of the humerous multitude. 1653 Gauden Hierasp. 151 Built upon the sands of humerous novelty, not on the rock of holy antiquity. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 54 ¶1 Pall'd Appetite is humorous, and must be gratify'd with Sauces rather than Food. 1823 Valperga III. 42, I am self-willed, sullen, and humourous. |
† b. Moody, peevish, ill-humoured, out of humour.
| 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. i. ii. 278 The Duke is humorous. 1640 Quarles Enchirid. iii. 10 Be not Angry with him..too often, lest he count thee humorous. 1670 Baxter Cure Ch. Div. 250 Those that are of uncharitable, humerous, peevish, contentious and fiery spirits. 1693 Penn Fruits Solitude (ed. 2) §18. 9 He is humorous to his Wife, he beats his Children. 1842 Miss Mitford in L'Estrange Life (1870) III. ix. 142 Mr. Roebuck..is as cantankerous and humorous (in the old Shakesperian sense) as Cassius himself. |
4. Full of, characterized by, or showing humour or drollery (see humour n. 7); facetious, jocular, comical, funny. (Of persons, actions, etc.)
| 1705 Addison Italy (J.), Others [tell us] that this..alludes to the story of the satyr Marsyas..which I think is more humorous. 1738 Swift Pol. Conversat. p. xiv, Whatever Person would aspire to be completely witty, smart, humourous, and polite. 1756–7 tr. Keysler's Trav. (1760) I. 216 Mr. du Vernet..drew up the following humorous letter..to the Moon, desiring her not to shew herself next Monday. 1861 Wright Ess. Archæol. II. xxiii. 230 A taste for the humorous is..independent of national difference. 1876 Besant & Rice Gold. Butterfly Prol. ii, The Western American is always humorous. |