A city-hired consultant from a firm called Urban Futures was booed repeatedly by the agitated homeowners as he talked deadpan, in bureaucratese, about his firm's "evidentiary record" pointing to blight in the neighborhood.2004, Steven Greenhut, Abuse of Power: How the Government Misuses Eminent Domain, page 46:
deadpan
noun
Etymology From dead + pan (“face”).
1
A style of comedic delivery in which something humorous is said or done while not exhibiting a change in emotion or facial expression.
MAREK: But really the deadpan is key. You can essentially trick people into laughing at nothing.2007, Meredith Gran, Octopus Pie #71: Deadpan:
Synonyms
deadpan comedy, deadpan humour
deadpan
verb
Etymology From dead + pan (“face”).
1
To express (something) in an impassive or expressionless manner.
Kidd deadpanned it, stared glassily back at Maitland.2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 496: