CLOWN
clown, buffoon, goof, goofball, merry andrew
(noun) a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior
clown, buffoon
(noun) a rude or vulgar fool
clown, clown around, antic
(verb) act as or like a clown
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
clown (plural clowns)
A slapstick performance artist often associated with a circus and usually characterized by bright, oversized clothing, a red nose, face paint, and a brightly colored wig.
A person who acts in a silly fashion.
A stupid person.
(obsolete) A man of coarse nature and manners; an awkward fellow; an illbred person; a boor.
(obsolete) One who works upon the soil; a rustic; a churl; a yokel.
Synonyms
• (person who acts in a silly fashion): buffoon, fool
Verb
clown (third-person singular simple present clowns, present participle clowning, simple past and past participle clowned)
(intransitive) To act in a silly or playful fashion.
(transitive, African-American Vernacular) To ridicule.
Source: Wiktionary
Clown, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. klunni a clumsy, boorish fellow, North
Fries. kl clown, dial. Sw. klunn log, Dan. klunt log block, and E.
clump, n.]
1. A man of coarse nature and manners; an awkward fellow; an illbred
person; a boor. Sir P. Sidney.
2. One who works upon the soil; a rustic; a churl.
The clown, the child of nature, without guile. Cowper.
3. The fool or buffoon in a play, circus, etc.
The clown shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickle o'the sere.
Shak.
Clown, v. i.
Definition: To act as a clown; -- with it [Obs.]
Beclowns it properly indeed. B. Jonson.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition