poke fun at someone/something

poke fun at (someone or something)

To mildly taunt or mock someone or something; to make fun of someone or something. The humorist has long been poking fun at figures high in the social and political spheres, drawing the ire from many of them. I was just poking fun at him—I didn't think he'd take it so personally!See also: fun, poke

poke fun at someone/something

If you poke fun at someone or something, you make unkind jokes about them. She was upset because Elspeth had poked fun at her mother and father. Most historians and writers poke fun at the royal visit, and for good reason.See also: fun, poke, someone, something