apishly

Note: 45. 'apishly': with silly or ridiculous imitation.

The Gentlewomans Companion [Unknown] 1589

I can imagine it was hard to muster up a lot of enthusiasm on the set as they alternated between images of him shuffling through the shadows of a basement, long hair swinging apishly around him, and images of the poorly constructed mask of duct tape his character uses when kidnapping his next victim.

Thr3e (2007) 2010

But his arms were apishly strong, and his brain still worked.

Minnesota Menage Jack Swenson 2010

The behaviour of my lord to her, and of her to my lord, is free, yet respectful; and affectionate, but not apishly fond.

Sir Charles Grandison 2006

At last bolted in a shameless rascal, one of no grace either in words or gesture, and truly worthy of the house where he was; he also set up his voice, 'till apishly composing himself, as if he intended somewhat to the company, he mouth'd out these verses:

The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter 20-66 Petronius Arbiter

Laventhrope's son, and the King would give vent to some especially fat-witted jest, and Ormskirk would apishly grin and applaud.

Gallantry Dizain des Fetes Galantes James Branch Cabell 1918

"Get a good dinner into you, lad, and then come and talk to me," he said, putting a great paw on my shoulder, and leering apishly.

The Man Who Drove the Car Max Pemberton 1906

In their infancy they begin to imitate the real animals about them, as my little girl made the cats and mice, but with an under-current of partial superstition -- a sense that there must be more in the creatures than they can see; also they catch up vividly any of the fancies of the baser nations round them, and repeat these more or less apishly, yet rapidly naturalizing and beautifying them.

Aratra Pentelici, Seven Lectures on the Elements of Sculpture Given before the University of Oxford in Michaelmas Term, 1870 John Ruskin 1859

Whereas the steadily immoral effect of the formative art which we learn, more or less apishly, from the French schools, and employ, but too gladly, in manufacturing articles for the amusement of the luxurious classes, must be ranked as one of the chief instruments used by joyful fiends and angry fates for the ruin of our civilization.

Aratra Pentelici, Seven Lectures on the Elements of Sculpture Given before the University of Oxford in Michaelmas Term, 1870 John Ruskin 1859

Whereas the steadily immoral effect of the formative art which we learn, more or less apishly, from the French schools, and employ, but too gladly, in manufacturing articles for the amusement of the luxurious classes, must be ranked as one of the chief instruments used by joyful fiends and angry fates, for the ruin of our civilization.

The Crown of Wild Olive also Munera Pulveris; Pre-Raphaelitism; Aratra Pentelici; The Ethics of the Dust; Fiction, Fair and Foul; The Elements of Drawing John Ruskin 1859