HUMOR


Meaning of HUMOR in English

I. hu ‧ mour 1 BrE AmE British English , humor American English /ˈhjuːmə $ ˈhjuːmər, ˈjuː-/ noun [uncountable]

1 . the ability or tendency to think that things are funny, or funny things you say that show you have this ability:

his humour and charm

Greg’s feeble attempt at humour

English humour

It’s vital to have a sense of humor in this job.

The host puts the contestants at ease with his own brand of humour.

He showed flashes of humor that delighted the audience.

2 . the quality in something that makes it funny and makes people laugh:

He failed to see the humour of the situation.

3 . in a good/an ill/a bad humour formal in a good or bad mood ⇨ ↑ good humour

4 . out of humour British English old-fashioned in a bad mood

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COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)

■ phrases

▪ a sense of humour

I'm afraid my dad doesn't have a very good sense of humour.

▪ somebody's brand of humour (=the type of jokes, funny stories etc that a particular person likes or tells)

Their brand of humour isn't to everyone's taste.

▪ a flash/trace/touch of humour (=a very small amount of humour)

She replied with a rare flash of humour.

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + humour

▪ black/dark humour (=jokes, funny stories etc about the unpleasant parts of life)

The tone of the film is light but there are moments of black humour.

▪ gallows humour (=jokes, funny stories etc which make very unpleasant or dangerous things seem funny)

It was the kind of gallows humor that medical students love.

▪ schoolboy humour (=jokes, funny stories etc that are silly and rude but not offensive)

The schoolboy humour appealed to him.

▪ dry/deadpan humour (=when someone makes it seem as if they are being serious, but really they are being funny)

His serious demeanour lends itself to deadpan humour.

▪ wry humour (=when someone makes something seem both funny and sad)

He wrote with wry humour about his time in a Turkish prison.

▪ gentle humour (=jokes or stories that do not offend anyone)

The plays uses gentle humor to make a strong point.

▪ self-deprecating humour (=jokes, funny stories etc in which you criticize or make fun of yourself)

Her self-deprecating humour made the audience howl with laughter.

■ verbs

▪ see/appreciate the humour (=understand that something is funny)

I may have been wet and covered in mud, but I could still see the humour in the situation.

II. humour 2 BrE AmE British English , humor American English verb [transitive]

to do what someone wants or to pretend to agree with them so that they do not become upset:

‘Of course,’ he said, humouring her.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.