comedy
comedy — noun
1. a film, play, television programme, or book created to make people laugh through
a film, play, television programme, or book created to make people laugh through its characters, dialogue, or events.
My favourite comedy of all time is a French film about a clumsy postman.
countable: a specific work of comedy
The theatre group put on a classic comedy that had everyone in tears from laughing.
collocation: put on a comedy
Leila reads one comedy novel every month because she loves to laugh.
A new comedy about four flatmates sharing a house in London starts next week.
Critics praised the comedy for its clever writing and talented young cast.
- comic film
emphasises the genre category rather than the work itself
- farce
a more physical, exaggerated type of comedy with unlikely situations
- sitcom
specifically a television comedy series with recurring characters
- romantic comedy
a comedy with a love story as the main plot
- tragedy
a serious drama dealing with sad or terrible events
文法句型
comedy + about [topic]
comedy + noun (modifier)
用法筆記
Can be countable when referring to one specific work ('a comedy'). Also used as a modifier before another noun: comedy film, comedy series, comedy writer.
常見錯誤
2. the amusing quality that people can recognise in an ordinary, awkward, or unfort
the amusing quality that people can recognise in an ordinary, awkward, or unfortunate event, allowing them to see the lighter side of it.
There is a certain comedy in watching a cat try to catch its own tail.
uncountable: the comic element of a situation
Ravi could see the comedy of the situation when both his phones rang at once.
collocation: the comedy of the situation
The comedy of the whole affair was not lost on the newspaper reporters.
Rain ruined the picnic, but Aiko found comedy in how everyone tried to stay dry.
Part of the comedy comes from the way people behave when they feel embarrassed.
- humour
a broader term for anything that makes people laugh
- amusement
focuses on the feeling of enjoyment rather than the funny quality itself
- farcical element
suggests the situation is ridiculously unlikely or over-the-top
文法句型
find + comedy + in
the comedy of [noun]
用法筆記
Always uncountable in this sense — do not use 'a comedy' when referring to the humorous aspect of a situation. Frequently appears in the fixed phrase 'the comedy of [something]'.
常見錯誤
3. a genre of humorous drama or fiction that gently mocks the social customs and ac
a genre of humorous drama or fiction that gently mocks the social customs and accepted ways of acting within a specific group, especially the upper classes.
The play is a comedy of manners that makes fun of upper-class dinner parties.
collocation: comedy of manners + makes fun of [group]
Oscar Wilde's comedy of manners remains popular because its humour still feels fresh today.
proper noun + comedy of manners
A good comedy of manners needs clever dialogue about social rules and expectations.
This television series is a modern comedy of manners set in a London advertising agency.
Hana studied several comedies of manners for her university drama course.
- satire
a broader term for any work that uses humour to criticise people or society
- social comedy
a slightly wider category that may not focus on manners specifically
文法句型
comedy of manners + verb
用法筆記
Typically appears in the fixed phrase 'comedy of manners'. Often preceded by an era or style label: Restoration comedy of manners, modern comedy of manners.