funny ha-ha

Definitions

1. 1

   Humorous, as opposed to strange (the other meaning of funny).

   • 1936, Ian Hay, The Housemaster What do you mean, funny? Funny peculiar or funny ha-ha?
   • 1938, Stevie Smith, Over The Frontier Is it in essence so extremely funny-ha-ha that it will bear this so frequent repetition?
   • Funny is now occasionally ambiguous, as a slang expression fashionable a decade ago shows: “Do you mean funny''' ‘ha-ha’ or funny ‘peculiar’?”
2. 2

   Humorous, as opposed to serious or nonfunny.

   • 1971, Harold Robbins, The Betsy But it wasn’t a funny ha-ha smile. It was the kind of smile you have when you find a friend.
   • 1999, Anna Fienberg, Borrowed Light Mostly he makes jokes about Mum’s cooking. Not the funny ha-ha jokes, more the sneery, condescending snipes that leave an uncomfortable silence, while you decide whose side you should be on.
   • 2003, Steven Cooper, With You in Spirit She laughs, not a funny ha-ha laugh but rather a tiny self-inflicted chuckle of disgust.

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