jest /ˈʤɛst/
 笑柄,笑話(vi.)講笑話,嘲笑,開玩笑(vt.)嘲笑


 Jest n.
 1.  A deed; an action; a gest. [Obs.]
    The jests or actions of princes.   --Sir T. Elyot.
 2.  A mask; a pageant; an interlude. [Obs.]
 He promised us, in honor of our guest,
 To grace our banquet with some pompous jest.   --Kyd.
 3.  Something done or said in order to amuse; a joke; a witticism; a jocose or sportive remark or phrase. See Synonyms under Jest, v. i.
    I must be sad . . . smile at no man's jests.   --Shak.
    The Right Honorable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.   --Sheridan.
 4.  The object of laughter or sport; a laughingstock.
    Then let me be your jest; I deserve it.   --Shak.
 In jest, for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest.
    And given in earnest what I begged in jest.   --Shak.
 -- Jest book, a book containing a collection of jests, jokes, and amusing anecdotes; a Joe Miller.


 Jest, v. i.  [imp. & p. p. Jested; p. pr. & vb. n. Jesting.]
 1.  To take part in a merrymaking; -- especially, to act in a mask or interlude. [Obs.]
 2.  To make merriment by words or actions; to joke; to make light of anything.
    He jests at scars that never felt a wound.   --Shak.
 Syn: -- To joke; sport; rally.
 Usage: -- To Jest, Joke.  One  jests in order to make others laugh; one jokes to please himself. A jest is usually at the expense of another, and is often ill-natured; a joke is a sportive sally designed to promote good humor without wounding the feelings of its object. “Jests are, therefore, seldom harmless; jokes frequently allowable. The most serious subject may be degraded by being turned into a jest.”

 ◄ ►


 jest
      n 1: a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter;
           "he told a very funny joke"; "he knows a million gags";
           "thanks for the laugh"; "he laughed unpleasantly at
           hisown jest"; "even a schoolboy's jape is supposed to
           have some ascertainable point" [syn: joke, gag, laugh,
            jape]
      2: activity characterized by good humor [syn: joke, jocularity]
      v 1: tell a joke; speak humorously; "He often jokes even when he
           appears serious" [syn: joke]
      2: act in a funny or teasing way [syn: joke]