Antic


Usually, antics.

a playful trick or prank; caper.
a grotesque, fantastic, or ludicrous gesture, act, or posture.

Archaic.

an actor in a grotesque or ridiculous presentation.
a buffoon; clown.

Obsolete.

a grotesque theatrical presentation; ridiculous interlude.
a grotesque or fantastic sculptured figure, as a gargoyle.

ludicrous; funny.
fantastic; odd; grotesque:
an antic disposition.
Obsolete. to perform antics; caper.
Contemporary Examples

Berlusconi repeated the antic in the afternoon in the lower house of Parliament, this time to jeers from fellow politicians.
Silvio Berlusconi: The Joker Is Back Barbie Latza Nadeau December 5, 2012

It was antic, manic, magical, and mischievous—and thoroughly British.
Olympics Opening-Ceremonies Review: Hats Off, Danny Boy Simon Schama July 28, 2012

The novel has the antic pace and madcap humor of a Hollywood-ready screenplay— Meet the Parents meets Garden State or something.
Summer of Our White Male Discontent Taylor Antrim August 3, 2009

Historical Examples

But the moment after, some wild whim would make her resume her antic movements; and all went worse than before.
Undine Friedrich de la Motte Fouque

I spoke to her, and she complained about the antic behaviour of the land.
The Cruise of the Snark Jack London

There is the rich poetry of Paderewski, the antic grace and delicious poetry of De Pachmann.
Franz Liszt James Huneker

“I’m paid for my body, not for my voice; so let my body play the antic,” she muttered, angrily.
Sylvia & Michael Compton Mackenzie

What is done to Lordsburg we can stand, but a blow at our own warbags, even in antic’pation, is calc’lated to cause us to perk up.
Faro Nell and Her Friends Alfred Henry Lewis

The situation seemed, in antic irony, to be reversing itself.
Satan Sanderson Hallie Erminie Rives

While this last movement was executing, one of them advanced, and performed an antic dance before me; with which the whole ended.
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18) Robert Kerr

noun
(archaic) an actor in a ludicrous or grotesque part; clown; buffoon
adjective
(archaic) fantastic; grotesque
n.

1520s, “grotesque or comical gesture,” from Italian antico “antique,” from Latin antiquus “old” (see antique). Originally (like grotesque) a 16c. Italian word referring to the strange and fantastic representations on ancient murals unearthed around Rome (especially originally the Baths of Titus, rediscovered 16c.); later extended to “any bizarre thing or behavior,” in which sense it first arrived in English. As an adjective in English from 1580s, “grotesque, bizarre.”

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