different between clownish vs saucy

English

Etymology

From clown +? -ish.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?kla?n??/

Adjective

clownish (comparative more clownish, superlative most clownish)

1. Resembling or characteristic of a circus clown; comical, ridiculous.
   • 1998, Bryan Senn, Drums of Terror: Voodoo in the Cinema

     Even worse, the zombies' clownish makeup, with a stark white base and black shoe polish around the eyes, looks amateurish.

   • 2014, Jacob Steinberg, "Wigan shock Manchester City in FA Cup again to reach semi-finals", The Guardian, 9 March 2014:

     Once again, City's defending was clownish. James McArthur drove into the area on the left and pulled a low cross towards the far post, where the horribly timid Gaël Clichy allowed Perch to bundle the ball past Costel Pantilimon.

   • 2005, Laura Barton, The Guardian, 14 May 2005:

     Indeed, when in close quarters to Rooney, it must prove almost irresistible to stick a plastic moustache and silly clownish shoes on the potato-headed fool.

2. (now rare) Pertaining to peasants; rustic.
3. (now rare) Uncultured, boorish; rough, coarse.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.1:

     Large were his limbes, and terrible his looke, / And in his clownish hand a sharp bore speare he shooke.

   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Volume I, Chapter 4:

     "He is very plain, undoubtedly—remarkably plain:—but that is nothing compared with his entire want of gentility. I had no right to expect much, and I did not expect much; but I had no idea that he could be so very clownish, so totally without air. I had imagined him, I confess, a degree or two nearer gentility."

Derived terms

• clownishness

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• sawcy (obsolete)

Etymology

From sauce +? -y .

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?s??.s?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?s?.si/
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /?s?.si/
• Rhymes: -??si
• Rhymes: -?si

Adjective

saucy (comparative saucier, superlative sauciest)

1. Similar to sauce; having the consistency or texture of sauce.
2. Impertinent or disrespectful, often in a manner that is regarded as entertaining or amusing; smart.
   • ~1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, the Moor of Venice, Act I, scene I, line 143:

     If this be known to you, and your allowance/ When we have done you bold and saucy wrongs.

   She is a loud, saucy child who doesn't show a lot of respect to her elders.

3. Impudently bold; pert.
4. Sharp; pungent; piquant.
5. Mildly erotic.

   I enjoyed the dancing, but my wife found it a little too saucy.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:cheeky

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• sassy

References

Anagrams

• yucas