Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an irritating person; a troublemaker; a fool; as a term of address.

1905		Duke Tritton’s Letter n.p.: It is hard to believe that two years ago I was [...] pinching the squatter’s lambs when we were out of meat, jumping the rattler and acting all round like a pair of half witted clowns.
1916		J. Buchan Greenmantle (1930) 326: I was thinking only that I felt mortally shy [...] I was sure that my companion was looking at me all the time and laughing at me for a clown.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 327: Jesus, there’s always some bloody clown or other kicking up a bloody murder about bloody nothing.
1930		J.T. Farrell ‘Helen, I Love You’ in Short Stories (1937) 11: If you weren’t such a clown, I’d break you with my little finger.
1939		R. Chandler ‘Trouble Is My Business’ in Spanish Blood (1946) 201: Clowns like that don’t kill.
1949		N. Algren Man with the Golden Arm 43: A shaft like that wasted on a clown like Drunkie John.
1955		B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 14: First that clown Kefauver and then these jokers.
1957		H. Ellison ‘We Take Care of Our Dead’ in Deadly Streets (1983) 61: Shut up, clown, this is a private discussion.
1968		P. Terson Apprentices (1970) I i: Who you calling a big clown.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 10: Some ugly clown be shakin’ maracas or a cowbell in front of a band.
1981		S. Berkoff Decadence in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 16: Kick out the bastard / get rid of the clown.
1986		R.G. Barrett Real Thing 11: How long has this Rossiter clown been out of the nick?
1990		(con. early 1950s) J. Ellroy L.A. Confidential 152: This clown was popped twice for statch rape.
1999		P. Temple Black Tide (2012) [ebook] This clown here, knows nothin about the Sainters.
2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 53: Some clown’s suggested that it may be an idea if she was earnin her own money.
2005		‘Gut Feeling’ at coldbloodedgames.typepad.com 8 May 🌐 Night time security is a fat clown with a drink problem and an aged ex-cop with a bum knee.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 51: Those clowns probably have something to do with it, the fire.
2012		(con. 1943) G.S. Manson Coorparoo Blues [ebook] He didn’t want to look like some clown.
2017		A. Parks Bloody January 60: ‘Got turned over last night. Clowns broke open the filing cabinet’.
2024		C. Stella Joey Piss Pot 31: ‘If you are playing with those clowns, know that nothing good will ever come from it’.

2. (US Und.) a police officer.

1927		‘Jargon of the Und.’ in DN V 442: Clown, A rural officer of the law.
1929		A.J. Barr Let Tomorrow Come 41: The sporty clown don’t like this an’ starts usin’ names I don’t like a damn bit.
1931–4		D. Clemmer Prison Community (1940) 331/1: clown, n. A village constable or policeman.
1936		(ref. to 1920s) L. Duncan Over the Wall 143: The clowns in this burg believe in that ‘Cherchez la femme’ stuff.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 46/1: Clown. A constable or small town police officer.

3. (US black) a state of having fun, one’s frivolous, self-indulgent, partying side.

1953

L. Durst Jives of Dr. Hepcat (1989) 2: You got a list for squares, politely move my name from there: I am no parts lame and I am strictly not putting on a ‘clown’ but I do believe it is time for cupid to put our love down.

4. (US black) a fuss, complaining.

1953

L. Durst Jives of Dr. Hepcat (1989) 6: The scarf is low at the castle, my fronts are on the thin side, my stomps got eyes, the landlord is putting down a clown for his scratch.

5. see town clown under town n.²