Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Jest

Jest

(jĕst)
,
Noun.
[OE.
jeste
,
geste
, deed, action, story, tale, OF.
geste
, LL.
gesta
, orig., exploits, neut. pl. from L.
gestus
, p. p. of
gerere
to bear, carry, accomplish, perform; perh. orig., to make to come, bring, and perh. akin to E.
come
. Cf.
Gest
a deed,
Register
,
Noun.
]
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.]
Nares.
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
,
Verb.
I.
I must be sad . . . smile at no man’s
jests
.
Shakespeare
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.
Shakespeare
In jest
,
for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest.

Jest book
,
a book containing a collection of jests, jokes, and amusing anecdotes; a Joe Miller.

Jest

,
Verb.
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.]
Shak.
2.
To make merriment by words or actions; to joke; to make light of anything.
Syn. – To joke; sport; rally.
– 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.”
Crabb.

Webster 1828 Edition


Jest

JEST

,
Noun.
[L. gestio.]
1.
A joke; something ludicrous uttered and meant only to excite laughter. Religion should never be the subject of jest.
2.
The object of laughter or sport; a laughing stock.
Then let me be your jest, I deserve it.
In jest, for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest.
--And given in earnest what I begged in jest.
3.
A mask.
4.
A deed; an action.

Definition 2024


jest

jest

See also: jesť

English

Pronunciation

  • enPR: jĕst, IPA(key): /dʒɛst/
  • Rhymes: -ɛst

Noun

jest (plural jests)

  1. (archaic) An act performed for amusement; a joke.
    • Sheridan
      The Right Honourable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.
  2. (archaic) Someone or something that is ridiculed; the target of a joke.
    Your majesty, stop him before he makes you the jest of the court.
    • Shakespeare
      Then let me be your jest; I deserve it.
  3. (obsolete) A deed; an action; a gest.
    • Sir T. Elyot
      the jests or actions of princes
  4. (obsolete) A mask; a pageant; an interlude.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Nares to this entry?)
    • Kyd
      He promised us, in honour of our guest, / To grace our banquet with some pompous jest.
Synonyms
Translations

Verb

jest (third-person singular simple present jests, present participle jesting, simple past and past participle jested)

  1. To tell a joke; to talk in a playful manner; to make fun of something or someone.
    Surely you jest!
Synonyms
Translations
Derived terms

See also

Anagrams

Etymology 2

Eye dialect spelling of just. This spelling is used for both AAVE and Southern US English.

Adverb

jest (not comparable)

  1. (African American Vernacular, Southern US) Alternative spelling of just

Polish

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /jɛst/

Verb

jest

  1. third-person singular present indicative of być; is
    Ona jest ładna
    She's pretty
    Agnieszka jest studentką
    Agnieszka is a student.
  2. (mathematics) is, equals (see also wynosi)
    dwa plus dwa jest cztery
    Two plus two is four