laughing stock

laughing stock

A person who is the subject of mockery after a blunder. If I mess up this speech, I'll be the laughing stock of the school!
See also: laugh, stock
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

laughingstock

someone or something that is the target of ridicule. After he passed out at the president's dinner, he became the laughingstock of all his colleagues.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

a laughing stock

If you describe someone or something as a laughing stock, you mean that people think they are silly. The truth must never get out. If it did she would be a laughing stock. His policies became the laughing stock of the financial community.
See also: laugh, stock
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

laughing stock

a person subjected to general mockery or ridicule.
See also: laugh, stock
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

a ˈlaughing stock

a person that everyone laughs at because they have done something stupid: I can’t wear this to the party! I’ll be a laughing stock!
See also: laugh, stock
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a laughing stock
  • laughingstock
  • stock
  • surge off (of) (someone or something)
  • take stock
  • take stock (of something)
  • be in stock
  • in stock
  • have (something) in stock
  • have in stock
References in periodicals archive
He said: "It makes us look like a bit of a laughing stock and it is betrayal of the people of Gateshead.
Napakita nu'ng tao 'yung kanyang kakayahan (He was a laughing stock when he ran for Congress.
Calling it "The Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Combined Authority" (or HKLSSWCA for short!) is a complete joke - but it's our friends in the South who are the laughing stock, not us.
"There is simply no consistency in all this and failing to act in this instance has reduced the FA to a laughing stock," he told (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/10349106/Fernando-Torres-escaping-violent-conduct-charge-from-FA-makes-them-look-a-laughing-stock-says-Mark-Halsey.html) the Sun .
They now see him for what he is, a laughing stock."
It could help highlight positive impact about Pakistan across the world but ineptness and mismanagement the rulers in organizing this conference made the country laughing stock in the international community", he said this while talking to media men in his chambers here.
Big loser of the week was preening Silvio Berlusconi, as Italians finally realised their PM is a laughing stock around the world.
ANDREW STRAUSS believes England will never again be the "laughing stock" of world cricket, as they were when he was growing up.
Bob Ainsworth probably made himself more of a laughing stock, despite him saying he put Ian Hislop in his place.
They don't realise how stupid they look and that they are just a laughing stock to normal drivers who have better things to do.
This government must be the laughing stock of the world.
Newcastle 2pts 11-10 Bet365, Victor Chandler The Toon have been a laughing stock all summer, but they should finally give their long-suffering fans something to cheer about.
Taliban/Iraqi recruits would rapidly dry up as these heroes would not risk such an insulting end to their lives, with their families becoming a laughing stock for generations.
When she was in the jungle in I'm A Celebrity with very little make-up, she was actually extremely pretty and natural, but she is just ruining her good looks and making a laughing stock of herself with her obsession with plastic surgery.
Rajendra, you managed to make yourself a laughing stock in front of the public by writing the most obvious things.