jape

[ jeyp ]
See synonyms for jape on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object),japed, jap·ing.
  1. to jest; joke; gibe.

verb (used with object),japed, jap·ing.
  1. to mock or make fun of.

noun
  1. a joke; jest; quip.

  2. a trick or practical joke.

Origin of jape

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English japen, perhaps from Old French jap(p)er “to bark,” of imitative origin

Other words from jape

  • japer, noun
  • jap·er·y, noun
  • jap·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use jape in a sentence

  • He could not move without either seeing those two together, or the reflection of them in George Forsyte's japing eyes.

  • And now in all the japing the henchmen had designed Both day and night together they mocked sore the Heirs again.

    The Lay of the Cid | R. Selden Rose
  • They often sat together thus, spending the long-drawn evenings over the gin-bottle, japing at society.

    The Hypocrite | Cyril Arthur Edward Ranger Gull
  • Then was there laughing and japing at Sir Dinadan, that they wist not what to do with him.

British Dictionary definitions for jape

jape

/ (dʒeɪp) /


noun
  1. a jest or joke

verb
  1. to joke or jest (about)

Origin of jape

1
C14: perhaps from Old French japper to bark, yap, of imitative origin

Derived forms of jape

  • japer, noun
  • japery, noun
  • japingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012