joke

[johk]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR joke ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Origin of joke

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

Related formsjoke·less, adjectivejok·ing·ly, adverbhalf-jok·ing, adjectivehalf-jok·ing·ly, adverbun·jok·ing, adjectiveun·jok·ing·ly, adverb

Synonyms for joke

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR joke ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

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

Related Words for joking

jesting, amusing, facetious, funny

Examples from the Web for joking

Contemporary Examples of joking

At first, she thought he was just joking around, but soon, Mulvehill was scaring her, according to the report.
School Shooters Love This Pickup Artist Website
Brandy Zadrozny
December 5, 2014
All joking aside, what was once considered an expensive gimmick is on the verge of going mainstream.
Welcome to Oculus XXX: In-Your-Face 3D is the Future of Porn
Aurora Snow
October 18, 2014
The best celebrities understood that Rivers' joking wasn't personal, said Kotsiopoulos.
Melissa Rivers: Life After Joan—A Funny, Moving Celebration on a Special 'Fashion Police'
Tim Teeman
September 20, 2014
At the end of that sequence, Johnny was joking around and said, “We should just put them to work and retire.”
Kevin Smith's Marijuanaissance: On 'Tusk,' 'Falling Out' with Ben Affleck, and 20 Years of 'Clerks'
Marlow Stern
September 9, 2014
“A few bad shows, a few failures, and I could be sleeping on the street,” she once said, not joking.
Joan Rivers: 'Death Is Like Plastic Surgery'
Tim Teeman
September 4, 2014

Historical Examples of joking

"I think more of the sorrows of Sir Condy," says my master, joking like.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
Arthur was not inclined for joking; the affair perplexed him in no ordinary degree.
The Channings
Mrs. Henry Wood
Joking is undignified; that is why it is so good for one's soul.
Alarms and Discursions
G. K. Chesterton
Miss G. You're joking,—and I believe, sir, you're not over and above sober.
Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
I was just joking about how you never get over thinking I'm a little boy.
Alice Adams
Booth Tarkington

British Dictionary definitions for joking

joke

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 joking

joke

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

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 joking

joking

see all joking aside.

joke

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