kid

1
[ kid ]
/ kɪd /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR kid ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

verb (used with or without object), kid·ded, kid·ding.

(of a goat) to give birth to (young).

adjective

made of kidskin.
Informal. younger: his kid sister.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.
a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.
urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.
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Origin of kid

1
1150–1200; Middle English kide < Old Norse kith

OTHER WORDS FROM kid

kid·dish, adjectivekid·dish·ness, nounkid·like, adjective

Words nearby kid

kicksorter, kickstand, kickup, kickwheel, kicky, kid, kid around, kid glove, kid gloves, kid stuff, kid the pants off

Definition for kidding (2 of 2)

kid2
[ kid ]
/ kɪd /
Informal.

verb (used with object), kid·ded, kid·ding.

to talk or deal jokingly with; banter; jest with: She is always kidded about her accent.
to humbug or fool.

verb (used without object), kid·ded, kid·ding.

to speak or act deceptively in jest; jest.

Origin of kid

2
First recorded in 1805–15; perhaps special use of kid1

OTHER WORDS FROM kid

kid·der, nounkid·ding·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to kidding

joke, bother, tease, pretend, delude, flimflam, rag, razz, jest, jape, hoax, josh, banter, cozen, gull, jolly, dupe, trick, beguile, bamboozle

Example sentences from the Web for kidding

British Dictionary definitions for kidding (1 of 4)

kid1
/ (kɪd) /

noun

the young of a goat or of a related animal, such as an antelope
soft smooth leather made from the hide of a kid
informal
  1. a young person; child
  2. (modifier) younger or being still a childkid brother; kid sister
our kid Liverpool dialect my younger brother or sister

verb kids, kidding or kidded

(of a goat) to give birth to (young)

Derived forms of kid

kiddishness, nounkidlike, adjective

Word Origin for kid

C12: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse kith, Shetland Islands kidi lamb

British Dictionary definitions for kidding (2 of 4)

kid2
/ (kɪd) /

verb kids, kidding or kidded (sometimes foll by on or along) informal

(tr) to tease or deceive for fun
(intr) to behave or speak deceptively for fun
(tr) to delude or fool (oneself) into believing (something)don't kid yourself that no-one else knows

Derived forms of kid

kiddingly, adverb

Word Origin for kid

C19: probably from kid 1

British Dictionary definitions for kidding (3 of 4)

kid3
/ (kɪd) /

noun

a small wooden tub

Word Origin for kid

C18: probably variant of kit 1 (in the sense: barrel)

British Dictionary definitions for kidding (4 of 4)

Kid
/ (kɪd) /

noun

a variant spelling of (Thomas) Kyd
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

Idioms and Phrases with kidding (1 of 2)

kidding

see all joking (kidding) aside; no kidding.

Idioms and Phrases with kidding (2 of 2)

kid
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.