I. ˈjōk noun
Etymology: Latin jocus; perhaps akin to Old High German gehan to say, Sanskrit yācati he asks
Date: 1670
1.
a. : something said or done to provoke laughter ; especially : a brief oral narrative with a climactic humorous twist
b.
(1) : the humorous or ridiculous element in something
(2) : an instance of jesting : kidding
can't take a joke
c. : practical joke
d. : laughingstock
2. : something not to be taken seriously : a trifling matter
consider his skiing a joke — Harold Callender
— often used in negative constructions
it is no joke to be lost in the desert
II. verb
( joked ; jok·ing )
Date: 1670
intransitive verb
: to make jokes : jest
transitive verb
: to make the object of a joke : kid
• jok·ing·ly ˈjō-kiŋ-lē adverb