joe miller
Definition
Noun (proper noun, often used in the phrase "Joe Miller"): - A stale or hackneyed joke; a piece of humour that is old and unoriginal, often considered trite or clichéd.
Usage Examples
- (A stale, overused joke.)
- (Hackneyed jokes that lack freshness.)
Advanced Usage
"to tell a Joe Miller": to recount a joke that is well-known and no longer amusing.
- Whenever Uncle Bob starts a story, it's usually a Joe Miller that we've heard a dozen times. (A predictable, old joke.)
"Joe Millerism": the practice or habit of telling stale jokes.
- His constant Joe Millerism made him unpopular at social gatherings. (The tendency to rely on old, unfunny jokes.)
Variants and Related Words
- Joe Miller's jest book (historical): a collection of jokes attributed to Joe Miller, an 18th-century English comic actor, which became synonymous with old, reprinted humour.
- The book was a compendium of Joe Millers, passed down through generations. (A collection of stale jokes.)
Synonyms
- Chestnut: an old, often repeated joke or story.
- Old saw: a well-worn saying or joke that has lost its impact.
- Tired joke: a joke that is no longer amusing due to overuse.
Related Idioms
Old joke: a joke that is familiar and unoriginal.
- That's just an old joke; we need something new. (A stale, predictable piece of humour.)
Hackneyed humour: humour that is trite and lacking originality.
- The play's dialogue was full of hackneyed humour, relying on Joe Millers. (Overused, clichéd jokes.)