jest

/dʒɛst/

/dʒɛst/

Other forms: jests; jesting; jested

A jest is a joke. Are you a playful prankster? A jocular jokester? A witty wisecracker? Then you are definitely well versed in the art of the jest.

To jest means to banter and joke in a playful way — like a "court jester," whose job it was in medieval times to entertain the royal court with funny stories. Today when we jest we generally joke around or gently tease. The noun's meaning evolved over time, from "idle tale" to "mocking speech," and finally to "joke."

Definitions of jest

1. noun

   activity characterized by good humor
   synonyms: jocularity, joke

   types:

   drollery, waggery

   a quaint and amusing jest

   leg-pull, leg-pulling

   as a joke: trying to make somebody believe something that is not true

   pleasantry

   an agreeable or amusing remark

   type of:

   diversion, recreation

   an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates
2. noun

   a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
   “he laughed unpleasantly at his own jest”

   synonyms: gag, jape, joke, laugh

   types:

   belly laugh, howler, riot, scream, sidesplitter, thigh-slapper, wow

   a joke that seems extremely funny

   blue joke, blue story, dirty joke, dirty story

   an indelicate joke

   ethnic joke

   a joke at the expense of some ethnic group

   funny, funny remark, funny story, good story

   an account of an amusing incident (usually with a punch line)

   in-joke

   a joke that is appreciated only by members of some particular group of people

   one-liner

   a very short joke or funny remark

   shaggy dog story

   a long rambling joke whose humor derives from its pointlessness

   sick joke

   a joke in bad taste

   sight gag, visual joke

   a joke whose effect is achieved by visual means rather than by speech (as in a movie)

   type of:

   humor, humour, wit, witticism, wittiness

   a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter
3. verb

   act in a funny or teasing way
   synonyms: joke

   types:

   antic, clown, clown around

   act as or like a clown

   type of:

   act, behave, do

   behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
4. verb

   tell a joke; speak humorously
   synonyms: joke

   types:

   gag, quip

   make jokes or quips

   fool, fool around, horse around

   indulge in horseplay

   pun

   make a play on words

   type of:

   communicate, intercommunicate

   transmit thoughts or feelings