badinage
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˌbædɪˈnɑːʒ/
- Literature
:
bromas
- During the meeting, a bit of badinage lightened the mood, making everyone feel more comfortable.
Examples
-
Why don't we drop this subject... it's one thing to engage in badinage with all these youngsters, but this sort of thing could be so easily misunderstood.
-
The speakers inside lunar helmets were still pretty tinny in those days; they no longer transformed everything we said into the monotones that once helped get an entire country fed up with the forced badinage of Apollo, but neither were they much good at conveying the most precise of emotional cues.
Fiction book (2001) -
One, you distract them with your badinage and I leave.
-
All this time I was lecturing, reading, or working hard in other ways, writing magazine stories and doing other literary work. There followed some further badinage:
Fiction book (2001) -
Two years after his Time cover, however, Allen's show was off the air and his attempts to transfer his topical badinage to television were floundering.
Academic text (2007) -
Even then, social life revolved around seduction, the amorous dalliances that the French call badinage.
Blog text (9) -
The badinage was inconsequential, reduced to who knew whom and wasn't the weather glorious in St. Tropez, or the Bahamas, Hawaii, or Hong Kong?
Fiction book (1998) -
These exercises furnished opportunities for badinage and innuendo about life and love among New Salemites ("if I were to care for her, she would know") and even sly amorous compliments for our instructor.
Fiction book (1992) -
At the dinner party, the atmosphere was filled with light badinage as guests exchanged playful jokes.
-
Their afternoon was spent in delightful badinage, filled with laughter and friendly teasing.
Synonyms
23
6.0
Friendly or funny remarks to make conversation pleasant
14
6.0
Clever or funny use of words often with puns
5
7.2
A clever short remark meant to make people laugh
1
2.8
Light joking talk that makes people laugh and feel welcome
1
3.5
Friendly joking talk where people tease each other
1
8.6
A short funny remark or action that makes people smile
1
9.9
Light playful teasing talk that is not serious
1
8.8
Light teasing that is friendly and not meant to hurt
A quick, funny talk where people tease each other playfully
Playful friendly talk that makes people laugh without hurting anyone
Antonyms
How Playful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Badinage comes from the French verb badiner, which means 'to tease' or make light jokes. Think of friendly teasing or playful talk between friends — that light, witty chat is what we call badinage.