25+ Slapstick Humor Definition

American heritage dictionary of the english language fifth edition.

Slapstick humor definition. Yourdictionary definition and usage example. Comedy characterized by horseplay and physical action. Broad comedy characterized by violently boisterous action. An example of slapstick is comedy performed by the television characters called the three stooges where people get poked in the eye or pies in the face. A pair of laths that produce a loud noise without causing injury. Slapstick is a simple type of comedy in which the actors behave in a rough and foolish way. The slapstick was a two piece paddle that actors would use to accentuate the impact of a hit often on another actor s backside.

That s where the modern name for this comedic form came from. Comedy stressing farce and horseplay also. The term arises from a device developed for use in the broad physical comedy style known as commedia dell arte in 16th century italy. A boisterous form of comedy marked by sight gags and absurd or violent mishaps or pranks such as slipping on a banana peel. Slapstick a type of physical comedy characterized by broad humour absurd situations and vigorous usually violent action. Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. A device made of two flat pieces of wood fastened at one end so as to make a loud noise when used by an actor to strike a person.

Noun slapstick is a kind of comedy based on practical jokes collisions clumsiness and embarrassing events. A flexible pair of paddles bound together at one end formerly used in pantomime to strike a blow to a person with a loud clapping sound but without injury. When the two boards hit they produced a slapping sound. A stick or lath used by comic performers or characters for striking other persons esp. 1 mass noun comedy based on deliberately clumsy actions and humorously embarrassing events. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap often resulting from inept use of props such as saws and ladders.