GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English
last match results
Found 2 definitions
-
Jest (jĕst), n. [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, n.]
[1913 Webster]
1. A deed; an action; a gest. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
The jests or actions of princes. Sir T. Elyot.
[1913 Webster]
2. A mask; a pageant; an interlude. [Obs.] Nares.
[1913 Webster]
He promised us, in honor of our guest,
To grace our banquet with some pompous jest. Kyd.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
I must be sad . . . smile at no man's jests. Shak.
[1913 Webster]
The Right Honorable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts. Sheridan.
[1913 Webster]
4. The object of laughter or sport; a laughingstock.
[1913 Webster]
Then let me be your jest; I deserve it. Shak.
[1913 Webster]
In jest, for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
-
Jest, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Jested; p. pr. & vb. n. Jesting.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To take part in a merrymaking; -- especially, to act in a mask or interlude. [Obs.] Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. To make merriment by words or actions; to joke; to make light of anything.
[1913 Webster]
He jests at scars that never felt a wound. Shak.
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.
[1913 Webster]