Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Banter
Ban′ter
(băn′tẽr)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Bantered
(băn′tẽrd)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Bantering
.] 1.
To address playful good-natured ridicule to, – the person addressed, or something pertaining to him, being the subject of the jesting; to rally;
as, he
. bantered
me about my credulityHag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then
bantered
on my haggard looks the next day. W. Irving.
2.
To jest about; to ridicule in speaking of, as some trait, habit, characteristic, and the like.
[Archaic]
If they
banter
your regularity, order, and love of study, banter
in return their neglect of them. Chatham.
3.
To delude or trick, – esp. by way of jest.
[Obs.]
We diverted ourselves with
bantering
several poor scholars with hopes of being at least his lordship’s chaplain. De Foe.
4.
To challenge or defy to a match.
[Colloq. Southern and Western U. S.]
Ban′ter
,Noun.
The act of bantering; joking or jesting; humorous or good-humored raillery; pleasantry.
Part
banter
, part affection. Tennyson.
Webster 1828 Edition
Banter
BAN'TER
,Verb.
T.
BAN'TER
,Noun.
Definition 2024
banter
banter
English
Noun
banter (uncountable)
- Good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.
- 2007, Evelyn M. Field, Bully Blocking (page 17)
- This bullying continuum illustrates the progressive escalation from harmless banter to bullying and criminal behaviours.
- 2007, Evelyn M. Field, Bully Blocking (page 17)
Translations
good humoured conversation
|
Verb
banter (third-person singular simple present banters, present participle bantering, simple past and past participle bantered)
- (intransitive) To engage in banter or playful conversation.
- (intransitive) To play or do something amusing.
- (transitive) To tease (someone) mildly.
- Washington Irving
- Hag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then bantered on my haggard looks the next day.
- Charlotte Brontë
- Mr. Sweeting was bantered about his stature—he was a little man, a mere boy in height and breadth compared with the athletic Malone […]
- Washington Irving
- (transitive) To joke about; to ridicule (a trait, habit, etc.).
- Chatham
- If they banter your regularity, order, and love of study, banter in return their neglect of them.
- Chatham
- (transitive) To delude or trick; to play a prank upon.
- Daniel De Foe
- We diverted ourselves with bantering several poor scholars with hopes of being at least his lordship's chaplain.
- Daniel De Foe
- (transitive, US, Southern and Western, colloquial) To challenge to a match.
Synonyms
Translations
to engage in banter
to play or do something amusing
|
|
to tease mildly