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# clown

noun (a clown, clowns); verb (clown, clowns, clowned, clowning — usually «clown around»)

«clown» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A clown is a performer in a circus or at a party who wears funny clothes, big shoes and face paint and does silly things to make people laugh. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#m1)
2. (informal) A clown is a person who often acts silly or makes jokes, like the class clown. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#m2)
3. (rude) Calling someone a clown can be an insult meaning they are stupid or useless. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#m3)
4. (verb) To clown or clown around is to behave in a silly way to make people laugh. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#m4)

### In the lessons

In stories clowns appear at circuses and birthday parties; «the class clown» is the child who makes everyone laugh, sometimes getting into trouble. As an insult it shows anger at someone's foolishness. Phrases: clown around, class clown, clown fish, act the clown.

### Examples

- The clown had a red nose and enormous floppy shoes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#x1)
- We hired a clown for my little brother's birthday party. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#x2)
- Jake is the class clown and always makes us giggle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#x3)
- Stop clowning around and finish your work! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#x4)
- That driver cut in front of us — what a clown! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#x5)
- Some children are scared of clowns. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#x6)
- Three clowns climbed out of one tiny car. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#x7)
- The clown juggled four balls and dropped every one. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/#x8)

### Note

Countable: a clown, clowns. Verb past: clowned. «Clown fish» (or clownfish) is a small orange-and-white fish, not a person. As an insult it is rude; do not use it about classmates. Maths problems may count clowns or balloons: «Each clown has 5 balloons» means multiply.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «clown» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/clown/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«clown» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/clown.html) on Mova free.