zany

5 definitions found

zany - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  zany \za"ny\ (z[=a]"n[-e]), adj.
     Comical in a clownish or buffoonish manner; whimsically
     comical.
     [PJC]

  Zany \Za"ny\, n.; pl. Zanies. [It. zanni a buffoon,
     merry-andrew, orig. same as Giovanni John, i. e., merry John,
     L. Ioannes, Gr. ?, Heb. Y[=o]kh[=a]n[=a]n, prop., the Lord
     graciously gave: cf. F. zani, fr. the Italian. Cf.
     Jenneting.]
     A merry-andrew; a buffoon.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Then write that I may follow, and so be
           Thy echo, thy debtor, thy foil, thy zany. --Donne.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Preacher at once, and zany of thy age.   --Pope.
     [1913 Webster]
     [1913 Webster]

  Zany \Za"ny\, v. t.
     To mimic. [Obs.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Your part is acted; give me leave at distance
           To zany it.                              --Massinger.
     [1913 Webster]

zany - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  zany
      adj 1: ludicrous, foolish; "gave me a cockamamie reason for not
             going"; "wore a goofy hat"; "a silly idea"; "some wacky
             plan for selling more books" [syn: cockamamie,
             cockamamy, goofy, sappy, silly, wacky,
             whacky, zany]
      2: like a clown; "a buffoonish walk"; "a clownish face"; "a zany
         sense of humor" [syn: buffoonish, clownish, clownlike,
         zany]
      n 1: a buffoon in one of the old comedies; imitates others for
           ludicrous effect
      2: a man who is a stupid incompetent fool [syn: fathead,
         goof, goofball, bozo, jackass, goose, cuckoo,
         twat, zany]

zany - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  109 Moby Thesaurus words for "zany":
     Columbine, Hanswurst, Harlequin, Pantalone, Pantaloon,
     Polichinelle, Pulcinella, Punch, Punchinello, Scaramouch, absurd,
     ament, amusing, ass, banana, born fool, buffo, buffoon, burlesquer,
     card, caricaturist, clown, clownish, comedian, comic, comical,
     crackpot, crazy, cretin, cutup, doodle, egregious ass,
     epigrammatist, exhibitionist, farceur, figure of fun, fool,
     foolish, frolicsome, funny, funnyman, gag writer, gagman, gagster,
     gay, goofy, half-wit, harlequin, hilarious, humorist, idiot,
     ignoramus, imbecile, inane, ironist, jack-pudding, jackass, jester,
     joker, jokesmith, jokester, kooky, lampooner, loony, ludicrous,
     lunatic, mad, madcap, merry, merry-andrew, milksop, mooncalf,
     moron, motley, motley fool, natural, nonsensical, nut, nutty,
     parodist, perfect fool, pickle-herring, playful, practical joker,
     prankster, punner, punster, quipster, reparteeist, satirist,
     schmuck, screwball, show-off, silly, simpleton, slapstick,
     softhead, sop, sportive, stupid ass, tomfool, trickster, wacky,
     wag, wagwit, wild, wisecracker, wit, witling