n. [ F. lampon a drinking song, fr. lampons let us drink, -- the burden of such a song, fr. lamper to guzzle, to drink much and greedily; of German origin, and akin to E. lap to drink. Prob. so called because drinking songs often contain personal slander or satire. ] 1. A personal satire in writing; usually, malicious and abusive censure written only to reproach and distress. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like her who missed her name in a lampoon,
And grieved to find herself decayed so soon. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence: Any satire ridiculing or mocking a person, activity, or institution by representing its character or behavior in an exaggerated or grotesque form; the representation may be written, filmed, or performed as a live skit, and may be intended as a severe reproach, or as good-natured humor. [ PJC ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Lampooned p. pr. & vb. n. Lampooning. ] To subject to abusive ridicule expressed in a work of art; to make (a person, behavior, or institution) the subject of a lampoon. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Ribald poets had lampooned him. Macaulay.

Syn. -- To libel; defame; satirize; lash. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The writer of a lampoon. “Libelers, lampooners, and pamphleteers.” Tatler. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of lampooning; a lampoon, or lampoons. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. melampo`dion; of uncertain origin. ] The black hellebore. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Palempore. [ 1913 Webster ]