Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To speak or shout derisively; mock.
  • intransitive verb To abuse vocally; taunt.
  • noun A scoffing or taunting remark or shout.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Nautical, tackle for hoisting or lowering the lower yards of a man-of-war: usually in the plural.
  • To make a mock of some person or thing; scoff: as, to jeer at one in sport.
  • Synonyms Gibe, Scoff, etc. See sneer.
  • To treat with scoffs or derision; make a mock of; deride; flout.
  • noun A scoff; a taunt; a flout; a gibe; a mock.
  • noun A huff; a pet.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To treat with scoffs or derision; to address with jeers; to taunt; to flout; to mock at.
  • intransitive verb To utter sarcastic or scoffing reflections; to speak with mockery or derision; to use taunting language; to scoff.
  • noun A gear; a tackle.
  • noun An assemblage or combination of tackles, for hoisting or lowering the lower yards of a ship.
  • noun (Naut.) an extra capstan usually placed between the foremast and mainmast.
  • noun A railing remark or reflection; a scoff; a taunt; a biting jest; a flout; a jibe; mockery.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun nautical A gear; a tackle.
  • noun nautical, in the plural An assemblage or combination of tackles, for hoisting or lowering the yards of a ship.
  • noun A railing remark or reflection; a scoff; a taunt; a biting jest; a flout; a jibe; mockery.
  • verb intransitive To utter sarcastic or mocking comments; to speak with mockery or derision; to use taunting language.
  • verb transitive, archaic To mock; treat with mockery; to taunt; to flout.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb laugh at with contempt and derision
  • noun showing your contempt by derision

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Origin unknown.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Compare gear.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Perhaps a corruption of cheer ("to salute with cheers"), taken in an ironical sense; or more probably from Dutch gekscheren ("to jeer", literally "to shear the fool"), from gek ("a fool") (see geck) + scheren ("to shear") (see shear (v)).

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Examples

  • Sime flung a jeer from the top of the canoe, the women snickered in his face, cries of derision rose in his wake, but he took no notice, pressing onward to the house of Scundoo.

    THE MASTER OF MYSTERY 2010

  • The Republicans rattle the flag and jeer from the sidelines, but owe the public an explanation why they are not the Grand Old Obstructionist Party ...

    painful, but amusing 2009

  • As I said to Squeege, it is very easy to jeer from the sidelines and make boastful claims of what you would do in the same situation.

    Think Progress » ThinkFast AM: June 6, 2006 2006

  • As I said to Squeege, it is very easy to jeer from the sidelines and make boastful claims of what you would do in the same situation.

    Think Progress » ThinkFast AM: June 6, 2006 2006

  • Sime flung a jeer from the top of the canoe, the women snickered in his face, cries of derision rose in his wake, but he took no notice, pressing onward to the house of Scundoo.

    The Master of Mystery 1902

  • It didn’t happen to you so it’s easy to jeer from the sidelines.

    Think Progress » ThinkFast AM: June 6, 2006 2006

  • For according to Theophrastus, a jeer is a figurative reproach for some fault or misdemeanor; and therefore he that hears it supplies the concealed part, as if he knew and gave credit to the thing.

    Essays and Miscellanies 2004

  • For according to Theophrastus, a jeer is a figurative reproach for some fault or misdemeanor; and therefore he that hears it supplies the concealed part, as if he knew and gave credit to the thing.

    Symposiacs 2004

  • Almost eight years ago, you made a remark -- this may show you that if we "jeer" at your remarks, we remember them.

    Gilbert Keith Chesterton Maisie Ward 1932

  • The new Defence minister, John Hutton, has praised the idea of homecoming parades (wanting more of them) and criticised those who 'jeer' at the returning troops:

    Slugger O'Toole 2008

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