joke

[ johk ]

/ dʒoʊk /

noun

something said or done to provoke laughter or cause amusement, as a witticism, a short and amusing anecdote, or a prankish act: He tells very funny jokes. She played a joke on him.

something that is amusing or ridiculous, especially because of being ludicrously inadequate or a sham; a thing, situation, or person laughed at rather than taken seriously; farce: Their pretense of generosity is a joke. An officer with no ability to command is a joke.

a matter that need not be taken very seriously; trifling matter: The loss was no joke.

something that does not present the expected challenge; something very easy: The test was a joke for the whole class.

practical joke.

verb (used without object), joked, jok·ing.

to speak or act in a playful or merry way: He was always joking with us.

to say something in fun or teasing rather than in earnest; be facetious: He didn't really mean it, he was only joking.

verb (used with object), joked, jok·ing.

to subject to jokes; make fun of; tease.

to obtain by joking: The comedian joked coins from the audience.

Nearby words

joinvile, joinville, joist, jojoba, jokai, joke, jokebook, joker, jokester, jokey, joking

Origin of joke

First recorded in 1660–70, joke is from the Latin word jocus jest

SYNONYMS FOR joke

1 wisecrack, gag, jape, prank, quip, quirk, sally, raillery. Joke, jest refer to something said (or done) in sport, or to cause amusement. A joke is something said or done for the sake of exciting laughter; it may be raillery, a witty remark, or a prank or trick: to tell a joke. Jest, today a more formal word, nearly always refers to joking language and is more suggestive of scoffing or ridicule than is joke : to speak in jest.

Related forms

joke·less, adjectivejok·ing·ly, adverbhalf-jok·ing, adjectivehalf-jok·ing·ly, adverb

un·jok·ing, adjectiveun·jok·ing·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for half-joking

And, quite frankly, “the women were running out,” he said, half-joking.
Revealing The Unseen Picasso|Justin Jones|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“We can blame Carrie Bradshaw for this,” says Shaunaq Arora, half-joking; his sigh tinged with the cloudy breath of his Gauloises.
How Brooklyn Invaded Paris—Next Stop, the World|Brandon Presser|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Detroiters, now erecting a Robocop statue as a half-joking, half-serious morale boost, may want to consider bronzing Mulally next.
The CEO Hail Mary: A Scorecard on Corporate Change Agents|Nick Summers|March 1, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The half-joking quip was reported around the world as if it were a call for divine providence.
Inside Holbrooke's War With the White House|The Daily Beast|January 14, 2011|DAILY BEAST

The old, half-joking maternal manner was all in earnest now.
Sisters|Kathleen Norris
My shipmate spoke with deep feeling, though he had begun in a half-joking vein.
Marmaduke Merry|William H. G. Kingston
She had been puzzled at first by his manner of treating everything with a half-joking pessimism, but now ignored it.
The Runaway Skyscraper|Murray Leinster
"All correct, sir," said Sonny laughingly, and with a half-joking salute.
Air Men o' War|Boyd Cable
She liked Muriel, she decided, but she did not altogether understand her half-cordial, half-joking manner.
Marjorie Dean High School Freshman|Pauline Lester

British Dictionary definitions for half-joking (1 of 2)

half-joking

adjective

said, done, or acting in a seemingly jokey manner, but with some serious intent

Derived Formshalf-jokingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for half-joking (2 of 2)

joke

/ (dʒəʊk) /

noun

a humorous anecdote

something that is said or done for fun; prank

a ridiculous or humorous circumstance

a person or thing inspiring ridicule or amusement; butt

a matter to be joked about or ignored

joking apart seriously: said to recall a discussion to seriousness after there has been joking

no joke something very serious

verb

(intr) to tell jokes

(intr) to speak or act facetiously or in fun

to make fun of (someone); tease; kid

Derived Formsjokingly, adverb

Word Origin for joke

C17: from Latin jocus a jest

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

Word Origin and History for half-joking (1 of 2)

joke

1660s, "to make a joke," from Latin iocari "to jest, joke," from iocus (see joke (n.)). Related: Joked; joking.

Word Origin and History for half-joking (1 of 2)

joke

1660s, joque, "a jest, something done to excite laughter," from Latin iocus "joke, sport, pastime," from PIE root *yek- "to speak" (cf. Breton iez "language," Old High German jehan "to say," German Beichte "confession").

Originally a colloquial or slang word. Meaning "something not to be taken seriously" is 1791. Practical joke "trick played on someone for the sake of a laugh at his expense" is from 1804 (earlier handicraft joke, 1741). Black joke is old slang for "smutty song" (1730s), from use of that phrase in the refrain of a then-popular song as a euphemism for "the monosyllable."

Idioms and Phrases with half-joking

joke

see crack a joke; dirty joke; no joke; sick joke; standing joke; take a joke.

joke

noun

verb (used without object), joked, jok·ing.

verb (used with object), joked, jok·ing.

RELATED CONTENT

Nearby words

Origin of joke

Examples from the Web for half-joking

British Dictionary definitions for half-joking (1 of 2)

half-joking

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for half-joking (2 of 2)

joke

noun

verb

Word Origin for joke

Word Origin and History for half-joking (1 of 2)

joke

Word Origin and History for half-joking (1 of 2)

joke

Idioms and Phrases with half-joking

joke