josh
/dʒɒʃ
/informal
verb [with object]
1Tease (someone) in a playful way: he loved to josh people...
- We joke around a lot, splashing paint on one another and Michael joshing me on how I just ‘love’ Madeline.
- The opposition leader was having a grand old time joshing the prime minister.
- The former chief earlier told the tribunal he had joshed his former friend about the payments during a jogging session in the Wicklow hills, while Mr Maloney contradicted him and claimed Mr O'Brien had told him about it in his office.
1.1 [no object] Engage in joking or playful talk with others: they joshed with the men who were waiting their turn to eat (as noun joshing) there was some perfunctory joshing...
- It takes a certain skill to do this well, juggling topics, joshing with callers and cracking jokes.
- They both mean the same thing, I know that, but I prefer joking and I've never used joshing before in my whole lifetime.
- Yes, I knew you were joshing, but I like to explain these things anyway, just in case there are other readers who aren't sure.
noun [mass noun] North American
Good-natured banter: we found him tired-eyed and peaked—not a man for josh and chatter
Derivatives
josher
/ noun ...- The droll, witty Harvard Lampoon staff, the prime joshers of the Ivy League, have selected People magazine for their next parody effort.
- ‘Another thing,’ said Joe, ‘I want to know whether you people are up on figures or whether you are a bunch of joshers.’
Origin
Mid 19th century (as a verb): of unknown origin.