Adjacent Words

Antic definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AN'TIC, a. [L. antiquus.] Odd' fanciful; as, antic tricks.
AN'TIC, n.
1. A buffoon or merry Andrew; one that practices odd gesticulations.
2. Odd appearance; fanciful figures.
3. In architecture, sculpture and painting, such pieces as were made by the ancients; usually written antique, and pronounced anteek, but without any good reason.
AN'TIC, v.t. To make antic.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: ludicrously odd; "Hamlet's assumed antic disposition"; "fantastic Halloween costumes"; "a grotesque reflection in the mirror" [syn: antic, fantastic, fantastical, grotesque] n
1: a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement [syn: antic, joke, prank, trick, caper, put-on] v
1: act as or like a clown [syn: clown, clown around, antic]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Italian antico ancient thing or person, from antico ancient, from Latin antiquus — more at antique Date: 1529 1. an attention-drawing often wildly playful or funny act or action ; caper <childish antics> 2. archaic a performer of a grotesque or ludicrous part ; buffoon II. adjective Date: 1548 1. archaic grotesque, bizarre 2. a. characterized by clownish extravagance or absurdity b. whimsically gay ; frolicsome • antically adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & adj. --n. 1 (usu. in pl.) absurd or foolish behaviour. 2 an absurd or silly action. --adj. archaic grotesque, bizarre. Etymology: It. antico ANTIQUE, used as = grotesque

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

2. Old, as respects the present age, or a modern period of time; of old fashion; antiquated; as, an antique robe. ``Antique words.'' --Spenser. 3. Made in imitation of antiquity; as, the antique style of Thomson's ``Castle of Indolence.'' 4. Odd; fantastic. [In this sense, written antic.] Syn: Ancient; antiquated; obsolete; antic; old-fashioned; old. See Ancient.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Antic An"tic, a. [The same word as antique; cf. It. antico ancient. See Antique.] 1. Old; antique. (Zo["o]l.) ``Lords of antic fame.'' --Phaer. 2. Odd; fantastic; fanciful; grotesque; ludicrous. The antic postures of a merry-andrew. --Addison. The Saxons . . . worshiped many idols, barbarous in name, some monstrous, all antic for shape. --Fuller.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Antic An"tic, n. 1. A buffoon or merry-andrew; one that practices odd gesticulations; the Fool of the old play. 2. An odd imagery, device, or tracery; a fantastic figure. Woven with antics and wild imagery. --Spenser. 3. A grotesque trick; a piece of buffoonery; a caper. And fraught with antics as the Indian bird That writhes and chatters in her wiry cage. --Wordsworth. 4. (Arch.) A grotesque representation. [Obs.] 5. An antimask. [Obs. or R.] Performed by knights and ladies of his court In nature of an antic. --Ford.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Antic An"tic, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Anticked, Antickt.] To make appear like a buffoon. [Obs.] --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Antic An"tic, v. i. To perform antics.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. Odd, fanciful, fantastic, grotesque, merry, ludicrous, wild, ridiculous. II. n. 1. Prank, trick, freak, gambol, caper, vagary. 2. Buffoon, fool, merry-andrew, scaramouch, mountebank, harlequin, punch, clown, zany, jester, jack-pudding, pickle-herring.

Moby Thesaurus

animated, artifice, bizarre, caper, capersome, caracole, carry on, casual, cavort, coltish, comic, comical, curvet, cut a dido, cut capers, cut up, dance, disport, easy, exuberant, fanciful, fantastic, farcical, flounce, fool around, foolish, frisk, frisky, frolic, frolicsome, full of beans, gambol, gamesome, gay, grotesque, hearty, horse around, impossible, incomprehensible, inconceivable, incredible, lark, laughable, light, lively, ludicrous, mischievous, monkeyshine, monkeyshines, play, playful, practical joke, prank, prankish, pranky, roguish, rollick, rollicking, rollicksome, romp, rompish, shenanigan, shenanigans, shines, skip, skittish, spirited, sport, sportive, sprightly, suave, tomfoolery, trick, trip, unaccountable, unbelievable, unexpected, unimaginable, vital, vivacious, waggish trick, whimsical, wile, zestful, zippy