humor 
The satire (of Chaucer] ... is genial with the broad 
sunshine of humor, into which the victims walk forth with 
a delightful unconcern. Lowell, Study Windows, p. 264. 
In those admirable touches of tender humour and I 
should call humour. Bob, a mixture ofloveandwit who 
can equal this great genius |Dickens|? 
Thackeray, Brown the Younger, i. 8. 
Acrimony of the humors. See acrimony. Albugln- 
eous, aqueous, crystalline, etc., humor. See the 
adjectives. Good humor, a cheerful, tranquil, unruffled 
temper or disposition. [Often written with a hyphen. ] 
What then remains, but well our power to use. 
And keep good-humour still, whate'er we lose ? 
Pope, E. of the L., v. 30. 
This portable quality of good humour seasons all the 
parts and occurrences we meet with in such a manner 
that there are no moments lost. Steele, Spectator, No. 100. 
HI humor, disturbed temper ; a state of irritation ; cross- 
ness; moroseness. [Often written with a hyphen.] Out 
Of humor, displeased ; vexed ; cross. 
As they are out qf humour with the World, so they must 
in time be weary of such slavish and fruitless Devotion, 
which is not attended with an active Life. 
Litter, Journey to Paris, p. 20. 
Vitreous humor. See vitreous. = Syn. 3. Vein, predi- 
lection. 3. (a) Fancy, whimsey, crotchety fad. 3. (6) and 
(c) Wit, Humor (see wit); pleasantry, jocoseness, facetious- 
ness, Jocularity. 
humor, humour (hu'- or u'mor). v. t. [< hu- 
mor, n.] 1. To comply with the humor, fancy, 
or disposition of; soothe by compliance; in- 
dulge; gratify. 
The king, struck with the beauty of the picture, and 
thinking blood enough had been already shed upon reli- 
gious scruples, was resolved to humour the spirit of per- 
secution no farther, . . . and the picture was placed on 
the altar of Atronsa Mariam. 
Bruce, Source of the Nile, II. 88. 
We love variety more than any other nation ; and so 
long as the audience will not be pleased without it, the 
poet is obliged to humour them. 
Dryden, Love Triumphant, Ded. 
The boy indeed was, at the grandam's side, 
Humour'd and truin'd, her trouble and her pride. 
Crabbe, Works, V. 237. 
2. To endeavor to comply with the peculiari- 
ties or exigencies of; adapt one's self to ; suit 
or accommodate : as, to humor one's part or the 
piece. 
It is my part to Invent, and the musicians to humour 
that invention. Dryden, 
I thank you, good master, for this piece of merriment, 
and this song, which was well humoured by the maker, 
and well remembered by you. 
T. Walton, Complete Angler, p. 114. 
Not one of whom [Peter Stuyvesant's negroes] but al- 
lowed himself to be taken in, and humored his old mas- 
ter's jokes, as became a faithful and well-disciplined de- 
pendant. Irving, Knickerbocker, p. 483. 
Syn. 1. Indulge, etc. See gratify. 
humoral (hu'- or u'mor-al), a. [= F. humoral 
= Sp. Pg. humoral = It. umorale, (. NL. humo- 
ralis,( humor, humor: see humor, n.~] Inpathol., 
pertaining to or proceeding from the humors. 
If a humoral tumour be made by any external cause, as 
by a wound, bruise, &c., it is easily discerned. 
Wiseman, Surgery, i. 2. 
Humoral pathology, that bygone system or doctrine of 
the nature of diseases which attributed all morbid phe- 
nomena to a disordered condition of the humors, 
humoralism (hu'- or u'mor-al-izm), n. [< hu- 
moral + -ism.'] 1. The state of being humor- 
al. 2. The doctrine that diseases have their 
seat in the humors of the body, 
humoralist (hu'- or u'mor-al-ist), n. [< hu- 
moral + -ist.~] One who favors the humoral 
pathology. 
humored, humoured (hu'- or u'mord), p. a. 
1. Having or manifesting a humor or disposi- 
tion of a certain kind : used in composition : as, 
a gooft-humored man ; you are very itt-humored 
to-day. 2f. Governed by humor; capricious; 
humorous. 
I know you are a woman, and so hunwur'd. 
Fletcher, Loyal Subject, i. 2. 
humoresque (hu- or u-mor-esk'), . [= G. Dan. 
humoreske; as humor (' -esque.] A musical 
composition of humorous or capricious charac- 
ter; a caprice. [Recent.] 
Orieg calls them Humore/tques, and invests them with 
a beautiful humor of a sturdy and rollicking sort. 
Musical Record, April, 1888, p. 10. 
humoric (hu'- or u'mor-ik), a. [< humor + 
-ic.] Pertaining to humor or humors. Imp. 
Diet. 
humorific (hu- or u-mo-rif'ik), a. [< L. humor, 
humor, + facere, make.] Producing humor. 
Coleridge. [Bare.] 
humorism (hu'- or u'mor-izm), . [= F. hu- 
morisme (def. 1); as humor + -ism.~\ 1. An old 
medical theory founded on the part which the 
humors were supposed to play in the production 
of disease; Galenism. 2. The manner or dis- 
position of a humorist. 
2918 
humorist (hu'- or u'mor-ist), n. [= F. humo- 
riste (def. 1); as humor + -ist.] If. One who 
attributes all diseases to a depraved state of 
the humors; a humoralist. 2. A person who 
acte according to his humor; one easily moved 
by fancy, whim, or caprice ; a person of eccen- 
tric conduct or uncertain temper. 
Mit. A humourist, too? 
Cor. As humourous as quicksilver ; do but observe him. 
/'. Jonson, Every Man out of his Humour, i. 1. 
The notion of a humorist is one that is greatly pleased 
or greatly displeased with little things ; his actions seldom 
directed by the reason and nature of things. Watts. 
He has not the least idea of cheerfulness in conversation ; 
is a humorist, very supercilious, and wrapt up in admira- 
tion of his own country. 
B. WalpoU, To Grey, Jan. 26, 1766. 
8. A person who possesses the faculty of hu- 
mor; one who entertains by the exercise of a 
comical fancy; a humorous talker, writer, or 
actor ; a wag ; a droll. 
Now, gentlemen, I go 
To turn an actor and a humourist, 
Where, ere I do resume my present person, 
We hope to make the circles of your eyes 
Flow with distilled laughter. 
/>'. Jonson, Every Man out of his Humour, Int. 
His standpoint In regard to most matters was that of 
the sympathetic humorist, who would be glad to have the 
victim of circumstances laugh with him, but was not too 
much vexed when the victim could not 
The Century, XXX. 250. 
humoristic (hu- or u-mo-ris'tik), a. I. Per- 
taining or relating to medical humorism : as, 
the humoristic theory; humoristic remedies. 
2. Pertaining to or like a humorist ; character- 
istic of a humorist or of humorists. 
He [Cervantes] has also more or less directly given im- 
pulse and direction to all humoristic literature since his 
time. Lotcell, Don Quixote. 
But both Sonthey and the anonymous poet curiously 
misconceived the hurnoristic touch of Lamb. 
Harper's Mag., T.YX 317. 
humorize (hu'- or u'mor-iz), v. i.; pret. and pp. 
humorized, ppr. humorizing. [< humor + -ize.] 
If. To fall in with the humor of a person or 
thing; agree; harmonize. 
His clothes due sympathize, 
And with his inward spirit humorize. 
Marston, Satires, ill. 
2. To be humorous ; make odd or humorous re- 
marks or reflections; regard things from a hu- 
morous or facetious point of view. [Rare.] 
He had a little "mental twist" which caused him to 
moralize and humorize over life in a fashion quite his 
own. Art Slag., March, 1884. 
humorless, humourless (hu'- or u'mqr-les), a. 
[<ftmor + -tess.] Without humor; sober; dull. 
One of these humorless sublime Utopias is Comte's in- 
stitution of spiritual marriage. N. A. Rev., ('XX. 279. 
humorology (hu- or u-mpr-ol'o-ji), n. [< humor 
+ -ology, q. v.] The study or science of humor. 
Davies. [Rare.] 
Oh men ignorant of humorology ! more ignorant of psy- 
chology ! and most ignorant of Pantagruelism ! 
Southey, The Doctor, interchapter xiii. 
humorous (hu'- or u'mor-us), a. [= OF. humo- 
reux. = Pr. humoros = Sp. humoroso = It. umo- 
roso, humorous, < LL. humorosus, correctly umo- 
rosus, only in lit. sense moist, < L. humor, umor, 
moisture: see humor, n.~\ If. Moist; humid. 
Come, he hath hid himself among these trees, 
To be consorted with the humnroua night. 
Shak., K, and J., 11. 1. 
The humorous fogs deprive us of his light. 
Drayton, Barons' Wars, L 47. 
2. Prone to be moved by humor or caprice; 
whimsical; crotchety. 
Why should the humorous boy forsake the chase? 
Chapman, Gentleman Usher, iv. 1. 
Thou Fortune's champion, that dost never fight 
But when her humorous ladyship is by. 
SAa*., K. John, iii. 1. 
3. Characterized by or full of humor; exciting 
laughter; comical; diverting; funny: as, a hu- 
morous story or author. 
The Prince . . . with another humorous ruth remark d 
The lusty mowers labouring dinnerless. 
Tennyson, Geraint 
This very seriousness is often the outward sign of that 
humorous quality of the mind which delights in finding an 
element of identity in things seemingly the most incon- 
gruous, and then again in forcing an incongruity upon 
things identical. Louxll, Biglow Papers, Int. 
It is related of Sheridan that, being found in the streets 
in the early hour of the morning thoroughly drunk, a 
watchman asked him his name, on which with humorous 
malice he stammered out " Wilberforce." 
Fortnightly Rev., N. S., XLIII. 377. 
=8yn. 3. Facetious, Jocose, witty, droll. 
humorously (hu'- or u'mor-us-li), adv. In a 
humorous manner, (a) Capriciously ; whimsically. 
humpback 
We resolve by halves, . . . rashly, ... or humorously. 
Calamy. 
(b) With humor ; pleasantly ; jocosely. 
When a thing is humourously described, our burst of 
laughter proceeds from a very different cause ; we compare 
the absurdity of the character represented with our own, 
and triumph in conscious superiority. 
Goldsmith, Polite Learning, xi. 
humorousness (hu'- or u'mor-us-nes), n. It. 
Peevishness; petulance; mobdiness. 2. The 
state or quality of being humorous, (a) Fickle- 
ness ; capriciousness. (t>) Oddness of conceit ; jocularity. 
humorsome.humoursome (hu'- oru'mor-sum), 
a. [< humor + -some.'} 1. Influenced by the 
humor of the moment; moody; capricious; pee- 
vish ; petulant. 
The divine way of working is not parti-colour or humour- 
some, but uniform, and consonant to the laws of exactest 
wisdome. Glanrille, Pre-existence of Souls, ii. 
He has chosen his place of residence rather to obey the 
direction of an old humoureome father than in pursuit of 
his own inclinations. Steele, Spectator, No. 2. 
I know him to be light, and vain, and humoursome. 
Lamb, New Year's Eve. 
2. Adapted to excite laughter; odd; humorous. 
Our science cannot be much improved by masquerades, 
where the wit of both sexes is altogether taken up in con- 
tinning singular and humorsome disguises. Swift. 
humorsomely, humoursomely (hu'- or u'mor- 
sum-li), adv. In a humorsome manner; capri- 
ciously; whimsically; oddly; humorously. 
The difference being only this : that this waa a thing in- 
telligible, but humouraomely expressed, whereas the other 
seems to be perfect nonsense. 
Cudworth, Intellectual System, p. 107. 
humorsomeness, humoursomeness (hu'- or 
u'mor-sum-nes), . The state or quality of be- 
ing humorsome, capricious, or odd. 
I never blame a lady for her httmorsomeness so much as 
... I blame her mother. 
RifharilmiH. Sir Charles Grandison, IV. 26. 
humour, humoured, etc. See humor, etc. 
humous (hu'mus), a. [< humus + -ous.~\ Per- 
taining to or derived from humus or mold. 
hump (hump), n. [Not in ME. ; prob. of LG. 
origin; cf. D. homp, a hump, lump, = LG. 
hump, heap, hill, stump (Mahn), dim. humpel, 
a little heap or mound; perhaps a nasalized 
form of the root (*hup) of heap, q. v. Cf. Gr. 
xv0of, a hump, Kvjiuua, a hunch on the back, 
KvQjvurof, humpbacked, Lith. kumpas, hunch- 
backed, Skt. kubja, humpbacked. Cf . hummock, 
hummie.] A protuberance ; a swelling. 
Here upon this hump of granite 
Sit with me a quiet while. ./. S. Blackie. 
Especially (a) A hunch or protuberance on the back, 
caused by an abnormal curvature of the spine, or by natu- 
ral growth: as, a man with a hump; a camel with two 
humps; the hump on the back of a whale. (b) In entom.. 
a projection on the back of a larva, formed by an upward 
enlargement of a whole segment, which Is then said to be 
humped. Projections of this kind are very common in the 
larva; of the Lepidoptera. 
hump (hump), v. [< hump, n."] I. trans. 1. 
To bend or hunch so as to form a hump, as 
the back in some kinds of labor, like that of a 
miner or ditcher, or as cattle in cold or stormy 
weather. 
The ponies did not seem to mind the cold much, but the 
cattle were very uncomfortable, standing humped up in 
the bushes except for an hour or two at mid-day when 
they ventured out to feed. 
T. Roosevelt, Hunting Trips, p. 110. 
2. To prepare for a great effort ; gather (one's 
self) together; hurry; exert (one's self): as, 
hump yourself now. [Slang, U. S.] 
Col. Burns said, "Now you all watch that critter hump 
himself." Philadelphia Times, Aug. 15, 1888. 
3. To huff; vex. [Slang.] 
In serving me, this rascal of a Frederic has broken a cap, 
true Japan, upon my honor the rogue does nothing else. 
Yesterday, for instance, did he not hump me prodigious- 
ly, by letting fall a goblet, after Cellini, uf which the carv- 
ing alone cost me three hundred francs? 
Thackeray, Paris Sketch-Book, On some Fashionable 
[French Novels. 
4. In cutlery, to round off, as scissors. 
The humping or rounding of scissors. 
Encyc. Brit., VL 784. 
II. intrans. To use great exertion; put forth 
effort. [Slang, U. S.] 
I spent my evening flitting from one to the other [the- 
ater], and got my money's worth out of the hackraan, as 
I made him hump. Philadelphia Times, Jan. 10, 1886. 
humpback (hump'bak), n. 1. A crooked or 
hunched back. 
The . . . chief of the family was born with an hump- 
back and a very high nose. Tatter. 
2. One who has a crooked back ; a hunchback. 
It was certainly more agreeable to have an ill-natured 
humpback as a companion than to stand looking out of the 
study-window. George Eliot, Hill on the Floss, ii. 3. 
