Antonyms for punning


Grammar : Adj, verb
Spell : puhn
Phonetic Transcription : pÊŒn


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
Example sentences :
  • 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

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019