From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
zany \za"ny\ (z[=a]"n[-e]), adj.
Comical in a clownish or buffoonish manner; whimsically
comical.
[PJC]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Zany \Za"ny\, n.; pl. {Zanies}. [It. zanni a buffoon,
merry-andrew, orig. same as Giovanni John, i. e., merry John,
L. Ioannes, Gr. ?, Heb. Y[=o]kh[=a]n[=a]n, prop., the Lord
graciously gave: cf. F. zani, fr. the Italian. Cf.
{Jenneting}.]
A merry-andrew; a buffoon.
[1913 Webster]
Then write that I may follow, and so be
Thy echo, thy debtor, thy foil, thy zany. --Donne.
[1913 Webster]
Preacher at once, and zany of thy age. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Zany \Za"ny\, v. t.
To mimic. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Your part is acted; give me leave at distance
To zany it. --Massinger.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
zany
adj 1: ludicrous, foolish; "gave me a cockamamie reason for not
going"; "wore a goofy hat"; "a silly idea"; "some wacky
plan for selling more books" [syn: {cockamamie},
{cockamamy}, {goofy}, {sappy}, {silly}, {wacky},
{whacky}, {zany}]
2: like a clown; "a buffoonish walk"; "a clownish face"; "a zany
sense of humor" [syn: {buffoonish}, {clownish}, {clownlike},
{zany}]
n 1: a buffoon in one of the old comedies; imitates others for
ludicrous effect
2: a man who is a stupid incompetent fool [syn: {fathead},
{goof}, {goofball}, {bozo}, {jackass}, {goose}, {cuckoo},
{twat}, {zany}]
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