funny

comparative funnier · superlative funniest

1. Amusing; humorous; comical.First known use mid-18th c.

   She's full of funny stories.

   1 more example

   I know you'll enjoy chatting with her — she's really funny and smart.

2. figurativelyStrange or unusual, often in an unpleasant way.First known use early 19th c.

   It's funny how life goes sometimes.

   4 more examples

   The milk smelt funny so I poured it away.

   I've got a funny feeling that this isn't going to work.

   Ain't it funny that the way you feel shows on your face? / And no matter how you try to hide, it states your case / Now a frown will bring your spirits down to the ground / And never let you see the good things all around

   1976, Earth, Wind & Fire, “On Your Face”, in Spirit

   Oh it's a funny time of year / There'll be no blossom on the trees

   2002, “Funny Time Of Year”, in Out of Season, performed by Beth Gibbons ft. Rustin Man

   Synonyms: aberrant, abnormal, alien, anomalous, as queer as Dick's hatband, bizarre, booky, curious

3. IrelandUKinformalShowing unexpected resentment.

   Near-synonyms: touchy, tetchy

   3 more examples

   Don't mention it to her — she's funny about it.

   'Moved in where?' Sam asked Brona in confusion. 'What boyfriend?' 'Glen,' Brona said quietly. 'You met him a while ago, remember? He only moved in last week. I was going to tell you but […] I thought you might be funny about it, that's all.'

   2011, Sarah Webb, It Had To Be You

   Ash would have been happy to sit and stare at Viv all day, but when he saw the other guys staring at his sister, too, he got funny about it.

   2012, Jade Varden, The Tower (Deck of Lies, #2)

   Synonyms: touchy, tetchy

4. JamaicaderogatoryoffensiveHomosexual: gay.

   Funny man ah get drop like a bad habit.

   2005, Damian Marley, “Welcome to Jamrock”, in Welcome to Jamrock (album title)

   Synonyms: queer

plural funnies

1. informalA joke.

   Everyone would be sitting on big fluffy white clouds singing songs, telling funnies and just enjoying the day.

   2014, Brian Conaghan, When Mr. Dog Bites, page 54

   1 more example

   After church I am met by a dear parishioner who says, "Got a funny for you. Father." Now I'll have "funnies," so I can reply. "Got one for you too, Mary!"

   1996, The Living Church - Volume 212, page 20

2. informalA comic strip.

   His father was more likely to listen to the radio, although he would read the Sunday funnies, and his grandmother would only read the Italian language paper she picked up at the corner candy store.

   2009, R. P. Moffa, The Vaulted Sky, page 343

   2 more examples

   Chic Young, who created his funny funny, “Blondie,” in 1930, and kept it the most popular comic strip in the world right through the unfunny generation, was quick to see the difference between the innocent funnies and the new generation of comics that started after the Second World War:

   1974, The New York Times Magazine, page cliv

   The artist gave priority to “Mark Trail,” usually spending at least eight hours a day on it, then working at night on “The Ryatts,” a funny that featured the foibles of a family much like his own, which included four children.

   2014 March 9, Johnny Vardeman, “Drawn into history: Gainesville cartoonist to continue legacy of Mark Trail comic”, in Gainesville Times

3. InternetironicHumor in general.

   Finally, the funny.

   2 more examples

   Where's the funny? Your meme sucks.

   I did it for the funny.

comparative funnier · superlative funniest

1. nonstandardIn an unusual manner; strangely.

   She was breathing funny now.

   1970, Troy Conway, The Cunning Linguist, London: Flamingo Books, page 41

   1 more example

   At this the farmer gets to breathing funnier, hiccuping, little stray burps roll out—uncontrolled, we’re talking here.

   1989 fall, Allan Gurganus, “A Hog Loves Its Life”, in Gordon Lish, editor, The Quarterly, number 11, New York, N.Y.: Vintage Books, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 118

   Synonyms: funnily

2. JamaicaderogatoryoffensiveIn a manner seen as being typical of a homosexual, or indicating homosexuality.

   Nuff boy move funny just fi get money.

   2018, Jah Lando, Money Hard

   2 more examples

   Dem nuh waan nuh honey, dem only waan di money. Dat’s how me know seh dem bwoy deh all a move funny.

   2002, Sean Paul, “Like Glue”, in Dutty Rock (album title)

   He walked away, pushing the napkin in his pink pants pockets. By the way, he dresses and walks funnier out of school. He likes tight feminine colored clothes and walks like he is holding a stick between his butt cheeks. You probably wouldn’t notice him if you didn't hear his voice and looked him in the eye. Jenna assumed he liked men.

   2017, Christina Williams, “The Bullied Girl In the Mall”, in Scribble: A Novel, →ISBN, page 221

plural funnies

1. IrelandUKdatednauticalA narrow, clinker-built double-ender for sculling.

   There was a great market for leisure boats, too: no wherries any longer, but whole fleets of punts, rowing gigs, funnies, skiffs, whiffs and randans […]

   1999, Patrick Wright, The River: The Thames in Our Time, →ISBN, page 145

   3 more examples

   I myself recollect the funnies at Eton, which were certain little boats, capable of containing one person only, who, like an Indian in his canoe, was constantly obliged to balance himself, with such critical nicety, that the least mistake was certain of producing a ducking.

   1810, Letters from a Nobleman to His Son, During the Period of His Education at Eton and Oxford, volume 1, pages 63–64

   As I do not belong to the boat-club, I always row by myself in a funny […] or at least go in a two-oared boat, with some friend with whom I should otherwise be walking.

   1841 December 12, William Thomson, “[Letter to father]”, in Silvanus P. Thompson, The Life of William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs, volume 1, published 1910, page 33

   We were going to have a go in one of the double scull ‘funnies’ that could be had from the Rowing Club in the harbour, but he is off up the line tomorrow to rejoin his old Battery.

   1971, Julian Tyndale-Biscoe, Gunner Subaltern, page 144