- 1妙語、俏皮話（機智的短評，有時帶「自以為好笑」的諷刺意味）
A short clever remark that makes people smile.
A short clever remark短短聰明的一句話 that makes people smile讓人會心一笑。
Not a joke with a set-up and a — a witticism is quick, it fits the moment, and it is usually made up on the spot. If someone says something at a meeting and you answer in six words in a way that turns it around, that is a witticism.
Not a joke with a set-up and a punchline不是那種有鋪陳、有笑點的笑話——a witticism妙語 is quick很快、it fits the moment合乎當下情境、and it is usually made up on the spot通常是當場想出來的。If someone says something at a meeting如果有人在會議上說了什麼、and you answer in six words而你用六個字回應、in a way that turns it around把情況反轉過來、that is a witticism那就是一句妙語。
The word is formal and slightly cool in tone. Here is the thing worth knowing: writers very often use it when the remark was NOT actually funny. "He offered a few witticisms" can quietly mean "he tried to be clever and nobody laughed". Watch for the surrounding words — attempted, so-called, tired, feeble — which push it that way.
The word這個字 is formal and slightly cool in tone語氣正式、略帶冷調。Here is the thing worth knowing值得注意的是：writers very often use it作家常常用它、when the remark was NOT actually funny是在講其實一點都不好笑的話的時候。"He offered a few witticisms"「他說了幾句妙語」 can quietly mean其實可能暗指 "he tried to be clever and nobody laughed"「他想耍聰明，結果沒人笑」。Watch for the surrounding words要注意周圍的字眼——attempted試圖、so-called所謂、tired老套、feeble牽強——which push it that way這些字會把它推向那個意思。
Used straight, without those signals, it is a compliment. It comes as a countable noun: a witticism, two witticisms. Verbs that go with it: make, offer, exchange, come out with.
Used straight如果照字面正常用、without those signals沒有那些暗示字眼、it is a compliment那就是稱讚。It comes as a countable noun它是可數名詞：a witticism一句妙語、two witticisms兩句妙語。Verbs that go with it常搭配的動詞：make說出、offer提出、exchange互相交換、come out with脫口而出。
You will meet it in books, reviews, and news writing. In conversation people say "a clever line", "a good comeback", or just "she's funny".
You will meet it你會在 in books, reviews, and news writing書籍、書評和新聞寫作裡 遇到它。In conversation在對話裡 people say一般人會說 "a clever line"「一句妙語」、"a good comeback"「很會回嘴」、or just "she's funny"或直接說「她很好笑」。
core核心畫面
組成witty + -icism, an ending copied from criticism. Coined in the 1670s by the English poet John Dryden, who built it on purpose to match criticism.
原始詞典資料1 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
witticismnoun/ˈwɪ.tɪ.sɪz.əm/
- 1
a witty remark; a bon mot; an epigram; a zinger.
- "Take any shape but that!" is what I always feel tempted to exclaim when dulness attempts a joke; striving to pervert some poor innocent and ill-used word from its lawful meaning till it ceases to have any at all—worrying some unfortunate idea till, like the hunted hare, it is worried to death—dealing in witticisms whose edge has long since been worn off by constant use; and truly to the many, witticisms not only require to be explained, like riddles, but are also like new shoes, which people require to wear many times before they get accustomed to them.
- Shock of the witticism is a powerful one; while mere fun will have no power over them if it jar on their moral taste.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。