word | travesty |
---|---|
definition | (1) An inferior or distorted imitation. (2) A broadly comic imitation in drama, literature, or art that is usually grotesque and ridiculous. |
eg_sentence | The senator was shouting that the new tax bill represented a travesty of tax reform. |
explanation | The word travesty comes from the same prefix and root as transvestite. Since cross-dressing often isn't very convincing, the word has usually referred to something absurd. So a verdict that angers people may be denounced as a “travesty of justice.” Saturday Night Live specializes in dramatic travesties mocking everything from political figures and issues to popular culture—“disguised” versions intended for entertainment. Travesty may also be a verb; thus, Mel Brooks has travestied movie genres of all kinds—westerns, thrillers, and silent films, among others |
IPA | ˈtrævəsti |
Tags: mwvb::unit:12, mwvb::unit:12:word, mwvb::word, mwvb::word-cloze, mwvb::word-reverse, obsidian_to_anki
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