Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun etc. See
humor , etc.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Chiefly Brit. same as
humor .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun obsolete
Moist vapour,moisture . - noun Any of the
fluids in an animal body, especially the four "cardinal humours" ofblood ,yellow bile ,black bile andphlegm that were believed to control the health and mood of the human body. - noun Either of the two regions of
liquid within theeyeball , theaqueous humour andvitreous humour . - noun One's state of mind or
disposition ; one'smood . - noun The quality in events, speech or writing which is seen as
funny , or createsamusement , such as ajoke ,satire ,parody , etc. - verb transitive To
pacify byindulging .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
- verb put into a good mood
- noun the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous
- noun (Middle Ages) one of the four fluids in the body whose balance was believed to determine your emotional and physical state
- noun a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
- noun the liquid parts of the body
- noun the quality of being funny
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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III. ii.439 (293,5) [to a living humour of madness] If this be the true reading we must by _living_ understand _lasting_, or _permanent_, but I cannot forbear to think that some antithesis was intended which is now lost; perhaps the passage stood thus, _I drove my suitor from a_ dying _humour of love to a living humour of madness_.
Notes to Shakespeare — Volume 01: Comedies Samuel Johnson 1746
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Or rather thus, _from a mad humour of love to a_ loving _humour of madness_, that is, from a _madness_ that was _love_, to a _love_ that was _madness_.
Notes to Shakespeare — Volume 01: Comedies Samuel Johnson 1746
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The butt of his humour is a group so ostentatiously righteous that few commentating on the Booker mentioned Jacobson's attack.
Howard Jacobson offers a contrary voice in the arts Nick Cohen 2010
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Your humour is a refreshing rest stop on our busy highway of genealogical data.
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Its hilarious but the humour is arrived at by making fun of the ignorance of Americans.
alternate take 2005
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Like the people of Southern Europe, the Semite is easily managed by a jest: though grave and thoughtful, he is by no means deficient in the sly wit which we call humour, and the solemn gravity of his words contrasts amusingly with his ideas.
Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah 2003
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Nevertheless, the essence of what we call humour is that amusing weaknesses should be combined with an amicable humanity.
The Sense of Beauty Being the Outlines of Aesthetic Theory George Santayana 1907
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Miss Keller's humour is that deeper kind of humour which is courage.
The Story of My Life Annie Sullivan 1905
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But the deep background that lies behind and beyond what we call humour is revealed only to the few who, by instinct or by effort, have given thought to it.
Further Foolishness Stephen Leacock 1906
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Not getting them for a_a though, he hides behind what he calls humour but really does think he is an infanteer,
Army Rumour Service 2009
carolinacc commented on the word humour
Imagination was given to us to compensate for what we are not; a sense of humor was given to us to console us for what we are.
-Mark McGinnis
October 15, 2008