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Humor definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

HU'MOR, n. [L. from humeo, to be moist.]
1. Moisture; but the word is chiefly used to express the moisture or fluids of animal bodies, as the humors of the eye. But more generally the word is used to express a fluid in its morbid or vitiated state. Hence, in popular speech, we often hear it said,the blood is full of humors. But the expression is not technical nor correct.
Aqueous humor of the eye, a transparent fluid, occupying the space between the crystalline lens and the cornea, both before and behind the pupil.
Crystalline humor or lens, a small transparent solid body, of a softish consistence, occupying a middle position in the eye, between the aqueous and vitreous humors, and directly behind the pupil. It is of a lenticular form, or with double convex surfaces, and is the principal instrument in refracting the rays of light, so as to form an image on the retina.
Vitreous humor of the eye, a fluid contained in the minute cells of a transparent membrane, occupying the greater part of the cavity of the eye, and all the space between the crystalline and the retina.
2. A disease of the skin; cutaneous eruptions.
3. Turn of mind; temper; disposition, or rather a peculiarity of disposition often temporary; so called because the temper of mind has been supposed to depend on the fluids of the body. Hence we say, good humor; melancholy humor; peevish humor. Such humors, when temporary, we call freaks, whims, caprice. Thus a person characterized by good nature may have a fit of ill humor; and an ill natured person may have a fit of good humor. So we say, it was the humor of the man at the time; it was the humor of the multitude.
4. That quality of the imagination which gives to ideas a wild or fantastic turn, and tends to excite laughter or mirth by ludicrous images or representations. Humor is less poignant and brilliant than wit; hence it is always agreeable. Wit,directed against folly, often offends by its severity; humor makes a man ashamed of his follies, without exciting his resentment. Humor may be employed solely to raise mirth and render conversation pleasant, or it may contain a delicate kind of satire.
5. Petulance; peevishness; better expressed by ill humor.
Is my friend all perfection? has he not humors to be endured?
6. A trick; a practice or habit.
I like not the humor of lying.
HU'MOR, v.t. To gratify by yielding to particular inclination, humor,wish or desire; to indulge by compliance. We sometimes humor children to their injury or ruin. The sick,the infirm, and the aged often require to be humored.
1. To suit; to indulge; to favor by imposing no restraint, and rather contributing to promote by occasional aids. We say, an actor humors his part, or the piece.
It is my part to invent,and that of the musicians to humor that invention.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter [syn: wit, humor, humour, witticism, wittiness]
2: the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" [syn: humor, humour, sense of humor, sense of humour]
3: a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling; "whether he praised or cursed me depended on his temper at the time"; "he was in a bad humor" [syn: temper, mood, humor, humour]
4: the quality of being funny; "I fail to see the humor in it" [syn: humor, humour]
5: (Middle Ages) one of the four fluids in the body whose balance was believed to determine your emotional and physical state; "the humors are blood and phlegm and yellow and black bile" [syn: humor, humour]
6: the liquid parts of the body [syn: liquid body substance, bodily fluid, body fluid, humor, humour] v
1: put into a good mood [syn: humor, humour]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English humour, from Anglo-French umor, umour, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin humor, from Latin humor, umor moisture; akin to Old Norse v?kr damp, Latin hum?re to be moist, and perhaps to Greek hygros wet Date: 14th century 1. a. a normal functioning bodily semifluid or fluid (as the blood or lymph) b. a secretion (as a hormone) that is an excitant of activity 2. a. in medieval physiology a fluid or juice of an animal or plant; specifically one of the four fluids entering into the constitution of the body and determining by their relative proportions a person's health and temperament b. characteristic or habitual disposition or bent ; temperament <of cheerful humor> c. an often temporary state of mind imposed especially by circumstances <was in no humor to listen> d. a sudden, unpredictable, or unreasoning inclination ; whim <the uncertain humors of nature> 3. a. that quality which appeals to a sense of the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous b. the mental faculty of discovering, expressing, or appreciating the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous c. something that is or is designed to be comical or amusing Synonyms: see wit II. transitive verb (humored; humoring) Date: 1588 1. to soothe or content by indulgence 2. to adapt oneself to Synonyms: see indulge

Oxford Reference Dictionary

US var. of HUMOUR.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Humor Hu"mor, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Humored; p. pr. & vb. n. Humoring.] 1. To comply with the humor of; to adjust matters so as suit the peculiarities, caprices, or exigencies of; to adapt one's self to; to indulge by skillful adaptation; as, to humor the mind. It is my part to invent, and the musician's to humor that invention. --Dryden. 2. To help on by indulgence or compliant treatment; to soothe; to gratify; to please. You humor me when I am sick. --Pope. Syn: To gratify; to indulge. See Gratify.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Humor Hu"mor, n. [OE. humour, OF. humor, umor, F. humeur, L. humor, umor, moisture, fluid, fr. humere, umere, to be moist. See Humid.] [Written also humour.] 1. Moisture, especially, the moisture or fluid of animal bodies, as the chyle, lymph, etc.; as, the humors of the eye, etc. Note: The ancient physicians believed that there were four humors (the blood, phlegm, yellow bile or choler, and black bile or melancholy), on the relative proportion of which the temperament and health depended. 2. (Med.) A vitiated or morbid animal fluid, such as often causes an eruption on the skin. ``A body full of humors.'' --Sir W. Temple. 3. State of mind, whether habitual or temporary (as formerly supposed to depend on the character or combination of the fluids of the body); disposition; temper; mood; as, good humor; ill humor. Examine how your humor is inclined, And which the ruling passion of your mind. --Roscommon. A prince of a pleasant humor. --Bacon. I like not the humor of lying. --Shak. 4. pl. Changing and uncertain states of mind; caprices; freaks; vagaries; whims. Is my friend all perfection, all virtue and discretion? Has he not humors to be endured? --South. 5. That quality of the imagination which gives to ideas an incongruous or fantastic turn, and tends to excite laughter or mirth by ludicrous images or representations; a playful fancy; facetiousness. For thy sake I admit That a Scot may have humor, I'd almost said wit. --Goldsmith. A great deal of excellent humor was expended on the perplexities of mine host. --W. Irving. Aqueous humor, Crystalline humor or lens, Vitreous humor. (Anat.) See Eye. Out of humor, dissatisfied; displeased; in an unpleasant frame of mind. Syn: Wit; satire; pleasantry; temper; disposition; mood; frame; whim; fancy; caprice. See Wit.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

see humour

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Moisture, fluid (of animal bodies). 2. Cutaneous eruption. 3. Temper, disposition, bent, bias, vein, propensity, predilection, turn of mind. 4. Mood, temper, state of feeling, frame of mind. 5. Mood, fancy, whim, caprice, freak, vagary, crotchet, whimsey, maggot, wrinkle. 6. Pleasantry, facetiousness, fun, jocoseness, jocularity, kindly wit, comic or ludicrous feeling or tone. 7. Sense of the ludicrous, feeling of the comic, perception of what is funny. II. v. a. 1. Indulge, gratify, give way to, consult the wishes of. 2. Favor, suit the nature of, meet the requirements of.

Foolish Dictionary

An outbreak, either of skin or brains frequently branded as Rash.

Moby Thesaurus

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