(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
1.
A ~ is a performer in a circus who wears funny clothes and bright make-up, and does silly things in order to make people laugh.
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2.
If you ~, you do silly things in order to make people laugh.
Bruno ~ed and won affection everywhere.
= mess around
VERB: V
•
Clown around and ~ about mean the same as ~ .
Bev made her laugh, the way she was always ~ing around.
PHRASAL VERB: V P
~ing
She senses that behind the ~ing there is a terrible sense of anguish.
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3.
If you say that someone is a ~, you mean that they say funny things or do silly things to amuse people.
He was laughing, the ~ of the twosome.
= joker
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4.
If you describe someone as a ~, you disapprove of them and have no respect for them. (INFORMAL)
I still think I could do a better job than those ~s in Washington.
= idiot, fool
N-COUNT disapproval