clown, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

clown v.

also clown on

[i.e. to make into a fig. clown]

1. (US black) to ridicule, to humiliate.

1992		D. Burke Street Talk 2 51: ‘Why are you clownin’?’ – ‘Why are you belittling me?’.
1992		UGK ‘976-Bun B’ 🎵 I clown on hoes to leave their pussyhole frownin.
2000		Ebonics Primer at www.dolemite.com 🌐 clown Definition: 1. to get played 2. to play someone. Example: The pimp gots clowned by that crackers ass cop.
2002		Teen Lingo: The Source for Youth Ministry 🌐 clownin’ v. to make fun of someone. ‘Man, you tryin to clown on me?’.
2008		‘Grandmaster Flash’ Adventures 39: Clowning on another guy's moves by mimicking his style was like saying You suck.
2012		‘Dutch’ ? (Pronounced Que) [ebook] Just go at him and clown him about me takin’ his whip. A’ight?

2. to defeat in a humiliating manner.

2003

Eble Campus Sl. Nov. 2: clown – defeat to the point of embarrassment: We got clowned by Maryland.

clown (around) (v.) (also clown about)

to play the fool.

1928		M. West Pleasure Man (1997) Act I: I’ll run the whole gang of you off the stage if you don’t cut out your clowning.
1935		F. Nebel ‘Winter Kill’ in Goulart (1967) 135: ‘You’ll never get to be President doing this, Jerry.’ ‘You will clown won’t you?’.
1941		N. Davis ‘Don’t Give Your Right Name’ in Goulart (1967) 19: Let’s not clown around.
1942		N. Algren Never Come Morning (1988) 174: You’re gettin’ two warm meals a day n’ liquor for gettin’ customers ’n bouncin’ drunks, not for clownin’ for the girls.
1954		J.D. MacDonald All These Condemned (2001) 133: I got up and clowned it, doing my Kid Jonah, the Boston Butcher Boy.
1959		‘Ed McBain’ Killer’s Wedge (1981) 81: Had the loot meant something? Or was he just clowning around?
1963		G. Lambert Inside Daisy Clover (1966) 173: Is it just someone called Daisy Clover who sings and clowns around and makes a lot of money?
1975		L. Rosten Dear ‘Herm’ 14: So please, old buddy, cut the clowning around.
1980		H. Ellison All the Lies in Shatterday (1982) 177: Okay, take it easy. I’m just clowning.
1999		Guardian G2 23 Aug. 4: Frank Bruno is clowning about.
2000		Guardian Guide 1–6 Jan. 11: Everybody’s screaming and clowning around and all that stuff.