Forms: 6–7 buffon(e, -onne, -oun, oone, bouffon, boufoon, 7– buffoon. [a. F. buffon, bouffon, a. It. buffone buffoon, f. buffa a jest, connected with buffare to puff; Tommaseo and Bellini consider the sense of ‘jest’ to be developed from that of ‘puff of wind,’ applied fig. to anything light and frivolous; others, e.g., Littré, refer it to the notion of puffing out the cheeks as a comic gesture. (In 17th c. accented on first syllable.)]
† 1. A pantomime dance. Sc. Obs. rare–1. [F. ‘danser les buffons to daunce a morris’ Cotgr.]
1549. Compl. Scot., vi. (1872), 66. Braulis and branglis, buffons, vitht mony vthir lycht dancis.
2. ‘A man whose profession is to make sport by low jests and antick postures’ (J.); a comic actor, clown; a jester, fool. arch.
1585. James I., Ess. Poesie (Arb.), 31. We remaine With Iuglers, buffons, and that foolish seames.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie (1869), 76. Buffons, altogether applying their wits to Scurrillities and other ridiculous matters.
1657. Colvil, Whigs’ Supplic. (1681), 68. But how the Buffons all be outted.
1683. trans. Erasmus’ Moriæ Enc., 2. Mountebanks, Buffoons, and Merry-Andrews.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), I. 411. The bey … like other voluptuous Turks, had his buffoons to divert him.
1835. Lytton, Rienzi, I. i. 3. The stale jests of a hired buffoon.
1875. Farrar, Seekers, I. iii. 72. The weak thin voice of Cassius Chæreas, tribune of the prætorian cohort, had marked him out for the coarse and calumnious banter of the imperial buffoon.
¶ Used for ‘buffoonery.’
1780. Cowper, Progr. Err., 153. Thy sabbaths will be soon Our sabbaths, closed with mummery and buffoon.
3. transf. A low jester; ‘a man that practises indecent raillery’ (J.); a wag, a joker (implying contempt or disapprobation).
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man. in Hum., II. v. 8. Age was authoritie Against a buffon, and a man had, then … reverence payd unto his yeares.
1636. Healey, Epictetus’ Man., 73. Avoid the playing of the Buffone, and procuring of others laughter.
1680. H. More, Apocal. Apoc., Pref. 14. Buffoones rather, and abusers of the Apocalypse, than serious Interpreters of it.
1750. Johnson, Rambl., No. 72, ¶ 8. Falstaff the cheerful companion, the loud buffoon.
1840. Macaulay, Ess., Ranke’s Hist. (1851), II. 147. Buffoons, dressed in copes and surplices.
4. attrib. and adj. Belonging to or characteristic of a buffoon; vulgarly jocular. (Somewhat arch.)
1625. B. Jonson, Staple News, V. vi. With buffon licence, ieast At whatso’er is serious.
1687. Dryden, Hind & P., I. 39. The buffoon Ape, as atheists use, Mimicked all sects.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), I. 102. A jumble of buffoon tales.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), III. 234. Egbert Hemskirk of Harlem, a buffoon painter.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 469. No mean images, buffoon stories, scurrilous invectives.
5. Comb., as buffoon-like adj.: buffoon-bird.
1611. Cotgr., Bouffonnesque, buffoone-like.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), II. VI. iv. 180. The Numidian Crane … vulgarly called by our sailors the buffoon bird.
Hence Buffoonesque, Buffoonical a.; = BUFFOONISH; Buffoonism = BUFFOONERY.
1756. Gentl. Mag., XXVI. 254. That they should commit intellectual mendicity in buffoonesk terms.
1834. Beckford, Italy, &c. II. 39. The strangest, most buffoonical grimaces. Ibid., 169. A lay-brother, fat, round, buffoonical.
1611. Cotgr., Bouffonnerie, bouffoonisme, ieasting.
1617. Minsheu, Ductor in Ling., 56. Buffoonisme … vi: jesting.
