funniment

English

Etymology

From funny +‎ -ment, on model of merriment.

Noun

funniment (countable and uncountable, plural funniments)

1. Drollery, jesting, a funny saying or action.
   • 1825, Oxberry’s Dramatic Biography and Histrionic Anecdotes, volume III, London: George Virtue, page 33:

     For the funniments of the fair, I confess I have little relish. Springing a rattle, I always deemed something too serious for a joke; and no nautical gentleman ever yet laughed at having his back scratched.

   • 1846, The Pictorial Times, page 205:

     […]; and at some of Barry’s funniments the Prince of Wales and his royal sister laughed […]

   • 1930, Harry Randall, Harry Randall, Old Time Comedian, page 136:

     His disguise as the Baron Mugwump also lent itself to much funniment.

   • 1930, Harley Granville-Barker, “Love’s Labour’s Lost”, in Prefaces to Shakespeare:

     Therefore he has Berowne leave the stage first, lets Costard lag behind for a little solitary funniment, and then bolt after Berowne. If the funniment raises a laugh, that breaks contact, as it were, and continuity.

   • 1990 September 11, Wally Trabing, “With humor there is life”, in Santa Cruz Sentinel, 134th year, number 219, Santa Cruz, Calif., page A-2:

     Mrs. Levine, mother of former Councilman Arnold Levine, totes around an array of jokes and general funniments.