5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Burlesque  \Bur*lesque"\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Burlesqued};  p. 
  pr  &  vb  n.  {Burlesquing}.] 
  To  ridicule,  or  to  make  ludicrous  by  grotesque  representation 
  in  action  or  in  language. 
 
  They  burlesqued  the  prophet  Jeremiah's  words  and 
  turned  the  expression  he  used  into  ridicule. 
  --Stillingfleet. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Burlesque  \Bur*lesque"\,  v.  i. 
  To  employ  burlesque. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Burlesque  \Bur*lesque"\,  a.  [F.  burlesque,  fr  It  burlesco  fr 
  burla  jest,  mockery,  perh.  for  burrula  dim.  of  L.  burrae 
  trifles.  See  {Bur}.] 
  Tending  to  excite  laughter  or  contempt  by  extravagant  images, 
  or  by  a  contrast  between  the  subject  and  the  manner  of 
  treating  it  as  when  a  trifling  subject  is  treated  with  mock 
  gravity;  jocular;  ironical. 
 
  It  is  a  dispute  among  the  critics,  whether  burlesque 
  poetry  runs  best  in  heroic  verse,  like  that  of  the 
  Dispensary,  or  in  doggerel,  like  that  of  Hudibras 
  --Addison. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Burlesque  \Bur*lesque"\,  n. 
  1.  Ludicrous  representation;  exaggerated  parody;  grotesque 
  satire. 
 
  Burlesque  is  therefore  of  two  kinds;  the  first 
  represents  mean  persons  in  the  accouterments  of 
  heroes,  the  other  describes  great  persons  acting  and 
  speaking  like  the  basest  among  the  people. 
  --Addison. 
 
  2.  An  ironical  or  satirical  composition  intended  to  excite 
  laughter,  or  to  ridicule  anything 
 
  The  dull  burlesque  appeared  with  impudence,  And 
  pleased  by  novelty  in  spite  of  sense  --Dryden. 
 
  3.  A  ludicrous  imitation;  a  caricature;  a  travesty;  a  gross 
  perversion. 
 
  Who  is  it  that  admires,  and  from  the  heart  is 
  attached  to  national  representative  assemblies,  but 
  must  turn  with  horror  and  disgust  from  such  a 
  profane  burlesque  and  abominable  perversion  of  that 
  sacred  institute?  --Burke. 
 
  Syn:  Mockery;  farce;  travesty;  mimicry. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  burlesque 
  adj  :  relating  to  or  characteristic  of  a  burlesque;  "burlesque 
  theater" 
  n  1:  a  theatrical  entertainment  of  broad  and  earthy  humor; 
  consists  of  comic  skits  and  short  turns  (and  sometimes 
  striptease) 
  2:  a  composition  that  imitates  somebody's  style  in  a  humorous 
  way  [syn:  {parody},  {lampoon},  {spoof},  {sendup},  {mockery}, 
  {takeoff},  {travesty},  {charade},  {pasquinade}] 
  v  :  make  a  parody  of  "The  students  spoofed  the  teachers"  [syn: 
  {spoof},  {parody}] 

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