waggish

IPA/ˈwæɡɪʃ/
IPA/ˈwæɡɪʃ/

waggish — adjective

  • waggishpositive
  • more waggishcomparative
  • most waggishsuperlative

1. having a clever and playful sense of humour, shown through witty remarks or beha

1.形容詞C2
釋義

having a clever and playful sense of humour, shown through witty remarks or behaviour that make others smile or laugh

例句

Owen, a waggish elderly man, kept the dinner party amused with clever wordplay.

waggish + age-noun collocation (elderly man, old fellow, uncle)

The waggish librarian always found a playful way to scold noisy children.

同義詞
  • witty

    more common; focuses on speed of clever speech rather than playful character

  • playful

    broader; can describe behaviour that is light-hearted but not necessarily verbal or clever

  • jocular

    similar register but slightly more formal; suggests a joking manner in a serious setting

反義詞
  • serious

    opposite in every sense — lacking humour and playfulness

  • solemn

    suggests a formal, grave manner with no room for humour

文法句型

waggish + noun (old man, personality, friend)

用法筆記

Only this sense describes the person directly (a waggish old man / friend / colleague). Sense 2 describes the thing the person says or creates.

常見錯誤

❌The professor gave a waggish lecture on economics.
✅The professor, a waggish man, filled his lecture on economics with clever jokes.
💡'waggish' describes the person's character; the lecture itself would be described with sense 2.

2. showing clever humour in a playful or mischievous way, used for things people sa

2.形容詞C2
釋義

showing clever humour in a playful or mischievous way, used for things people say, write, or create

例句

The play was filled with waggish dialogue that kept the audience chuckling throughout.

waggish + dialogue / writing / text

Nora sent a waggish reply saying she would come only if they served cake.

同義詞
  • humorous

    much more common; broader — does not specifically imply cleverness or playfulness

  • whimsical

    suggests fanciful or quirky humour rather than sharp cleverness

  • mocking

    negative connotation; less playful and more critical

反義詞
  • earnest

    describes sincere, serious expression without playfulness

文法句型

waggish + noun (remark, smile, dialogue, note, drawing)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (WITTY PERSON): this sense describes the product of humour (remarks, writing, artwork), not the person who creates it. A waggish remark may come from someone who is not normally waggish in personality.

常見錯誤

❌Her waggish dress was the talk of the party.
✅Her waggish remark about the host's cooking was the talk of the party.
💡'waggish' applies to clever, humorous expression, not to objects, clothing, or appearance.