▪ I. ridicule, n.1
(ˈrɪdɪkjuːl)
[a. F. ridicule or ad. L. rīdiculum, neut. of rīdiculus: see ridicule a.]
1. A ridiculous or absurd thing, feature, characteristic, or habit; an absurdity. Now rare.
| 1677 Gale Crt. Gentiles iii. 201 In this Masse-Sacrifice what a world of ridicules are there. 1690 Andros Tracts I. 143 The purchasing of the Natives Right, was made nothing of, and next to a Ridicule. 1762 Gibbon Misc. Wks. (1814) IV. 139 Monarchs..have their private life, and may not the ridicules of it be displayed upon the stage? 1785 ‘C-t-ss of R.’ Ess. II. 33 The English have taken it into their heads to assume all the ridicules of their neighbours. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. viii. 51 Not that any folly or ridicule escaped his keen penetration. 1850 Macaulay in Trevelyan Life (1875) II. 273 He marked every fault of taste, every weakness, every ridicule. 1867 Q. Rev. July 16 This comedy..summed up..the vices and ridicules..of the ‘great’ of the present time. |
† b. A subject of ridicule; a laughing-stock.
| 1680 Honest Cavalier 7, I am so far from making a Ridicule (as you call it) of that Worthy Person that [etc.]. 1694 Wood Life 23 June, Imposing upon a generous person and making him a ridicule to the company. |
2. Ridiculous nature or character (of something).
| 1711 Addison Spect. No. 18 ¶6 It does not want any great Measure of Sense to see the Ridicule of this monstrous Practice. 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. xxix. II. 147 Leo was fully acquainted with the ridicule and falsity of the doctrines. 1824 S. E. Ferrier Inher. lx, He..seemed quite unconscious of the ridicule of such a supposition. 1859 J. C. Hobhouse Italy I. 148 Cicognara luckily saw the ridicule of such a project, and stopped it. a 1864 Hawthorne Amer. Note-bks. (1879) I. 69 The man seemed too simple..to comprehend the ridicule of his situation. |
b. That which is ridiculous; ridiculousness.
| 1712 ? Hughes Spect. No. 467 ¶1 We rather delight in the Ridicule than the Virtues we find in others. 1729 Law Serious C. i. (1732) 3 We see such a mixture of Ridicule in the lives of many people. 1769 Goldsm. Hist. Rome (1786) I. 423 A desire of uniting in himself incompatible qualities, which gave an air of ridicule to his greatest actions. 1804–6 Syd. Smith Mor. Philos. (1850) 365 If a nation of savages were to see such a drama acted, they would see no ridicule in it at all. |
3. The act or practice of making persons or things the object of jest or sport; language intended to raise laughter against a person or thing.
| 1690 Temple Ess. Poetry Wks. 1720 I. 240 Another Vein which has enter'd, and help'd to corrupt our Modern Poesy, is that of Ridicule; as if nothing pleas'd but what made one laugh. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 291 ¶8 A Man who has the Gift of Ridicule is apt to find Fault with any thing that gives him an Opportunity of exerting his beloved Talent. 1736 Butler Anal. Introd., The system of Religion..is not a subject of ridicule. 1798 Ferriar Illustr. Sterne, etc. 6 Which gave an appearance of extravagance to what was once correct ridicule. 1844 Thirlwall Greece VIII. 117 He had to sustain a storm of reproach and ridicule from his own people. 1875 Helps Soc. Press. iii. 56 Such a proposal is just one of those things which admits of great ridicule. |
b. to turn (in)to ridicule, to make ridiculous.
| 1673 Dryden Marr. à la Mode iii. i, Methinks I'm to be turn'd into ridicule by all that see me. 1702 Addison Dial. Medals Wks. 1736 III. 11 The very naming of them is almost sufficient to turn them into ridicule. 1784 Cowper Task v. 689 'Tis a change That turns to ridicule the..stately tone of moralists. |
† 4. A piece of derisive mirth or light mockery.
| 1710 Addison Whig Exam. No. 1 ¶14 That..piece of raillery..appears a pleasant ridicule to an ignorant Reader. 1755 H. Walpole Let. to Bentley 17 Dec., There never was so good a ridicule of all the formal commentators on Shakspeare. 1774 Earl Percy Lett. (1902) 45, I have sent you enclosed a Ridicule upon the Gen{supl} Congress. |
▪ II. ˈridicule, n.2 Obs. exc. dial.
[a. F. ridicule, perversion of réticule.]
= reticule 2.
| 1805 T. Harral Scenes of Life II. 105 Angela instantly drew the paper from her ridicule. 1824 Creevey in C. Papers (1904) II. 78 Having deposited and left upon the counter her ridicule. 1838 Dickens O. Twist xlii, ‘Pockets, women's ridicules, houses, mailcoaches..,’ said Mr. Claypole. |
▪ III. † ˈridicule, a. Obs.
[a. F. ridicule, ad. L. rīdiculus, f. rīdēre to laugh.]
= ridiculous a. 1.
| 1672 Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 54 Our Author having undertaken to make Calvin and Geneva ridicule. 1674 Case of Bankers & Creditors vii. 31 It was thought very pleasant and ridicule. 1683 D. A. Art Converse 28 Let us not discover by a suddain fit of anger our ridicule ambition. |
▪ IV. ˈridicule, v.
[f. prec. or ridicule n.1]
† 1. To render ridiculous. Obs. rare.
| 1684 N. S. Crit. Enq. Edit. Bible xxvi. 238 Save only when he..Preaches, Cants and ridicules himself. 1735 Pope Prol. Sat. 110 One dedicates in high heroic prose, And ridicules beyond a hundred foes. |
2. To treat with ridicule or mockery; to make fun of, deride, laugh at.
| a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Ridicule, to Railly or turn any thing to a Jest. 1705 Clarke Nat. & Revealed Relig. Introd. xv. §2 They indeavour to ridicule and banter all Humane as well as Divine Accomplishments,..all learning and knowledge. 1726 Swift Gulliver iii. iv, His Country⁓men ridiculed and despised him for managing his Affairs no better. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. 101 Humanity and compassion are ridiculed as the fruits of superstition and ignorance. 1838 Lytton Calderon i, This tale,..ridiculed by most, was yet believed by some. 1874 L. Stephen Hours in Library (1892) II. ii. 46 The old-fashioned pastorals ridiculed by Pope and Gay. |
Hence ˈridiculed ppl. a.; ˈridiculing vbl. n.
| 1701 Norris Ideal World i. vi. 305 Those whom he exposes under the ridiculing title of meditative men. 1710 Berkeley Princ. Hum. Knowl. i. §11 That antiquated and so much ridicul'd Notion of Materia Prima. 1887 Athenæum 19 Feb. 253/1 There is a good deal of very excellent ridiculing of the early days of Royat. |