to speak in a playful, humorous, or facetious way; joke.
to speak or act in mere sport, rather than in earnest; trifle (often followed by with): Please don't jest with me.
to utter derisive speeches; gibe or scoff.
verb (used with object)
to deride or joke at; banter.
Origin of jest
1250–1300;Middle English; variant spelling of gest
Related formsjest·ful, adjectivejest·ing·ly, adverbout·jest, verb (used with object)un·jest·ing, adjectiveun·jest·ing·ly, adverbCan be confusedgistjestjust
early 13c., geste, "narrative of exploits," from Old French geste "action, exploit," from Latin gesta "deeds," neuter plural of gestus, past participle of gerere "to carry, behave, act, perform" (see gest). Sense descended through "idle tale" (late 15c.) to "mocking speech, raillery" (1540s) to "joke" (1550s).
v.
1520s, "to speak in a trifling manner;" 1550s, "to joke," from Middle English gesten "recite a tale" (late 14c.), from geste (see jest (n.)). Sense of "to speak in a trifling manner" is from 1520s. Related: Jested; jesting.
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