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fun

[fuhn]
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noun
  1. something that provides mirth or amusement: A picnic would be fun.
  2. enjoyment or playfulness: She's full of fun.
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verb (used with or without object), funned, fun·ning,
  1. Informal. joke; kid.
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adjective, fun·ner, fun·nest.
  1. Informal. of or relating to fun, especially to social fun: a fun thing to do; really a fun person; the funnest game.
  2. Informal. whimsical; flamboyant: The fashions this year are definitely on the fun side.
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Idioms
  1. for/in fun, as a joke; not seriously; playfully: His insults were only in fun.
  2. like fun, Informal. certainly not; of doubtful truth: He told us that he finished the exam in an hour. Like fun he did!
  3. make fun of, to make the object of ridicule; deride: The youngsters made fun of their teacher.
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Origin of fun

1675–85; dialectal variant of obsolete fon to befool. See fond1

Synonyms

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1, 2. merriment, pleasure, play, gaiety.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

banter, quip, laugh, joke, bother, tease, pretend, delude, taunt, rag, gird, deride, rib, josh, jolly, mock, fool, gibe, needle, scoff

Examples from the Web for funning

Historical Examples

  • “Well, we'll call it hatched,” said the papa; but they knew he was just funning.

    Christmas Every Day and Other Stories

    W. D. Howells

  • By way of demonstrating that it was loaded, and that he was not funning, Mr. Red fired a shot.

    The Search Party

    G. A. Birmingham

  • He says they kill men and eat them alive, but I guess he's funning.

  • Queen: Tell him you have changed your mind, that you were but funning; that you will wed with him yet.

    Three Wonder Plays

    Lady I. A. Gregory

  • They are making merry and funning, thinking there might be messages for them or presents.

    Three Wonder Plays

    Lady I. A. Gregory

British Dictionary definitions for funning

fun

noun
  1. a source of enjoyment, amusement, diversion, etc
  2. pleasure, gaiety, or merriment
  3. jest or sport (esp in the phrases in or for fun)
  4. fun and games facetious, ironic amusement; frivolous activity
  5. like fun informal
    1. (adverb)quickly; vigorously
    2. (interjection)not at all! certainly not!
  6. make fun of or poke fun at to ridicule or deride
  7. (modifier) full of amusement, diversion, gaiety, etca fun sport
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verb funs, funning or funned
  1. (intr) informal to act in a joking or sporting manner
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Word Origin

C17: perhaps from obsolete fon to make a fool of; see fond 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for funning

fun

n.

"diversion, amusement," 1727, earlier "a cheat, trick" (c.1700), from verb fun (1680s) "to cheat, hoax," of uncertain origin, probably a variant of Middle English fonnen "befool" (c.1400; see fond).

Stigmatized by Johnson as "a low cant word." Older sense is preserved in phrase to make fun of (1737) and funny money "counterfeit bills" (1938, though this may be more for the sake of the rhyme). See also funny.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with funning

fun

In addition to the idiom beginning with fun

  • fun and games
  • funny bone
  • funny business
  • funny money

also see:

  • for fun
  • like fun
  • make fun of
  • more fun than a barrel of monkeys

Also see underfunny.

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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.