to act like a buffoon
- idiom
- Offensive
:
hacer el payaso
- She realized too late that she had acted like a buffoon during the job interview.
Examples
-
Please don't act like a buffoon at the company party; it's an important event.
-
He tends to act like a buffoon when he's nervous in front of large crowds.
-
Don't act like a buffoon at the party!
-
Why do you always act like a buffoon in front of your friends?
-
He tends to act like a buffoon during his presentations, making everyone laugh uncontrollably.
-
At family gatherings, he often acts like a buffoon, trying to entertain the kids with silly jokes.
-
When he's with his friends, he can't help but act like a buffoon to get their attention.
Synonyms
88
2.1
Act in a foolish or playful way without taking things seriously
42
4.1
Act in a way that makes you look silly or embarrassed
9
4.8
To act silly and playful to make people laugh
7
8.5
To act in a way that makes you look foolish in front of others
7
4.6
Act in a silly way to make others laugh or avoid being serious
3
8.0
To behave in a silly or embarrassing way to get attention
2
8.1
To act in a silly, embarrassing way to make people laugh
1
9.9
To behave in a silly or clumsy way
1
9.9
To make yourself look foolish by doing or saying silly things
1
9.9
To behave in a rude, stupid way
1
9.9
Act in a foolish, annoying way instead of being serious
To behave in a foolish and clumsy way
To behave in a foolish, clumsy way that makes people laugh
Behave in a silly, clumsy way
To behave foolishly or clumsily
Behave in a silly or foolish way
To behave in a silly, awkward way that looks foolish
To behave rudely or foolishly in a way that annoys others
To behave in a silly, rude way and break rules
To behave rudely and foolishly in a way that annoys or embarrasses people
To behave in a rude and annoying way
Behave in a rude and stupid way
To behave in a very foolish and rude way
Behave in a very rude and thoughtless way that upsets other people
Behave rudely and selfishly and annoy other people
To behave in a silly and immature way
To behave in a silly or wild way that makes people laugh
To ignore good advice and behave foolishly
To behave in a rude or foolish way that annoys other people
Act in a foolish or careless way
To behave in a stupid and rude way
Act in a silly, embarrassing way
Act in a silly or stupid way
To behave foolishly and show little common sense
Behave in a silly, careless way to avoid serious talk
To behave in a silly way without thinking when nervous or tired
To behave in a silly or annoying way
Antonyms
How Silly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'act' (behave) + 'like' (similar to) + 'buffoon' (a clownish, foolish person) yields 'behave in a clownish or foolish way'. This is a regular simile/comparative construction common across languages and thus immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Act like a buffoon comes from old jesters and clowns: a buffoon wore bright clothes and did silly acts to make people laugh. So, saying someone acts like a buffoon means 'to behave foolishly' or 'make a scene to get attention'.