Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Vulgar, lewdly humorous language or joking or an instance of it.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. The qualities or acts of a ribald; licentious or foul language; ribald conversation; obscenity; indecency.
Wiktionary
- n. Joking or humorous language done in a vulgar or lewd fashion.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. The talk of a ribald; low, vulgar language; indecency; obscenity; lewdness; -- now chiefly applied to indecent language, but formerly, as by Chaucer, also to indecent acts or conduct.
WordNet 3.0
- n. ribald humor
- n. behavior or language bordering on indelicacy
Examples
“Our countryman, in the end of his characters, before the Canterbury tales, thus excuses the ribaldry, which is very gross in many of his novels.”
“Our countryman, in the end of his characters, before the _Canterbury Tales_, thus excuses the ribaldry, which is very gross in many of his novels:”
Prefaces and Prologues to Famous Books with Introductions, Notes and Illustrations
“I man, in the end of his chara6lcrs, before the Canter - bury tales, thus excufes the ribaldry, which is very grofs in many of his novels.”
Internet Archive: The Works of the English Poets.: With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical
“Meanwhile "inebriation in all its most brutal and disgraceful shapes" takes its moral toll upon the masses in the form of vile oaths, imprecations, naughty songs, and pervasive "ribaldry"; thus procedures that are intended to facilitate public participation actually create an "earthly hell" on the deck of the outlaw vessel (405).”
Love and Merit in the Maritime Historical Novel: Cooper and Scott
“Why do you scarify His works with this presumptuous kind of ribaldry? ”
“No ribaldry, no drinking songs echoing out of dark alleys.”
“Johnston's love of "theatricals" is well-represented, and if some of his Old Etonian ribaldry sounded better than it reads 20 years on, it is forgivable because the opportunity to indulge his passions is executed engagingly and with such enthusiasm.”
The Guardian: The Best Views from the Boundary – Test Match Special's Greatest Interviews
“As a West Ham fan, I am aware of the ribaldry, invective and outright abuse this statement leaves me open to, but unless and until we qualify, that is my position.”
The Guardian: Liverpool's European Losers Cup outing is enough to make ad men mad | Martin Kelner
“Brand is the bawdy comedian who married Katy Perry, and Mirren is the bawdy thespian who straddles royalty (her Oscar-winning turn in "The Queen") and ribaldry (bathing nude in New York magazine last year, hoping her shoes wouldn't make her fall rump over bosom - and we're paraphrasing - while accepting an Emmy in 2006).”
The Washington Post: Oscars 2011 preview: What will viewers be talking about?
“Everything is played for maximum feeling, with the occasionally quiet or personal moment to contrast with the regular outbursts, whether of anger, violence or ribaldry.”
The Huffington Post: Marshall Fine: HuffPost Review: White Irish Drinkers
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