Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Farce

Farce

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Farced
,
p. pr. & vb. n.
Farcing
.]
[F.
Farcir
, L.
farcire
; akin to Gr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK] to fence in, stop up. Cf.
Force
to stuff,
Diaphragm
,
Frequent
,
Farcy
,
Farse
.]
1.
To stuff with forcemeat; hence, to fill with mingled ingredients; to fill full; to stuff.
[Obs.]
The first principles of religion should not be
farced
with school points and private tenets.
Bp. Sanderson.
His tippet was aye
farsed
full of knives.
Chaucer.
2.
To render fat.
[Obs.]
If thou wouldst
farce
thy lean ribs.
B. Jonson.
3.
To swell out; to render pompous.
[Obs.]
Farcing
his letter with fustian.
Sandys.

Farce

,
Noun.
[F.
farce
, from L.
farsus
(also sometimes
farctus
), p. p. pf
farcire
. See
Farce
,
Verb.
T.
]
1.
(Cookery)
Stuffing, or mixture of viands, like that used on dressing a fowl; forcemeat.
2.
A low style of comedy; a dramatic composition marked by low humor, generally written with little regard to regularity or method, and abounding with ludicrous incidents and expressions.
Farce
is that in poetry which “grotesque” is in a picture: the persons and action of a
farce
are all unnatural, and the manners false.
Dryden.
3.
Ridiculous or empty show;
as, a mere
farce
.
“The farce of state.”
Pope.

Webster 1828 Edition


Farce

F'ARCE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. farcio.]
1.
To stuff; to fill with mingled ingredients. [Little used.]
The first principles of religion should not be forced with school points and private tenets.
2.
To extend; to swell out; as the farced title. [Little used.]

F'ARCE

,
Noun.
f'ars. [Literally, seasoning, stuffing or mixture, like the stuffing of a roasted fowl; force-meat.]
A dramatic composition, originally exhibited by charlatans or buffoons, in the open street, for the amusement of the crowd, but now introduced upon the stage. It is written without regularity, and filled with ludicrous conceits. The dialogue is usually low, the persons of inferior rank, and the fable or action trivial or ridiculous.
Farce is that in poetry which grotesque is in a picture: the persons and actions of a farce are all unnatural, and the manners false.