clown

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clown

(kloun)

a. A buffoon or jester who entertains by jokes, antics, and tricks in a circus, play, or other presentation.

b. One who jokes and plays tricks.

2. A coarse, rude, vulgar person; a boor.

3. A peasant; a rustic.

intr.v. clowned, clown·ing, clowns

1. To behave like a buffoon or jester.

2. To perform as a buffoon or jester.

3. To krump, especially in clown makeup.

[Of Scandinavian origin (akin to Icelandic klunni, clumsy person) or of Low German origin.]

clown′er n.

clown′ish adj.

clown′ish·ly adv.

clown′ish·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

clown

(klaʊn)

1. (Theatre) a comic entertainer, usually grotesquely costumed and made up, appearing in the circus

2. (Theatre) any performer who elicits an amused response

3. someone who plays jokes or tricks

4. a person who acts in a comic or buffoon-like manner

5. a coarse clumsy rude person; boor

6. archaic a countryman or rustic

vb (intr)

7. to perform as a clown

8. to play jokes or tricks

9. to act foolishly

[C16: perhaps of Low German origin; compare Frisian klönne, Icelandic klunni clumsy fellow]

ˈclownery n

ˈclownish adj

ˈclownishly adv

ˈclownishness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

clown

(klaʊn)

n.

1. a comic performer, esp. in a circus, who wears an outlandish costume and makeup and pantomimes common situations in exaggerated fashion, often also juggling, tumbling, etc.

2. a joker or buffoon; jester.

3. a prankster or practical joker.

4. Slang. a boor, oaf, or fool.

5. a peasant; rustic.

v.i.

6. to act like a clown.

[1555–65; earlier cloyne, clowne, perhaps akin to Old Norse klunni boor, dial. Dan klunds, dial. Swedish klunn log]

clown′ish, adj.

clown′ish•ly, adv.

clown′ish•ness, n.

clown

Past participle: clowned
Gerund: clowning

Imperative
clown
clown

Present
I clown
you clown
he/she/it clowns
we clown
you clown
they clown

Preterite
I clowned
you clowned
he/she/it clowned
we clowned
you clowned
they clowned

Present Continuous
I am clowning
you are clowning
he/she/it is clowning
we are clowning
you are clowning
they are clowning

Present Perfect
I have clowned
you have clowned
he/she/it has clowned
we have clowned
you have clowned
they have clowned

Past Continuous
I was clowning
you were clowning
he/she/it was clowning
we were clowning
you were clowning
they were clowning

Past Perfect
I had clowned
you had clowned
he/she/it had clowned
we had clowned
you had clowned
they had clowned

Future
I will clown
you will clown
he/she/it will clown
we will clown
you will clown
they will clown

Future Perfect
I will have clowned
you will have clowned
he/she/it will have clowned
we will have clowned
you will have clowned
they will have clowned

Future Continuous
I will be clowning
you will be clowning
he/she/it will be clowning
we will be clowning
you will be clowning
they will be clowning

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been clowning
you have been clowning
he/she/it has been clowning
we have been clowning
you have been clowning
they have been clowning

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been clowning
you will have been clowning
he/she/it will have been clowning
we will have been clowning
you will have been clowning
they will have been clowning

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been clowning
you had been clowning
he/she/it had been clowning
we had been clowning
you had been clowning
they had been clowning

Conditional
I would clown
you would clown
he/she/it would clown
we would clown
you would clown
they would clown

Past Conditional
I would have clowned
you would have clowned
he/she/it would have clowned
we would have clowned
you would have clowned
they would have clowned

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	clown - a rude or vulgar fool buffoon fool, muggins, saphead, tomfool, sap - a person who lacks good judgment
	2.	clown - a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior merry andrew, buffoon, goof, goofball comedian, comic - a professional performer who tells jokes and performs comical acts harlequin - a clown or buffoon (after the Harlequin character in the commedia dell'arte) jester, motley fool, fool - a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the Middle Ages whiteface - a clown whose face is covered with white make-up zany - a buffoon in one of the old comedies; imitates others for ludicrous effect
Verb	1.	clown - act as or like a clown antic, clown around jest, joke - act in a funny or teasing way

clown

noun

1. comedian, fool, comic, harlequin, joker, jester, prankster, buffoon, pierrot, dolt a classic circus clown with a big red nose and baggy suit

2. fool, dope (informal), jerk (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.), idiot, ass, berk (Brit. slang), prat (slang), moron, twit (informal, chiefly Brit.), imbecile (informal), ignoramus, jackass, dolt, blockhead, ninny, putz (U.S. slang), eejit (Scot. & Irish), thicko (Brit. slang), doofus (slang, chiefly U.S.), lamebrain (informal), numbskull or numskull I could do a better job than those clowns in Washington.

verb

1. (usually with around) play the fool, mess about, jest, act the fool, act the goat, play the goat, piss about or around (taboo slang) He clowned a lot and anatagonized his workmates. Stop clowning around and get some work done.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

clown

noun

A person whose words or actions provoke or are intended to provoke amusement or laughter:

comedian, comic, farceur, funnyman, humorist, jester, joker, jokester, quipster, wag, wit, zany.

Informal: card.

verb

Informal. To make jokes; behave playfully.Also used with around:

jest, joke.

Informal: fool around, fun.

Translations

مُهَرِّجيُهَرِّج، يَتَصَرَّف كالمُهَرِّجبَهْلول، مُضْحِك

klaunšašekchovat se jako šašekkašpar

klovnnar

Clown Hanswurst kaspern Trottel

κλόουν

payaso payasa

klovni

clown arlequin baladin bouffon

klaun

bohócbohóckodik

fífl, trúîurfíflasttrúîur

pagliaccio buffone fare il pagliaccio

ピエロ

어릿광대

juokdariškasjuokus krėstiklounaskomiškaskomiškas žmogus

ākstītiesākstsklauns

clown

klovn klovne spille bajas bajas gjøre seg til latter

klown

palhaço

клоун паяц шут

klaunrobiť šašoviny

klovn

clownpajas

ตัวตลก

palyaçoşaklabanlık yapmaksoytarısoytarı gibi kimsesululuk etmek

chú hề

小丑扮小丑丑角

clown

[klaʊn]

A. N

1. (in circus) → payaso/a m/f, clown mf
to make a clown of o.s → hacer el ridículo

2. → patán m, zoquete mf

B. VI (also clown about or around) → hacer el payaso
stop clowning! → ¡déjate de tonterías!

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

clown

[ˈklaʊn]

n (in circus) → clown m

vi (also clown about, clown around) → faire le clown

clown

n (in circus etc) → Clown m; (inf) (= foolish person also) → Kasper m, → Hanswurst m; (pej) → Idiot m, → Trottel m; to act the clown → den Clown or Hanswurst spielen, herumkaspern (inf)

vi (also clown about or around) → herumblödeln (inf) → or -kaspern (inf)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

clown

[klaʊn]

1. n (in circus) → pagliaccio, clown m inv (fam) → buffone m

2. vi (also clown about or around) → fare il buffone or il pagliaccio

clown

(klaun) noun

1. a person who works in a circus, performing funny acts (usually ridiculously dressed).

2. any person who behaves ridiculously.

verb

to behave ridiculously. Stop clowning.

ˈclownish adjective

clown

→ مُهَرِّج klaun klovn Clown κλόουν payaso klovni clown klaun pagliaccio ピエロ 어릿광대 clown klovn klown palhaço клоун clown ตัวตลก palyaço chú hề 小丑

References in classic literature ?

There were milkmaids and shepherdesses, with brightly colored bodices and golden spots all over their gowns; and princesses with most gorgeous frocks of silver and gold and purple; and shepherds dressed in knee breeches with pink and yellow and blue stripes down them, and golden buckles on their shoes; and princes with jeweled crowns upon their heads, wearing ermine robes and satin doublets; and funny clowns in ruffled gowns, with round red spots upon their cheeks and tall, pointed caps.

Joker, one of our clowns," continued the china lady, "who is always trying to stand upon his head.

Indeed, a jolly little clown came walking toward them, and Dorothy could see that in spite of his pretty clothes of red and yellow and green he was completely covered with cracks, running every which way and showing plainly that he had been mended in many places.

The Clown put his hands in his pockets, and after puffing out his cheeks and nodding his head at them saucily, he said:

"Well, that's respect, I expect," declared the Clown, and immediately stood upon his head.

View in context

CLOWN. Not so neither: I had need to have it well roasted, and good sauce to it, if I pay so dear, I can tell you.

CLOWN. Nay, sir, you may save yourself a labour, for they are as familiar with me as if they paid for their meat and drink, I can tell you.

CLOWN. Here, take your guilders again; I'll none of 'em.

CLOWN. Ay, good Wagner; take away the devil[s], then.

CLOWN. I will, sir: but hark you, master; will you teach me this conjuring occupation?

View in context

that the Register was designed to facilitate clowns' inadvertently

CLOWN EGGS

The term 'medical clowns' may seem strange, but these performers play a therapeutic role by helping the patient forget about his pain and suffering for a while.

Healing through laughter

CITE

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