Definition of Punning

1. Noun. A humorous play on words. "His constant punning irritated her"

Exact synonyms: Paronomasia, Pun, Wordplay
Generic synonyms: Fun, Play, Sport
Derivative terms: Pun, Punster, Pun

Definition of Punning

1. Verb. (present participle of pun) ¹

2. Noun. The action of the verb '''to pun'''. ¹

3. Adjective. That which makes or uses a pun. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Punning

1. pun [v] - See also: pun

Lexicographical Neighbors of Punning

punky
punkzine
punkzines
punnable
punnai
punnais
punned
punner
punners
punnet
punnets
punnier
punniest
punnily
punniness
punning (current term)
punningly
punnings
punnology
punny
puns
punster
punsters
punt
punt gun
punt returner
punt returners
puntarella
punte
punted

Literary usage of Punning

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Handy-book of Literary Curiosities by William Shepard Walsh (1892)
"The golden era of English punning dates undoubtedly from the beginning to the middle of the present century, the era of those protagonists in the art, ..."

2. Ainsworth's Magazine: A Miscellany of Romance, General Literature, & Art by William Harrison Ainsworth, George Cruikshank, Hablot Knight Browne (1854)
"punning is the most facile species of wit ready to the mind of the witty man in society, ... If by punning an individual can easily excite amusement in ..."

3. Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature by Anna Lorraine Guthrie, Marion A. Knight, H.W. Wilson Company, Estella E. Painter (1920)
"punning Canting puns on ancient monuments. ES McCartney. Am J Archaeol 23:59-64 Ja ... See punning Pupin. René La balance économique de la France en 1912 ..."

4. Spirit of the Public Journals by Stephen Jones, C M Westmacott (1805)
"Yet among the ancients I can find1 a tendency to- punning. ... for punning. I need not inform my readers that ..."

5. Anecdote Lives of Wits and Humourists by John Timbs (1872)
"HOOK'S punning. Hook was admirable in what he terms, " the very plums in the pudding of conversation"—punning, which ho treats in this mock profound manner: ..."

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