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Webster 1913 Edition

Joke

Joke

,
Noun.
[L.
jocus
. Cf
Jeopardy
,
Jocular
,
Juggler
.]
1.
Something said for the sake of exciting a laugh; something witty or sportive (commonly indicating more of hilarity or humor than jest); a jest; a witticism;
as, to crack good-natured
jokes
.
And gentle dullness ever loves a
joke
.
Pope.
Or witty
joke
our airy senses moves
To pleasant laughter.
Gay.
2.
Something not said seriously, or not actually meant; something done in sport.
Inclose whole downs in walls, ’t is all a
joke
.
Pope.
In joke
,
in jest; sportively; not meant seriously.
–
Practical joke
.
See under
Practical
.

Joke

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Joked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Joking
.]
To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally; to banter;
as, to
joke
a comrade
.

Joke

,
Verb.
I.
[L.
jocari
.]
To do something for sport, or as a joke; to be merry in words or actions; to jest.
Syn. – To jest; sport; rally; banter. See
Jest
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Joke

JOKE

,
Noun.
[L. jocus.]
1.
A jest; something said for the sake of exciting a laugh; something witty or sportive; raillery. A jealous person will rarely bear a joke.
2.
An illusion; something not real, or to no purpose.
Inclose whole downs in walls,'tis all a joke!
In joke, in jest; for the sake of raising a laugh; not in earnest.

JOKE

,
Verb.
I.
[L. jocor.] To jest; to be merry in words or actions.

JOKE

,
Verb.
T.
To rally; to cast jokes at; to make merry with.

Definition 2024

Joke

Joke

See also: joke

Dutch

Proper noun

Joke f

  1. A female given name, diminutive of Jo

joke

joke

See also: Joke

English

Noun

joke ‎(plural jokes)

  1. An amusing story.
    • Gay
      Or witty joke our airy senses moves / To pleasant laughter.
  2. Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.
    It was a joke!
    • Alexander Pope
      Enclose whole downs in walls, 'tis all a joke.
  3. (figuratively) The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one
  4. (figuratively) A laughably worthless thing or person; a sham.
    Your effort at cleaning your room is a joke.
    The president was a joke.

Usage notes

  • Adjectives often applied to "joke": old, bad, inside, poor, silly, funny, lame, hilarious, stupid, offensive.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:joke

Derived terms

Related terms

Coordinate terms

Translations

amusing story

Verb

joke ‎(third-person singular simple present jokes, present participle joking, simple past and past participle joked)

  1. (intransitive) To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.
    I didn’t mean what I said — I was only joking.
  2. (transitive, dated) To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.
    to joke a comrade

Related terms

Translations

See also

Danish

Etymology

Borrowing from English joke

Noun

joke c (singular definite joken, plural indefinite jokes)

  1. joke

Declension

Synonyms

French

Etymology

From English joke.

Pronunciation

  • (Quebec) IPA(key): /dʒoʊk/

Noun

joke f ‎(plural jokes)

  1. (Louisiana, Quebec) joke
    • 2009, Robert Maltais, Le Curé du Mile End, page 195:
      Non, non, c'est juste une joke. Garde-lé, ton vingt piastres.
      No, no, that was a joke. Keep it, your twenty bucks.

Pronunciation

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