bloopers

Noun

blooper (plural bloopers)

1. (informal) A blunder, an error.
   • Why do my readers and informants so delight in bloopers and boo-boos, fluffs and flubs, and goofs and gaffes? […] The humor in bloopers lies, in part, in the listener's awareness of the speaker's vulnerability. It is the very artlessness of linguistic lapses that makes them so endearing and makes...1996 November, Richard Lederer, “Introduction”, in Fractured English: A Pleasury of Bloopers and Blunders, Fluffs and Flubs, and Gaffes and Goofs, 1st trade paperback edition, New York, N.Y.: Pocket...

   Synonyms:

   boo-boo, faux pas, fluff, gaffe, lapse, mistake, slip, stumble, aberration, bloomer

2. (slang) A fly ball that is weakly hit just over the infielders.
   • Again the blooper wafted up to the plate. Ted waited and waited and then let loose. The ball rose in a high trajectory and sailed deep into the bullpen for a homer. The fans roared. The slugger had killed the blooper.1949, Jimmy Powers, Baseball Personalities: The Most Colorful Figures of All Time, New York, N.Y.: R. Field, →OCLC, page 254

   Synonyms:

   banjo hit, flare, Texas leaguer

3. (informal) A filmed or videotaped outtake that has recorded an amusing accident or mistake.
   • WLK. First radio station. On December 31, 1921, local engineer Francis F. Hamilton's radio station, 9ZJ, signed on with an address from Mayor Samuel (Lew) Shank. Broadcasting from Hamilton's garage at 2011 North Alabama Street, Shank made the city's first radio blooper: "Hamilton, do you mean to...1921 December 31, “WLK”, in David J. Bodenhamer and Robert G[raham] Barrows, with the assistance of David G[ordon] Vanderstel, editors, The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, Bloominton; Indianapolis...
4. A gaff-rigged fore-and-aft sail set from and aft of the aftmost mast of a square-rigged ship; a spanker.
   • Once the blooper is around the spinnaker, let out the blooper sheet completely (which collapses the blooper), race the blooper sheet forward and reset on the other side.1976, Yacht Racing, volume 15, Chicago, Ill.: One-Design Yachtsman, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 30, column 3
5. (US, dated) A radio which interferes with other radios, causing them to bloop (squeal loudly).
   • Upon close tickler coupling, the detector tube will oscillate, in which condition the tuning of DX will be faciliated. At such times the amount of energy radiated from the antenna is negligible, and does not interfere with reception or neighboring devices. This Roberts set is, therefore, not a...1925 March, Zeh Bouck, “A Great Two-tube Receiver: Complete Instructions for Building a Compact and Efficient Radio Receiving Set which Gives Wonderfully Satisfactory Results”, in Boys’ Life: The...
6. (US, slang) The Vietnam-era M79 grenade launcher (due to its distinctive report).