Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense mocks, present participle mocking, past tense, past participle mocked
1. verb
If someone mocks you, they show or pretend that they think you are foolish or inferior, for example by saying something funny about you, or by imitating your behaviour.
I thought you were mocking me. [VERB noun]
I distinctly remember mocking the idea. [VERB noun]
'I'm astonished, Benjamin,' she mocked. [VERB with quote]
Synonyms: laugh at, insult, tease, ridicule More Synonyms of mock
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
You use mock to describe something which is not real or genuine, but which is intended to be very similar to the real thing.
'It's tragic!' swoons Jeffrey in mock horror.
...a mock Tudor mansion.
Synonyms: imitation, pretended, artificial, forged More Synonyms of mock
3. countable noun [usually plural]
Mocks are practice exams that you take as part of your preparation for real exams.
[British, informal]
She went from a D in her mocks to a B in the real thing.
Synonyms: laughing stock, mockery, fool, dupe More Synonyms of mock
More Synonyms of mock
mock in British English
(mɒk)
verb
1. (whenintr, often foll by at)
to behave with scorn or contempt (towards); show ridicule (for)
2. (transitive)
to imitate, esp in fun; mimic
3. (transitive)
to deceive, disappoint, or delude
4. (transitive)
to defy or frustrate
the team mocked the visitors' attempt to score
noun
5.
the act of mocking
6.
a person or thing mocked
7.
a counterfeit; imitation
8. (often plural) informal
(in England and Wales) the school examinations taken as practice before public examinations
adjective(prenominal)
9.
sham or counterfeit
10.
serving as an imitation or substitute, esp for practice purposes
a mock battle
mock finals
Derived forms
mockable (ˈmockable)
adjective
mocker (ˈmocker)
noun
mocking (ˈmocking)
noun, adjective
mockingly (ˈmockingly)
adverb
Word origin
C15: from Old French mocquer
mock in American English
(mɑk)
verb transitive
1.
to hold up to scorn or contempt; ridicule
2.
to imitate or mimic, as in fun or derision; burlesque
3.
to lead on and disappoint; deceive
4.
to defy and make futile; defeat
the fortress mocked the invaders
verb intransitive
5.
to show or express scorn, ridicule, or contempt; jeer
often with at
noun
6.
an act of mocking; jibe; sneer
7.
a person or thing receiving or deserving ridicule or derision
8.
an imitation or counterfeit
adjective
9.
sham; false; imitation; pretended
a mock battle
10.
of or designating a food that imitates another
mock mincemeat
adverb
11.
in a false or insincere manner
mock-sympathetic words
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈimiˌtate, ˈridiˌcule
Derived forms
mocker (ˈmocker)
noun
mockingly (ˈmockingly)
adverb
Word origin
ME mokken < OFr mocquer, to mock
Examples of 'mock' in a sentence
mock
She mocked the idea of a new pleasure cruiser for the royals.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It was widely mocked as inflammatory scaremongering.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He and his brother played at soldiers and choreographed their own mock battles while his father drilled in more serious fashion.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was widely mocked for it, not least because he was not actually in Libya when he made the recording.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Use their advice during mock interviews with friends and family.
The Sun (2014)
So they are the subject of being mocked and ridiculed.
The Sun (2013)
She was driven into the desert for a mock execution.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Was he mocking the idea of memorial greatness?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
There is a mock trial and visitors are invited to give their verdict and suggest other suspects.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They split into teams for mock battles.
The Sun (2006)
Call him a fat cat who mocks the public.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She has already been subjected to mock executions.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Many might mock the idea but sometimes combining two totally unconnected things can really work.
The Sun (2013)
His first press conference after the scandal was widely mocked for his mawkish scripted apologies to family and fans.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It's impossible to ridicule a show that mocks itself.
The Sun (2012)
At home, my girlfriend had waited up for me with mock disapproval.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His campaign on her behalf caused him to be scorned, mocked and reviled.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
People are mocked and ridiculed, which is hard to take.
The Sun (2007)
Labour MPs shrieked in mock horror.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In a series of vignettes he showed them mocking, criticising or dismissing almost all of the senior civilians in and around their chain of command.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
mock
British English: mock /mɒk/ ADJECTIVE
You use mock to describe something which is not genuine, but which is intended to be very similar to the real thing.
His voice was raised in mock horror.
American English: mock
Arabic: سَاخِرٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: falso
Chinese: 假的
Croatian: tobožnji
Czech: falešný
Danish: falsk
Dutch: onecht
European Spanish: simulado
Finnish: vale-
French: faux
German: unecht
Greek: ψεύτικος
Italian: finto
Japanese: まがいの
Korean: 모조의
Norwegian: uekte
Polish: pozorny
European Portuguese: falso
Romanian: fals
Russian: поддельный
Latin American Spanish: simulado
Swedish: låtsad
Thai: เลียนแบบ
Turkish: deneme sınavı
Ukrainian: копія
Vietnamese: giả
British English: mock /mɒk/ VERB
If you mock someone, you laugh at them, tease them, or try to make them look foolish.