n.

1. A playful or amusing act; a prank. See synonyms at joke.
2. A frolicsome or frivolous mood: spoken in jest.
3. An object of ridicule; a laughingstock.
4. A witty remark.

v., jest·ed, jest·ing, jests.

v.intr.

1. To act or speak playfully.
2. To make witty remarks.
3. To utter scoffs; gibe.

v.tr.

To make fun of; ridicule.

[Middle English geste, tale, from Old French, from Latin gesta, deeds, from neuter pl. past participle of gerere, to perform.]

jestingly jest'ing·ly adv.

noun

1. An object of amusement or laughter: butt³, joke, laughingstock, mockery. See respect/contempt/standing.
2. Words or actions intended to excite laughter or amusement: gag, jape, joke, quip, witticism. Informal funny, gag. Slang ha-ha. See laughter.

verb

1. To make jokes; behave playfully: joke. Informal clown (around), fool around, fun. See laughter.
2. To make fun or make fun of: deride, gibe, jeer, laugh, mock, ridicule, scoff, scout², twit. Chiefly British quiz. Idioms: poke fun at. See laughter, respect/contempt/standing.

IN BRIEF: To joke about.

He assured her that all his teasing was in jest.

Tutor's tip: The adventurers dared not "jest" (joke) about the outcome of their "gest" (a great adventure). Note: The "gist" of something is the central idea or essence of something.

Quotes:

"The jest loses its point when he who makes it is the first to laugh." - Johann Friedrich Von Schiller

"Jests that give pains are no jests." - Miguel De Cervantes

"Many a true word is spoken in jest." - English Proverb

"Jesting is often only indigence of intellect." - Jean De La Bruyere

"Judge of a jest when you have done laughing." - William Lloyd

Dansk (Danish)
n. - vits, vittighed, spøg, morsomhed
v. intr. - lave sjov med, for sjov
v. tr. - drille

idioms:

• in jest    for sjov

Nederlands (Dutch)
grap, scherts, plagerij, mikpunt van spotternij, grappen maken, schertsen, schelden

Français (French)
n. - plaisanterie, blague, taquinerie
v. intr. - plaisanter, se moquer
v. tr. - plaisanter

idioms:

• in jest    pour plaisanter

Deutsch (German)
n. - Scherz, Witz
v. - Witze machen

idioms:

• in jest    im Scherz

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - αστεϊσμός, χωρατό, περίγελως
v. - αστεϊζομαι, αστειεύομαι, χωρατεύω

idioms:

• in jest    στ' αστεία, στα ψέματα

Italiano (Italian)
scherzare, burla, scherzo

idioms:

• in jest    burlesco, scherzosamente

Português (Portuguese)
n. - anedota (f), graça (f), pilhéria (f)
v. - caçoar, fazer graça, ridicularizar

idioms:

• in jest    por graça

Русский (Russian)
шутка, насмешка, объект насмешек, шутить, насмехаться, издеваться

idioms:

• in jest    в шутку

Español (Spanish)
n. - broma, burla, chiste, mofa, chanza
v. intr. - bromear, chancear, mofarse
v. tr. - bromear, burlarse, mofarse

idioms:

• in jest    en broma

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - skämt, föremål för skämt
v. - skämta skoja driva(med)

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
笑柄, 笑话, 讲笑话, 开玩笑, 嘲笑

idioms:

• in jest    开玩笑地

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 笑柄, 笑話
v. intr. - 講笑話, 開玩笑, 嘲笑
v. tr. - 嘲笑

idioms:

• in jest    開玩笑地

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 농담, 익살
v. intr. - 익살 떨다, 농담하다, 놀리다
v. tr. - 조롱하다, 비웃다

idioms:

• in jest    장난으로

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 冗談, 物笑いの種
v. - 冗談を言う, からかう

idioms:

• in jest    冗談に, ふざけて

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) مزاح, نكته (فعل) مزح, نكت‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮בדיחה, מושא ללעג, קנטור‬
v. intr. - ‮התלוצץ, השתעשע‬
v. tr. - ‮קינטר‬

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jest jokes