joke
/dʒəʊk
/noun
1A thing that someone says to cause amusement or laughter, especially a story with a funny punchline: she was in a mood to tell jokes...
- Bill Cosby may have gained his fame and fortune telling jokes and funny stories.
- He always had a great sense of humour and even during his illness he could still tell a joke or funny story.
- He tells the funniest jokes and stories and he ends up dominating every conversation.
Synonyms
funny story, jest, witticism, quip, pleasantry;
pun, play on words;
shaggy-dog story, old chestnut, double entendre;
in-joke
informal gag, wisecrack, crack, funny, one-liner, rib-tickler, killer, knee-slapper, thigh-slapper
North American informal boffola
rare blague
1.1A trick played on someone for fun: the others were playing a joke on her...
- Speeches often take place on a raised stage at the front, and this area also acts as the setting for many of the jokes and tricks played on the new couple.
- Jay knew she wasn't invited, and this was all a big joke… a trick!
- Either way, the point was, it was all a trick, a joke, a scam - whatever you wanted to call it.
Synonyms
trick, practical joke, prank, stunt, hoax, jape
informal leg-pull, lark, spoof
Australian informal goak
North American informal, dated cutup
archaic quiz
Scottish archaic cantrip
1.2 [in singular] informal A person or thing that is ridiculously inadequate: public transport is a joke...
- What a ridiculous joke - but it illustrates how far some will go to rationalize their behavior.
- Although I hear the minimum system requirements are a joke and you really need an alien computer from the future in order to play it in its full-featured adulterous glory.
- The system is a joke and the fact that employers can still find people to work under the table proves the job hunting clubs are ineffective and symbolize a bureaucracy gone mad.
Synonyms
laughing stock, figure of fun, source of amusement, object of ridicule;
British Aunt Sally
farce, travesty, waste of time;
standing joke
informal laugh
North American informal shuck
verb [no object]
1Make jokes; talk humorously or flippantly: she could laugh and joke with her colleagues (as adjective joking) a joking manner...
- The commentators joke with each other in the easy manner that comes with long hours spent together.
- I joke about the stalking stuff on the other blog.
- People ask me that all the time and they joke with me.
Synonyms
tell jokes, crack jokes;
jest, banter, quip
informal wisecrack, josh
fool, fool about/around, play a prank, play a trick, play a joke, play a practical joke, tease, hoax, pull someone's leg, mess someone about/around
informal kid, make a monkey out of someone
British informal mess, have someone on, wind someone up
North American informal fun, shuck someone, pull someone's chain, put someone on
British informal, dated rot someone
1.1 [with object] archaic Poke fun at: he was pretending to joke his daughter
Phrases
be no joke
can (or can't) take a joke
get (or be or go) beyond a joke
joking apart
make a joke of
you must be (or have to be) joking
Origin
Late 17th century (originally slang): perhaps from Latin jocus 'jest, wordplay'.
Joke seems to have been a slang word at first, but it may well come from Latin jocus ‘jest, wordplay’, found also in jocund (Late Middle English), and juggle (Late Middle English). See also jewel