joke

[johk] /dʒoʊk/
noun
1.
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.
2.
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.
3.
a matter that need not be taken very seriously; trifling matter:
The loss was no joke.
4.
something that does not present the expected challenge; something very easy:
The test was a joke for the whole class.
5.
practical joke.
verb (used without object), joked, joking.
6.
to speak or act in a playful or merry way:
He was always joking with us.
7.
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, joking.
8.
to subject to jokes; make fun of; tease.
9.
to obtain by joking:
The comedian joked coins from the audience.
Origin
1660-70; < Latin jocus jest
Related forms
jokeless, adjective
jokingly, adverb
half-joking, adjective
half-jokingly, adverb
unjoking, adjective
unjokingly, adverb
Synonyms
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.
Examples from the web for joke
  • He knew what made a joke work, what endeared characters to theatergoers, and how far he could push a gag.
  • Back when she made this grand proclamation it was a joke.
  • Now the point is made with a joke, and a quiet, knowing smile.
  • The show has made something a joke of the diminishing roles written for the fine group of supporting actors.
  • The film is skillfully made, but it's too silly to be enjoyed, even as a joke.
  • Replaced by observational humor, irony and wit, the narrative joke has ceased to exist.
  • The blonde half of the joke is as false as any other joke of its derogatory ilk, but the other half gets at a fact about writers.
  • They generally have no equivalent in other languages, so the joke is lost.
  • People joke about tree huggers, but no one laughs when old-growth woodlands are described as cathedral forests.
  • They liked to joke that their wives were fat because they buttered their toast on both sides.
British Dictionary definitions for joke

joke

/dʒəʊk/
noun
1.
a humorous anecdote
2.
something that is said or done for fun; prank
3.
a ridiculous or humorous circumstance
4.
a person or thing inspiring ridicule or amusement; butt
5.
a matter to be joked about or ignored
6.
joking apart, seriously: said to recall a discussion to seriousness after there has been joking
7.
no joke, something very serious
verb
8.
(intransitive) to tell jokes
9.
(intransitive) to speak or act facetiously or in fun
10.
to make fun of (someone); tease; kid
Derived Forms
jokingly, adverb
Word Origin
C17: from Latin jocus a jest
Word Origin and History for joke
n.

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."

v.

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

Slang definitions & phrases for joke

joke

Related Terms

sick joke


Idioms and Phrases with joke

joke

see: