jest

American  

[jest] / dʒɛst /

noun

1. a joke or witty remark; witticism.

   Synonyms:

   quip

2. a bantering remark; a piece of good-natured ridicule; taunt.

   Synonyms:

   gibe, jape

3. sport or fun.

   to speak half in jest, half in earnest.

4. the object of laughter, sport, or mockery; laughing-stock.

   Synonyms:

   butt

5. Obsolete. an exploit.

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verb (used without object)

jests, present (3rd person singular) jested, past participle, past jesting present participle

1. to speak in a playful, humorous, or facetious way; joke.

2. to speak or act in mere sport, rather than in earnest; trifle (often followed bywith ).

   Please don't jest with me.

3. to utter derisive speeches; gibe or scoff.

verb (used with object)

jests, present (3rd person singular) jested, past participle, past jesting present participle

1. to deride or joke at; banter.

jest British  

/ dʒɛst /

noun

1. something done or said for amusement; joke

2. a frivolous mood or attitude; playfulness; fun

   to act in jest

3. a jeer or taunt

4. an object of derision; laughing stock; butt

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verb

1. to act or speak in an amusing, teasing, or frivolous way; joke

2. to make fun of (a person or thing); scoff or mock

Usage

What does jest mean? A jest is a joke, a witty remark, or some kind of action intended to be funny. When used as a noun, jest can also mean a taunt or jeer, as in Don’t allow his jests to upset you.  Jest can also be used as a verb meaning to joke around or do something intended to be funny, as in I know you like to jest, but try to be serious this one time. The word is most commonly used in the phrase in jest, meaning as a joke, as in I said that in jest—please don’t take it seriously. Claiming to have said something in jest is often seen as an excuse intended to avoid responsibility for having offended someone with one’s comments. In fact, there is even an expression that relates to this: “Many a true word is spoken in jest.” This means that when people say they are “only joking” about something, they are probably saying what they really mean. Example: My comments were offered in jest, but I can understand how they could have offended some people.

Synonym Usage

See joke.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• outjest
  verb (used with object)
• jestingly
  adverb
• jestful
  adjective
• unjesting
  adjective
• unjestingly
  adverb
• jesting
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has jested
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have jested
  perfect
• have been jesting
  perfect progressive
• are jesting
  progressive
• jesting
  participle
• is jesting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been jesting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• jests
  singular 3rd person
• am jesting
  progressive 1st person singular

Past

• had jested
  perfect
• was jesting
  progressive singular
• were jesting
  progressive plural
• had been jesting
  perfect progressive
• jested
  participle
• jested
  simple

Future

• will jest
  simple
• will have jested
  perfect
• will be jesting
  progressive
• will have been jesting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of jest

1250–1300; Middle English; variant spelling of gest

Explanation

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."

Example Sentences

Falsehood flies, and the Truth comes limping after it; so that when Men come to be undeceiv'd, it is too late; the Jest is over, and the Tale has had its Effect …

From Salon • May 22, 2021

Jest: LB Frankie Luvu suffered a groin injury and did not return.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 18, 2020

Bill Gates recommends 5 favorite books for 2019 — and looks ahead to ‘Infinite Jest’

From Washington Post • Dec. 11, 2019

Jest Famous had excellent freshman campaign, winning the Southwest Juvenile Championship last year after running third in the $1 million Ruidoso Futurity.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2019

“Tol’able. Jest tol’able. She ain’t never really got over her pleurisy.”

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns