Rimshots

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A sharp, percussive sound produced by striking a drum's edge while simultaneously hitting the drumhead
2. A comedic timing moment where a musical cue emphasizes a punchline or joke
3. A technique used in music and comedy to create an immediate auditory response, often associated with humor

Etymology: "Rimshot" is a compound of "rim" and "shot," and the drumming technique it names is older than the comedy sense. A rimshot is struck by bringing the drumstick down so it hits both the drumhead and the metal rim at once, producing a sharp, cracking double sound. The "shot" element is a loose, older use of the word for a single blow or strike, the same sense that gives us "a shot in the arm." The comedic meaning came from the drum's role in vaudeville and early American stage performance. Drummers were often hired to punctuate a joke's end, and the rimshot became the standard signal that a punchline had landed. Audiences learned to hear it as "that was the funny part," and the term moved from the drum kit into everyday talk about jokes and timing. The plural "rimshots" simply names more than one of these strikes or cues. The verb sense, to add a rimshot to a joke or performance, follows naturally from the noun.