mockery
English
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman mokerie, mokery, and Middle French mocquerie, moquerie, from moquer, moker (“to mock”) + -erie (“-ery”), perhaps from Greek μωκός (mokós, “mocker”), perhaps from Arabic الْمَكْرُ (al-makru, “guile, cunning”). Equivalent to mock + -ery.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈmɒkəɹi/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈmɑkəɹi/
Noun
mockery (countable and uncountable, plural mockeries)
- The action of mocking; ridicule, derision.
- Something so lacking in necessary qualities as to inspire ridicule; a laughing-stock.
- (obsolete) Something insultingly imitative; an offensively futile action, gesture etc.
- Mimicry, imitation, now usually in a derogatory sense; a travesty, a ridiculous simulacrum.
- The defendant wasn't allowed to speak at his own trial - it was a mockery of justice.
Usage notes
- We often use make a mockery of someone or something, meaning to mock them. See also Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:ridicule
Translations
action of mocking; ridicule, derision
|
|