antic

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

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Probably from Italian antico (“‘ancient’”) (though used to translate Italian grottesco (“‘grotesque’”)).

The Century Dictionary, 1911: < French antique (“‘ancient, stale’”) < Latin antiquus (“‘former, earlier, ancient, old’”) < ante (“‘before’”); see ante- and ancient.

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: ăn'tĭk, IPA: /ˈæntɪk/, SAMPA: /"{ntIk/
• Rhymes: -æntɪk

[edit] Adjective

antic (comparative more antic, superlative most antic)

1. (architecture, art) Grotesque, incongruous.
   • 2004, John Chase, Glitter Stucco and Dumpster Diving: Reflections on Building Production in the Vernacular city, page 58:

     The amusement park environment of seaside resorts such as Venice and the antic eclecticism of Greene & Greene's pre-Craftsman work all preceded the establishment of the movie colony in Hollywood.

2. Grotesque, bizarre; absurd.
   • 1865, Henry David Thoreau, Cape Cod:

     a fourth would fondly kiss and paw his companions, and sneer in their faces, with a countenance more antic than any in a Dutch droll.

   • , William Shakespeare, Hamlet:

     Hamlet:

As I perchance hereafter shall think meet

To put an antic disposition on.

[edit] Related terms

• ancient
• antiquary
• antiquarian
• antiquated
• antique
• antiquity

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

antic (plural antics)

1. (architecture, art, obsolete) A grotesque representation of a figure; a gargoyle.
2. A caricature.
3. (often in plural) A ludicrous gesture or act; ridiculous behaviour.
   • 2007, Jeph Jacques, Time To Add A Cute Kid To The Cast Questionable Content Number 951

     Pintsize: Wait, don’t you want to know why I’m tied up and hanging from the ceiling? / Faye: Not really. Nighty night! / Pintsize: Shit! My wacky antics have jumped the shark!

4. A grotesque performer or clown.
   • 1978, Walter C. Foreman, The Music of the Close: The Final Scenes of Shakespeare's Tragedies, page 90:

     The Grave-maker, like the professional fools and Falstaff, and like Hamlet himself, is an antic, a grotesque, one who demonstrates to men how foolish and

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to antic (third-person singular simple present antics, present participle anticking, simple past and past participle anticked)

1. To perform antics.
   • 1917, Jack London, Jerry of the Islands, page 54:

     Jerry no more than cocked a contemptuous quizzical eye at the mainsail anticking above him. He knew already the empty windiness of its threats,

2. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) To make grotesque.

[edit] Translations

[edit] References

• OED 2nd edition 1989

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• antic in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• antic in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

[edit] Anagrams

• Anagrams of acint
• actin
• can it

[edit] Romanian

[edit] Etymology

From French antique, from Latin antiquus.

[edit] Adjective

antic m.

1. old

[edit] Related terms

• vechi
• demodat
• versat
• vetust