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Antonyms for punning
| Grammar : Adj, verb |
| Spell : puhn |
| Phonetic Transcription : pʌn |
Definition of punning
Origin :- 1660s (first attested in Dryden), of uncertain origin, perhaps from pundigron, which is perhaps a humorous alteration of Italian puntiglio "equivocation, trivial objection," diminutive of Latin punctum "point." This is pure speculation. The verb also is attested from 1660s. Related: Punned; punning.
- Pun was prob. one of the clipped words, such as cit, mob, nob, snob, which came into fashionable slang at or after the Restoration. [OED]
- As in facetious : adj tongue-in-cheek, kidding
- As in joke : verb kid, tease
- The following may be given as an example of a punning epitaph.
- Extract from : « Notes and Queries, Number 184, May 7, 1853 » by Various
- Examples of punning etymologies on names of gods are frequent.
- Extract from : « The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria » by Morris Jastrow
- The Latin epitaph is a string of punning allusions to his name.
- Extract from : « Bell's Cathedrals: Southwark Cathedral » by George Worley
- The ‘only Shake-scene’ is a punning denunciation of Shakespeare.
- Extract from : « A Life of William Shakespeare » by Sidney Lee
- Young ladies, especially, should beware of establishing any reputation for punning.
- Extract from : « Social Life » by Maud C. Cooke
- His excellency may say, that the art of punning is dead with Tom.
- Extract from : « The Punster's Pocket-book » by Charles Molloy Westmacott
- The swallow (hirondelle) is the punning cognisance for Arundell.
- Extract from : « Fictitious & Symbolic Creatures in Art » by John Vinycomb
- Some punning verses to 'Sir Peter' are inscribed with the likeness.
- Extract from : « Thackerayana » by William Makepeace Thackeray
- Guinevere, on her part, is equally afflicted with the punning mania.
- Extract from : « A Book of Burlesque » by Willam Davenport Adams
- Here the fallacy rests upon a punning interpretation of "no."
- Extract from : « The Art of Logical Thinking » by William Walker Atkinson
Synonyms for punning
- amusing
- banter
- blithe
- capering
- chaff
- clever
- comic
- comical
- deceive
- deride
- droll
- dry
- fanciful
- farcical
- flip
- flippant
- fool
- frivolous
- frolic
- fun
- funny
- gambol
- gay
- horse around
- humorous
- indecorous
- ironic
- irreverent
- jape
- jest
- jesting
- jive
- jocose
- jocular
- joking
- jolly
- josh
- joshing
- kid around
- laugh
- laughable
- ludicrous
- make merry
- merry
- mock
- needle
- not serious
- play
- play the clown
- play tricks
- playful
- pleasant
- poke fun
- pull one's leg
- pulling one's leg
- pun
- punning
- put on
- putting one on
- quip
- rag
- revel
- rib
- ridicule
- ridiculous
- roast
- salty
- sarcastic
- satirical
- smart
- spoof
- sport
- sportive
- sprightly
- taunt
- trick
- waggish
- whimsical
- wisecrack
- wisecracking
- witty
- wry
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019