slapstick

Everyday

1. A kind of comedy with funny falls, crashes, chases, custard pies and silly fights where nobody is really hurt. tree →
2. As an adjective: slapstick humour, a slapstick film. tree →

In the lessons

A word for humour in films, plays and pantomimes. Clowns, Charlie Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy and many cartoons use slapstick. Toad's crashes with motor cars and his flight from the barge-woman in The Wind in the Willows read like slapstick. The name comes from a real stick of two flat pieces of wood that made a loud slap on stage without hurting.

Examples

• The pantomime was full of slapstick. tree →
• The clown slipped on a banana skin — classic slapstick. tree →
• My little brother laughs at slapstick cartoons. tree →
• Slapstick comedy doesn't need words. tree →
• The film had lots of slapstick chases. tree →
• Don't copy slapstick stunts at home; real falls hurt. tree →

Note

Usually uncountable. Safety note: in slapstick the falls are planned by trained actors; in real life such falls cause injuries.