ENGLISH
REFERENCE

mock

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈmɑk// UK //mˈɒk// mock Archaic

v. to tease or laugh at someone in an unkind way, often by copying what they say or do. You use this when someone is making fun of another person to make them look silly.

v. to treat with contempt or ridicule by mimicking appearance or behaviour. Often implies a lack of respect or an attempt to diminish the subject's dignity.


SIMPLE

The children began to mock his strange accent.

CONTEXTUAL

It is cruel to mock someone for making a mistake when they are trying their best to learn.

COMPLEX

The satirist used his column to mock the government's contradictory policies, employing sharp irony to highlight the gap between their promises and the reality of the situation.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English mokken, from Old French mocquer, moquier (“to deride, jeer”), from Middle Dutch mocken (“to mumble”) or Middle Low German mucken (“to grumble, talk with the mouth half-opened”), both from Proto-West Germanic mokkijan, mukkijan (“to low, bellow; mumble”), from Proto-Germanic mukkijaną, mūhaną (“to low, bellow, shout”), from Proto-Indo-European mūg-, mūk- (“to low, mumble”). Cognate with Dutch mokken (“to sulk; pout; mope; grumble”), Old High German firmucken (“to be stupid”), Modern German mucksen (“to utter a word; mumble; grumble”), West Frisian mokke (“to mope; sulk; grumble”), Swedish mucka (“to murmur”), dialectal Dutch mokkel (“kiss”).

Usage

Transitive; always requires a direct object representing the person or thing being ridiculed.

Pitfall

they mocked at himthey mocked himMock is a transitive verb and does not require the preposition 'at' before the object.

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