jape
[jeyp]
- to jest; joke; gibe.
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- to mock or make fun of.
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- a joke; jest; quip.
- a trick or practical joke.
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Origin of jape
1300–50; Middle English japen, perhaps < Old French jap(p)er to bark, of imitative orig.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for japes
Historical Examples
She had always her smile to the side and her japes, and she looked to the warld.
FoesMary Johnston
The burgomaster, seeing that this day was the day for the fair of japes, would listen to them no longer.
The Legend of UlenspiegelCharles de Coster
Richard, offended with Bertran, gave him a flick on the ear and sent him to the devil with his japes.
The Life and Death of Richard Yea-and-NayMaurice Hewlett
The Pardoner was so ready to tell some 'mirth or japes' that the more decent folks in the company try to repress him.
jape
- a jest or joke
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- to joke or jest (about)
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Word Origin
C14: perhaps from Old French japper to bark, yap, of imitative origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for japes
jape
v.
late 14c., "to trick, beguile, jilt," perhaps from Old French japer "to howl, bawl, scream," of echoic origin, or from Old French gaber "to mock, deride." Phonetics suits the former, but sense the latter explanation. Took on a slang sense mid-15c. of "have sex with," and disappeared from polite usage. Revived in harmless Middle English sense of "say or do something in jest" by Scott, etc. Related: Japed; japing.
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jape
n.
early 14c., "trick, deceit," later "a joke, a jest" (late 14c.); see jape (v.). By mid-14c. it meant "frivolous pastime," by 1400, "bawdiness."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper