Monday, March 2, 2009

lampoon

lampoon \lam-POON\, noun, verb:

1. a composition that imitates or misrepresents someone's style, usually in a humorous way
2. a light, good-humored satire
3. ridicule with satire

Attendees typically lampoon US presidents with grotesque puppets and caricatures.
-- LA Times

by 1645, from French lampon, of unknown origin, said by French etymologists to be from lampons "let us drink," popular refrain for scurrilous 17th century songs, from lamper "to drink, guzzle," a nasalized form of laper "to lap." The verb is first attested by 1657.

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