ridicule
das Gespött
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ridicule
Malicious mockery or mocking remarks intended to make someone or something look ridiculous.
Er ertrug das Gespött seiner Klassenkameraden mit gespielter Gelassenheit.
He endured his classmates' ridicule with feigned composure.
to become a laughingstock
To be mocked by others and not taken seriously.
Mit dieser peinlichen Aktion wurde der Politiker zum Gespött der Öffentlichkeit.
With this embarrassing stunt, the politician became a public laughingstock.
to make someone a laughingstock
To expose someone to ridicule, either deliberately or through one's own behavior.
Mit seinen erfundenen Geschichten machte er sich selbst zum Gespött.
With his made-up stories, he made himself a laughingstock.
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| genitive | des Gespöttes |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Gespött | – |
| accusative | das Gespött | – |
| dative | dem Gespött | – |
| genitive | des Gespöttes des Gespötts | – |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Gespött' (ridicule) belongs to the same word family as 'spotten' (to mock), 'Spott' (mockery), and 'spöttisch' (mocking). This connection helps you recognize its meaning as a mocking or malicious reaction.
Seine spöttischen Bemerkungen machten den Vorfall zum Gespött.
His mocking remarks made the incident an object of ridicule.
'Gespött' (ridicule) frequently occurs with a genitive phrase indicating who is doing the mocking or who considers someone ridiculous. Typical combinations include 'das Gespött der Leute' (the object of people's ridicule) and 'das Gespött der Öffentlichkeit' (a public laughingstock).
Wegen des Skandals war der Minister monatelang das Gespött der Presse.
Because of the scandal, the minister was the object of the press's ridicule for months.
With 'machen' (to make), the person affected is in the accusative, followed by the fixed expression 'zum Gespött machen' (to make a laughingstock of). The pattern is: 'jemanden zum Gespött machen' (to make someone a laughingstock).
Mit diesem Auftritt machte der Schauspieler seinen Kollegen zum Gespött.
With this performance, the actor made his colleague a laughingstock.
