Definition of 'farce'
Word forms: plural farces
1. countable noun
2. uncountable noun
Farce is the style of acting and writing that is typical of farces.
3. singular noun [also no det]
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
farce in American English
noun
2.
an exaggerated comedy based on broadly humorous, highly unlikely situations
verb transitiveWord forms: farced or ˈfarcing
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
Fr, stuffing, hence farce < VL *farsa < pp. of L farcire, to stuff: early farces were used to fill interludes between acts
Word Frequency
farce in American English
(fɑːrs) (verb farced, farcing)
noun
SYNONYMS 3. burlesque, travesty.1.
a light, humorous play in which the plot depends upon a skillfully exploited situation rather than upon the development of character
2.
humor of the type displayed in such works
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1300–50; (n.) ME fars stuffing ‹ MF farce ‹ VL *farsa, n. use of fem. of L farsus, earlier fartus stuffed, ptp. of farcīre to stuff; (v.) ME farsen ‹ OF farcir ‹ L farcīre]Word Frequency
farce in British English
verb (transitive) obsolete
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C14 (in the sense: stuffing): from Old French, from Latin farcīre to stuff, interpolate passages (in the mass, in religious plays, etc)
Examples of 'farce' in a sentence
farce
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Word lists with
farce
Types of drama Types of entertainmentQuick word challenge
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Which type of drama am I?
a serialized drama, usually dealing with domestic themes and characterized by sentimentality, broadcast on radio or television
Which type of drama am I?
(on television or radio) a comedy series involving the same characters in various day-to-day situations which are developed as separate stories for each episode
Which type of drama am I?
(formerly) a romantic drama characterized by sensational incident, music, and song
Which type of drama am I?
a play depicting the Passion of Christ
Which type of drama am I?
a genre of drama in which actors wear period costumes
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Trends of
farce
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In other languages
farce
British English: farce
NOUN /fɑːs/
A farce is a humorous play in which the characters become involved in complicated and unlikely situations.
The play is a zany and uproarious farce.
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farce
Related terms of
farce
Source
Definition of farce from the Collins English Dictionary
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