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pun
[puhn]
noun
the humorous use of a word or phrase so as to emphasize or suggest its different meanings or applications, or the use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound but different in meaning; a play on words.
the word or phrase used in this way.
verb (used without object)
to make puns.
pun
1/ ʌ /
noun
the use of words or phrases to exploit ambiguities and innuendoes in their meaning, usually for humorous effect; a play on words. An example is: "Ben Battle was a soldier bold, And used to war's alarms: But a cannonball took off his legs, So he laid down his arms." (Thomas Hood)
verb
(intr) to make puns
pun
2/ ʌ /
verb
(tr) to pack (earth, rubble, etc) by pounding
pun
A humorous substitution of words that are alike in sound but different in meaning (see double-entendre), as in this passage from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll:
“And how many hours a day did you do lessons?” said Alice, in a hurry to change the subject.
“Ten hours the first day,” said the Mock Turtle, “nine the next, and so on.”
“What a curious plan!” exclaimed Alice.
“That's the reason they're called lessons,” the Gryphon remarked: “because they lessen from day to day.”
Other 51Թ Forms
- punless adjective
- ˈܲԲԱ noun
51Թ History and Origins
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of pun1
Origin of pun2
Example Sentences
The umbrella film is the movie that no matter what you do, even if you make s— that people don’t like, they won’t crucify you — pun intended — because you made a movie that they like.”
What better place to, pardon the pun, mine for inspiration than the vast history of resistance and revolution throughout the American continent?
“Ink is one of those things that I just think of, no pun intended here, it’s forever.”
She’s been collecting for years and will typically pick up whatever strikes her fancy, no pun intended.
That glimpse of heaven on Earth also establishes the stakes, no pun intended.
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When To Use
A pun is a humorous use of words with multiple meanings or words that sound similar but have different meanings, as in The gravekeeper buried the evidence under his desk.There are two ways to make a pun. The first involves using a word with more than one meaning to create humorous wordplay, as in The dentist put his assistants through some drills. A drill is both a tool a dentist uses and a training exercise.The second way is to use similar sounding words with different meanings to make humorous wordplay, as in The clown helped the children across the street. It was a kind jester. Here, jester, a type of clown, is used instead of the similar sounding gesture, meaning an action or a courtesy.
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