Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Risible"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Risible \Ris"i*ble\, a. [F., fr. L. risibilis, fr. ridere,
risum, to laugh. Cf. {Ridiculous}.]
1. Having the faculty or power of laughing; disposed to
laugh.

Laughing is our busines, . . . it has been made the
definition of man that he is risible. --Dr. H. More.

2. Exciting laughter; worthy to be laughed at; amusing.
``Risible absurdities.'' --Johnson.

I hope you find nothing risible in my complaisance.
--Sir W.
Scott.

3. Used in, or expressing, laughter; as, risible muscles.

Note: Risible is sometimes used as a noun, in the plural, for
the feeling of amusement and for the muscles and other
organs used in laughing, collectively; as, unable to
control one's risibles.

Syn: Ludicrous; laughable; amusing; ridiculous -- {Risible},
{Ludicrous}, {Ridiculous}.

Usage: Risible differs from ludicrous as species from genus;
ludicrous expressing that which is playful and
sportive; risible, that which may excite laughter.
Risible differs from ridiculous, as the latter implies
something contemptuous, and risible does not.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

risible
adj : arousing or provoking laughter; "an amusing film with a
steady stream of pranks and pratfalls"; "an amusing
fellow"; "a comic hat"; "a comical look of surprise";
"funny stories that made everybody laugh"; "a very
funny writer"; "it would have been laughable if it
hadn't hurt so much"; "a mirthful experience"; "risible
courtroom antics" [syn: {amusing}, {comic}, {comical},
{funny}, {laughable}, {mirthful}]


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