Dictionary

jest en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /d͡ʒɛst/ (Early, Modern)
• jēst (dialectal, obsolete)
• jĕst
• /d͡ʒɛːst/ (Early, Modern)
• /d͡ʒiːst/ (dialectal, obsolete)
• /d͡ʒɛst/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English geste (“idle tale”), from Old French geste (“acts, exploits”), from Latin gesta (“acts, deeds”). Doublet of gest.

Meanings

1. (archaic, qualifier:typically uncountable) An act performed for amusement; a joke.
   • I made that comment in jest; it wasn't serious.
   • Alas poore Yorick, I knew him Horatio, a fellow of infinite Ieſt; […] c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 278, column 1:
2. (archaic) Someone or something that is ridiculed; the target of a joke.
   • Your majesty, stop him before he makes you the jest of the court.
   • Why then make ſport at me, then let me be your ieſt, / I deſerue it[…] c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii], page 58, column 2:
3. (obsolete) A deed; an action; a gest.
   • the jests or actions of princes 1540, Thomas Elyot, Image of Governance:
4. (obsolete) A mask; a pageant; an interlude.
   • He promised us, in honour of our guest, / To grace our banquet with some pompous jest. c. 1587 (date written), [Thomas Kyd], The Spanish Tragedie: […] (Fourth Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for T[homas] Pauier, […], published 1602, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

Forms

Deriveds

outjest · jesty · in jest · jestee

Synonyms

prank (joke) · wisecrack (joke) · banter (joke) · laughingstock (joke) · witticism (joke) · gag (joke) · crack (joke)

Translations (62)

yi שפּאַס (joke) · fa شوخی (joke) · it arguzia (joke) · de Scherz (joke) · fi pila (joke) · cs šprým (joke) · izh pilkka (joke) · ka დასაცინი (target of a joke) · eo ŝerco (joke) · de Witzfigur (target of a joke) · pt gracejo (joke) · fi vitsi (target of a joke) · it barzelletta (joke) · cs vtip (joke) · gl brinqueta (joke) · ota اویون (joke) · hu tréfa (joke) · kk ажуа (joke) · fr blague (joke) · ru посме́шище (target of a joke) · ka დაცინვის საგანი (target of a joke) · grc σκῶμμα (joke) · es broma (joke) · it celia (joke) · de Witz (joke) · it battuta (joke) · pt piada (joke) · bg закачка (joke) · gl broma (joke) · gd fealla-dhà (joke) · ota لطیفه (joke) · ps ټوکه (joke) · ka ხუმრობა (joke) · fr risée (target of a joke) · fi naurunaihe (target of a joke) · fi vitsi (joke) · kk әжуа (joke) · pdt Spos (joke) · cs žert (joke) · bg шега (joke) · mi omeke (target of a joke) · it oggetto di scherno (target of a joke) · fa مزاح (joke) · mk ше́га (joke) · es chiste (joke) · hu nevetség tárgya (target of a joke) · hu tréfálkozás (joke) · ka ოხუნჯობა (joke) · cs legrace (joke) · ru насме́шка (joke) · it zimbello (target of a joke) · ota شقا (joke) · mi takao (joke) · it facezia (joke) · ru остро́та (joke) · ka სასაცილო (target of a joke) · eo blago (joke) · bg посмешище (target of a joke) · la iocus (joke) · it scherzo (joke) · yi קאַטאָוועס (joke) · grc χλεύη (joke)

jest en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /d͡ʒɛst/ (Early, Modern)
• jēst (dialectal, obsolete)
• jĕst
• /d͡ʒɛːst/ (Early, Modern)
• /d͡ʒiːst/ (dialectal, obsolete)
• /d͡ʒɛst/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English geste (“idle tale”), from Old French geste (“acts, exploits”), from Latin gesta (“acts, deeds”). Doublet of gest.

Meanings

1. To tell a joke; to talk in a playful manner; to make fun of something or someone.
   • Surely you jest!

Forms

Deriveds

jester · outjest · jesty · jestingly · jestee

Hyponyms

pull someone's leg · trick · wisecrack · have a lend of · tell a joke · wind up · josh · kid · tease · play a joke

Relateds

joker · jester

Synonyms

jest · joke · kid (to joke) · tease (to joke) · mock (to joke) · banter (to joke)

Translations (35)

fr plaisanter (to tell a joke) · de scherzen (to tell a joke) · la ioculor (to tell a joke) · it scherzare (to tell a joke) · fa شوخی کردن (to tell a joke) · fr blaguer (to tell a joke) · eo ŝerci (to tell a joke) · sv skoja (to tell a joke) · la iocor (to tell a joke) · fi vitsailla (to tell a joke) · es bromear (to tell a joke) · pt gracejar (to tell a joke) · de herumalbern (to tell a joke) · hu tréfálkozik (to tell a joke) · sv skämta (to tell a joke) · bg шегувам се (to tell a joke) · hu viccelődik (to tell a joke) · ota لطیفه ایتمك (to tell a joke) · mi whakanene (to tell a joke) · fa لاغیدن (to tell a joke) · grc σκώπτω (to tell a joke) · el πειράζω (to tell a joke) · sv driva (to tell a joke) · it affabulare (to tell a joke) · de Spaß machen (to tell a joke) · cs vtipkovat (to tell a joke) · de albern (to tell a joke) · es bufonear (to tell a joke) · mi kārikarika (to tell a joke) · sv gyckla (to tell a joke) · ru шути́ть (to tell a joke) · hu tréfál (to tell a joke) · cs žertovat (to tell a joke) · mi nene (to tell a joke) · om baacuu (to tell a joke)

jest en · ADV · etymology 2

Meanings

1. (Shropshire, Southern-US, alt-of, not-comparable, pronunciation-spelling, qualifier:African-American Vernacular) Pronunciation spelling of just.
   alt of just
   • "Jest like the Injian puzzle-boxes, ain't they?" said Dan, as the one boat dropped into the other. 1896 November – 1897 May, Rudyard Kipling, “Captains Courageous”, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday & Company, published 1897, →OCLC:
   • So I jest called out to know what was up, and found it was Miss Vanholte's cowboys, who had been forced into the store by them rascally ruffins. 1890, Emma E. Hornibrook, Queen of the ranche; or, Life in the Far west, page 150:
   • ‘I hope es young Dick ’grees to take your ship out ag’in, Peter. But if he don’t, I reckon mebbe I told you a lie about that license o’ mine. I jest wanted to surprise him arter we got to sea, thet’s all. You don’t ’magine a feller es young Dick teached ’d fail, do you?’ 1930, Captain Dingle, “In Conclusion” (chapter 34), in Seaworthy, Cambridge, Mass.: The Riverside Press, page 274: