zanyship, n.

zanyship
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zanyship_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
Revised 2024

# † zanyshipnoun

## Factsheet

### What does the noun zanyship mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zanyship. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

This word is now obsolete. It is last recorded around the 1830s.

### Where does the noun zanyship come from?

Earliest known use

mid 1700s

The earliest known use of the noun zanyship is in the mid 1700s.

OED's earliest evidence for zanyship is from 1766, in a diary entry by John Adams, president of the United States of America.

zanyship is formed within English, by derivation.

Etymons: zany n., ‑ship suffix.

### Nearby entries

1. zanella, n. 1876–
2. zanily, adv. 1936–
3. zaniness, n. 1933–
4. Zante, n. 1615–
5. Zantedeschia, n. 1836–
6. ZANU, n. 1963–
7. zany, n. & adj. 1582–
8. zany, v. 1602–1894
9. zanyish, adj. 1843–
10. zanyism, n. 1823–
11. zanyship, n.1766–1839
12. Zanzibari, n. & adj. 1882–
13. zap, n. 1968–
14. zap, v. 1942–
15. zap, int. 1929–
16. Zapata, n. 1962–
17. zapateado, n. 1845–
18. Zapatism, n. 1911–
19. Zapatismo, n. 1913–
20. Zapatist, n. & adj. 1911–
21. Zapatista, n. & adj. 1911–

## Etymology

### Summary

Formed within English, by derivation.
< zany n. + ‑ship suffix.

## Meaning & use

Obsolete. rare.

1. 1766–1839
   The state or condition of being a zany (in various senses of zany n.).
   1. 1766

      > Y. Z. and H. had attacked him, about Idleness and familiar Spirits, and Zanyship.

      J. Adams, Diary 7 January (1961) vol. I. 287
   2. 1839

      > His superiority in military tactics to Sir Arthur Wellesley, his connection with Beau Brummell, and his complete and unmitigated Zanyship as it appeared in every act of his life, were all faithfully set forth.

      Satirist 24 November 4/3
   1. wantonness c1405
      Foppishness, affectation. Obsolete.
   2. absurdity 1529–
      The quality or state of being extremely unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate, or of arousing amusement or derision.
   3. monstruousness 1545–
      = monstrousness, n.
   4. impertinency 1573–1847
      The fact or quality of being inappropriate, incongruous, or irrational; absurdity; triviality; = impertinence, n. 2b. Obsolete.
   5. ridiculousness 1573–
      The state or quality of being ridiculous; absurdity.
   6. monstrousness 1574–
      The quality of being monstrous (in various senses of the adjective); hugeness, enormity; dreadfulness; †unnaturalness (obsolete).
   7. absurd 1581–
      With the. That which is absurd; absurdity.
   8. absurdness 1582–
      = absurdity, n. 3.
   9. incongruity 1597–
      Want of accordance with what is reasonable or fitting; unsuitableness, inappropriateness, absurdity.
   10. fancy 1598–1823
       Fantasticalness. Obsolete.
   11. delirium 1599–
       Irrational, deluded, or absurd thought, speech, or behaviour; delusion, absurdity. Also: an absurd, irrational, or deluded belief or remark.
   12. monstruosity 1604
       = monstrosity, n. (in various senses).
   13. absurdum 1606–
       An absurd or illogical conclusion; (also) an absurd state or condition. Cf. reductio ad absurdum, n.
   14. foppishness 1611–
   15. impertinence 1616–1823
       The fact or quality of being inappropriate, incongruous, or irrational; action or behaviour of this nature; inappropriateness, incongruity…
   16. nonsense 1630–
       Absurdity, nonsensicalness. With of.
   17. impertinentness 1645–71
   18. irrationality 1647–
       The quality of not being guided by, or not being in accordance with, reason; absurdity of thought or action.
   19. monstrosity 1651–
       The condition or fact of being repulsively unnatural or outrageously or offensively wrong.
   20. nonsensicality 1652–
       The fact or quality of being nonsensical; an instance of this, a nonsensical thing.
   21. ridicule 1668–
       The quality or fact of being ridiculous; ridiculousness, absurdity. With of. Now rare.
   22. ridicule 1672–1858
       The quality or fact of being ridiculous; ridiculousness, absurdity. Without construction. Obsolete.
   23. nonsensicalness 1674–
       The fact or quality of being nonsensical, nonsensicality.
   24. maggotry 1706–31
       Foolishness, absurdity. Obsolete.
   25. preposterousness 1727
       The quality of being preposterous; †inversion of the natural or rational order (obsolete); perversity; unreasonableness; absurdity.
   26. zanyship 1766–1839
       The state or condition of being a zany (in various senses of zany, n.).
   27. ridiculosity 1773
       A ridiculous thing. Also: the state or quality of being ridiculous; ridiculousness.
   28. drollness 1823–
   29. stultification 1832–
       The action of stultify, v., the state of being stultified; an instance of this.
   30. nonsensity 1834–
       = nonsensicality, n.
   31. farcicality 1849–
       Farcical quality; an instance of this.
   32. cockeyedness 1858–
   View in Historical Thesaurus

Originally published as part of the entry for zanyism, n.

zanyship, n. was revised in March 2024.

zanyship, n. was last modified in June 2024.