The meaning of Burlesque

noun

A picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.

Usage examples:

A crude caricature of the prime minister

verb

Make or give a caricature of.

Usage examples:

He was famous enough to be caricatured by private eye

noun

A drawing or a written or spoken description that makes part of someone's appearance or character more noticeable than it really is, or the skill of doing this

Usage examples:

[ c ] i saw a wonderful caricature of the president in the newspaper., it’s so easy to caricature p…

noun

The action of using someone or something as a model.

Usage examples:

A child learns to speak by imitation

noun

Something copied, or the act of copying

Usage examples:

Freya does a pretty good imitation of her science teacher., [ c ] imitation leather

verb

Publicly criticize (someone or something) by using ridicule, irony, or sarcasm.

Usage examples:

The actor was lampooned by the press

noun

A speech or text lampooning someone or something.

Usage examples:

The magazine fired at god, royalty, and politicians, using cartoons and lampoons

noun

A piece of writing, a drawing, etc. that criticizes a famous person or a public organization in a humorous way, allowing their or its bad qualities to be seen and making them or it seem stupid

Usage examples:

The magazine is famed for its merciless political lampoons., many celebrities are lampooned on this…

noun

An imitation of the style of a particular writer, artist, or genre with deliberate exaggeration for comic effect.

Usage examples:

The film is a parody of the horror genre

verb

Produce a humorously exaggerated imitation of (a writer, artist, or genre).

Usage examples:

His speciality was parodying schoolgirl fiction

noun

A piece of writing or music that copies the style of a serious piece in a way that is intentionally humorous

Usage examples:

[ c ] brando did a parody of the character he played in "the godfather.", downey started the show b…

noun

A satire or lampoon, originally one displayed or delivered in a public place.

Usage examples:

He delivered a long pasquinade at the expense of my friend

noun

Another term for pastiche.

noun

An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.

Usage examples:

The operetta is a pastiche of 18th century style

verb

Imitate the style of (an artist or work).

Usage examples:

Gauguin took himself to a pacific island and pastiched the primitive art he found there

noun

A piece of art, music, literature, etc. that intentionally copies the style of someone else's work or is intentionally in various styles, or the practice of making art in either of these ways

Usage examples:

The movie is a skilful, witty pastiche of "jaws".

noun

An act of making someone or something look silly

Usage examples:

He told me i'd won and i thought it was just a piss-take., he did a piss-take of fiona.

noun

The use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

Usage examples:

The crude satire seems to be directed at the fashionable protest singers of the time

noun

A humorous way of criticizing people or ideas to show that they have faults or are wrong, or a piece of writing or a play that uses this style

Usage examples:

[ c ] the play is a satire on corporate culture., satirical humor, garry trudeau would satirize him…

phrasal verb

Give an exaggerated imitation of someone or something in order to ridicule them.

Usage examples:

We used to send him up something rotten

phrasal verb

Sentence someone to imprisonment.

Usage examples:

He was sent up for arson

phrasal verb

To send someone to prison

Usage examples:

He was sent up for armed robbery., she was sent up for three years., the show was very funny - they…

noun

A short comedy sketch or piece of humorous writing, especially a parody.

Usage examples:

A skit on daytime magazine programmes

noun

A humorous imitation of something, typically a film or a particular genre of film, in which its characteristic features are exaggerated for comic effect.

Usage examples:

A robin hood spoof

verb

Imitate (something) while exaggerating its characteristic features for comic effect.

Usage examples:

It is a movie that spoofs other movies

phrasal verb

Remove clothes

phrasal verb

To remove or get rid of something

Usage examples:

He took off his shirt and shoes and jumped in the lake., after the poisoning scare, the product was…

phrasal verb

To suddenly start to be successful

Usage examples:

She became an ethical financial adviser ten years ago, just as green investing began to take off., …

noun

A false, absurd, or distorted representation of something.

Usage examples:

The absurdly lenient sentence is a travesty of justice

verb

Represent in a false, absurd, or distorted way.

Usage examples:

Michael has betrayed the family by travestying them in his plays

noun

Something that completely fails to do what it is intended or expected to do, and therefore seems ridiculous

Usage examples:

The police chief called the judge’s ruling a travesty of justice.