jeer

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Pronunciation 1.2 Etymology 1 1.2.1 Noun 1.2.1.1 Translations 1.2.2 Verb 1.2.2.1 Synonyms 1.2.2.2 Translations 1.3 Etymology 2 1.3.1 Noun 1.3.1.1 Derived terms 1.3.1.2 Translations 2 Somali 2.1 Noun

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /dʒir/

  Rhymes: -ɪə(r)

[edit] Etymology 1

Perhaps a corruption of cheer to salute with cheers, taken in an ironical sense; or more probably from Dutch gekscheren to jeer, literally, to shear the fool; gek a fool (see geck) + scheren to shear. See shear, verb.

[edit] Noun

jeer (plural jeers)

1. A railing remark or reflection; a scoff; a taunt; a biting jest; a flout; a jibe; mockery.
   • 1711, Jonathan Swift, The Fable of Midas, in The Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D., Vol XII, Sir Walter Scott, ed., Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Co., 1824, pages 302-5,

     Midas, exposed to all their jeers, Had lost his art, and kept his ears.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to jeer (third-person singular simple present jeers, present participle jeering, simple past and past participle jeered)

1. (intransitive, construed with at) To utter sarcastic or scoffing reflections; to speak with mockery or derision; to use taunting language; to scoff; as, to jeer at a speaker.
   • Edmund Spenser,

     But when he saw her toy and gibe and jeer.

2. (transitive) To treat with scoffs or derision; to address with jeers; to taunt; to flout; to mock at.
   • B. Jonson,

     And if we can not jeer them, we jeer ourselves.

[edit] Synonyms

• (to utter sarcastic remarks): scoff, sneer
• (to treat with scoffs): deride, flout, gibe, mock, ridicule

[edit] Translations

[edit] Etymology 2

Compare gear.

[edit] Noun

jeer (plural jeers)

1. (nautical) A gear; a tackle.
2. (Nautical)(plural). An assemblage or combination of tackles, for hoisting or lowering the lower yards of a ship.

[edit] Derived terms

• jeer capstan

[edit] Translations

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[edit] Somali

[edit] Noun

jeer

1. Hippopotamus