ri|dic|u|lous

ri|dic|u|lous
ri|dic|u|lous «rih DIHK yuh luhs», adjective.
deserving ridicule; absurd; laughable: »

It would be ridiculous to walk backward all the time.

╂[< Latin rīdiculōsus < rīdiculus < rīdēre to laugh]
–ri|dic´u|lous|ly, adverb.
–ri|dic´u|lous|ness, noun.
Synonym Study Ridiculous, absurd, preposterous mean not sensible or reasonable. Ridiculous emphasizes the laughable effect produced by something out of keeping with good sense: »

His obvious attempts to be the life of the party were ridiculous.

Absurd emphasizes the contrast with what is true or sensible: »

His belief that he was too clever to be caught in his wrongdoing was absurd.

Preposterous adds to absurd the idea of being contrary to nature: »

The bandit made the preposterous suggestion that he would drop his gun if the policeman first dropped his.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • ri|dic´u|lous|ly — ri|dic|u|lous «rih DIHK yuh luhs», adjective. deserving ridicule; absurd; laughable: »It would be ridiculous to walk backward all the time. ╂[< Latin rīdiculōsus < rīdiculus < rīdēre to laugh] –ri|dic´u|lous|ly, adverb.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • ni|dic|o|lous — «ny DIHK uh luhs», adjective. that remains in the nest for some time after hatching; altricial: »Nidicolous species…are born or hatched in a relatively helpless or dependent state (Gilbert Gottlieb). ╂[< Latin nīdus nest + colere inhabit +… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pe|dic|u|lous — «pih DIHK yuh luhs», adjective. infested with lice; lousy: »Like a…pediculous vermin thou hast but one suit to thy back (Thomas Dekker) …   Useful english dictionary

  • ri|dic´u|lous|ness — ri|dic|u|lous «rih DIHK yuh luhs», adjective. deserving ridicule; absurd; laughable: »It would be ridiculous to walk backward all the time. ╂[< Latin rīdiculōsus < rīdiculus < rīdēre to laugh] –ri|dic´u|lous|ly, adverb.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • lap|i|dic|o|lous — «LAP uh DIHK uh luhs», adjective. living under or among stones, as beetles or other insects do …   Useful english dictionary

  • pal|u|dic|o|lous — «PAL yuh DIHK uh luhs», adjective. = paludicole. (Cf. ↑paludicole) …   Useful english dictionary

  • ri·dic·u·lous — …   Useful english dictionary

  • lous — aceph·a·lous; achlo·ro·phyl·lous; acid·u·lous; acoe·lous; adac·ty·lous; am·moph·i·lous; am·phib·o·lous; am·phi·coe·lous; am·phi·con·dy·lous; an·e·moph·i·lous; an·gu·lous; an·iso·dac·ty·lous; an·iso·phyl·lous; anom·a·lous; anom·a·lous·ly;… …   English syllables

  • dic — ad·dic·tion; ae·dic·u·la; ae·dic·u·lar; an·a·car·dic; ap·o·dic·tic; ap·pen·dic·u·lar; ap·pen·dic·u·la·ta; ap·pen·dic·u·late; ar·che·dic·ty·on; as·ci·dic·o·lous; as·dic; ben·e·dic·tin·ism; ben·e·dic·tion; ben·e·dic·tive; ben·e·dic·to·ry;… …   English syllables

  • dicœlous — dicœlous, a. (daɪˈsiːləs) [f. di 2 + Gr. κοῖλ ος hollow, κοίλη a hollow + ous.] = prec.; spec. Of a vertebra: Cupped or hollowed at each end. Webster cites Owen …   Useful english dictionary

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