ridiculous

Everyday

1. Very silly or unreasonable, so that people may laugh at it: «a ridiculous hat». tree →
2. (informal) Extreme; amazing: «The price was ridiculous.» tree →

In the lessons

In Alice in Wonderland, almost everything is ridiculous — a Caucus-race where everyone wins, a trial where the sentence comes first. In The Wind in the Willows, Toad's boasting is ridiculous. In maths, a ridiculous answer (like a child 50 metres tall) tells you to check your working — always ask «does this answer make sense?».

Examples

• That's a ridiculous excuse! tree →
• Toad looked ridiculous in the washerwoman's bonnet. tree →
• «Sentence first — verdict afterwards!» said the Queen. «Stuff and nonsense!» said Alice, because it was ridiculous. tree →
• The shoes were ridiculously expensive. tree →
• If your answer says a cat weighs 400 kg, it's ridiculous — check it. tree →
• He wore a ridiculous hat with a feather. tree →
• "What a ridiculous little shoot!" said one. tree →

Note

Spelling trap: ridiculous starts with «rid-», not «red-» (from ridicule). Similar: absurd, silly, ludicrous.