Laughing stock
A laughing stock is someone or something that people mock or treat as ridiculous. The phrase appears in Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor, where two men discover that their planned duel has become someone else's joke.
Where it comes from
A joke at someone else's expense
The phrase appears in The Merry Wives of Windsor, though it was already in use before Shakespeare. It describes the shame of becoming a target for public laughter.
The Host sends Sir Hugh Evans and Doctor Caius to different places for their duel. When they discover the trick, they turn their anger towards the man who has made them look foolish.
In The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare
What it means now
Today, a person, team, business or institution can become a laughing stock. The phrase suggests a loss of respect, not simply that someone has told a funny joke.
In Twelfth Night, Malvolio follows instructions in a forged letter, wearing yellow stockings and behaving strangely before Olivia. His confidence makes him an easy target for the people who arranged the trick.
In Twelfth Night; Or, What You Will by William Shakespeare
How to use Laughing stock
- Use it for someone or something exposed to ridicule.
- Make clear who is doing the mocking.
- Choose a gentler phrase when the embarrassment is minor.
Free for 3 months
200,000+ classics. Every format, free to start.
eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and any book printed at cost, large print too.
Did Shakespeare invent the phrase?
No, the phrase was in use before Shakespeare. It appears in The Merry Wives of Windsor, where Evans and Caius realise that the Host has tricked them. Its presence in Shakespeare does not mean that it began with him.
Is being a laughing stock the same as being funny?
No, a laughing stock is laughed at rather than admired for being funny. A comedian may deliberately entertain an audience, while a laughing stock usually suffers embarrassment or loses respect. The phrase can sound harsh because it points to humiliation.
Related terms
Books where you can see Laughing stock
Free for 3 months
200,000+ classics. Every format, free to start.
eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and any book printed at cost, large print too.
200,000+ classics to read and hear, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
