Monday, November 26, 2012

humorous, humerus

Humorous or humorous means amusing or comical--
The preacher often began his sermon with a humorous story.
Instead of being embarrassed, he found the situation humorous.

Humerus or humerus ( rhymes with humorous ) is the bone in your arm from shoulder to elbow, often called the "funny bone"--
If you bump your humerus against something, it may feel funny for a few minutes, but it's nothing serious.
He broke his humerus and was in a cast for six weeks.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He broke his humerus, and was annoyed with the punsters who found it humorous"

Note--to "humor" someone means to go along with his whims, even if you don't understand them, so "humor us" ( two words, rhymes with humorous ) would mean to go along with the whims or moods of more than one person--
We know you don't see the point of these precautions, but humor us until you learn why they are necessary.
Note # 2--"humorous", in a book from long ago, may also mean having to do with the "humours" of the body, or with fluid or moisture from a body--
Medieval physicians believed that some diseases were humorous.
Note # 3--"humorless" ( one word ) means lacking any sense of fun or "humor"--
"We are not amused", she said in a dry, humorless tone.
"Humor less" ( two words ) might make a part of a sensible sentence, where "humor" means to go along with someone's whims, and "less" means not so much--
School discipline would be more effective if we would humor less, and punish more.
Note # 4--"humorist" means someone who makes others laugh with jokes or who writes comical pieces--
One of the paper's local coumnists is our favorite humorist.
Note # 5--"humoresque" means a short, light-hearted musical composition--
He has been practicing a humoresque all week, for the piano recital on Saturday.

1 comment:

  1. I whacked him with my arm because I thought it would be humerus. Now I know why he did not find it funny.

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