jocoserious

comparative more jocoserious · superlative most jocoserious · alternative joco-serious

1. rareSimultaneously jocose or jocular and serious; mixing mirth with serious matters; semiserious.

   "His genius was jocular; but, when disposed, he could be very serious." It is a part of his joco-serious vein of late.

   1885 March, L. G. W., “Review of Current Literature. [Ferishtah’s Fancies (1884) by Robert Browning]”, in The Unitarian Review and Religious Magazine, volume XXIII, number 3, Boston, Mass.: Office of the Unitarian Review, […], →OCLC, page 274

   4 more examples

   King James [VI and I] coming to Cambridge, vvas (amongſt others) entertained vvith a Philoſophy Act, and Mr. Brounrig [Ralph Brownrigg] vvas appointed to perform the Joco-ſerious part thereof, vvho did both to the vvonder of the Hearers.

   a. 1662 (date written), Thomas Fuller, “Suffolk [Since the Reformation]”, in The History of the Worthies of England, London: […] J[ohn] G[rismond,] W[illiam] L[eybourne] and W[illiam] G[odbid], published 1662, →OCLC, page 61

   Friendship, that wantonly admits / A joco-serious play of wits / In brilliant altercation, / Is union such, as indicates, / Like hand-in-hand insurance-plates, / Danger of conflagration.

   1782 (date written), William Cowper, “On Friendship”, in William Hayley, The Life, and Posthumous Writings, of William Cowper, Esqr. […], volume I, Chichester, West Sussex: […] J[oseph?] Seagrave for J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1803, →OCLC, stanza 16, page 217

   Our proposed removal to Mr. Small's was, as you suppose, a jest, or rather a joco-serious matter. We never looked upon it as entirely feasible, yet we saw in it something so like practicability, that we did not esteem it altogether unworthy of our attention. It was one of those projects which people of lively imaginations play with, and admire for a few days, and then break in pieces.

   1782 August 3 (date written), William Cowper, chapter VII, in Goldwin Smith, edited by John Morley, Cowper (English Men of Letters), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], published 1880, →OCLC, page 104

   Was the guest conscious of and did he acknowledge these marks of hospitality? His attention was directed to them by his host jocosely, and he accepted them seriously as they drank in jocoserious silence Epps's massproduct, the creature cocoa.

   1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 17: Ithaca]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part III [Nostos], page 629

   Synonyms: half-joking