— jokeless , adj. — jokingly , adv.
/johk/ , n. , v. , joked, joking .
n.
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, esp. 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. See practical joke .
v.i.
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.
v.t.
8. to subject to jokes; make fun of; tease.
9. to obtain by joking: The comedian joked coins from the audience.
[ 1660-70; jocus jest ]
Syn. 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.