jest

English

Etymology

From Middle English geste (“idle tale”), from Old French geste (“acts, exploits”), from Latin gesta (“acts, deeds”)

Pronunciation

• enPR: jĕst, IPA: /dʒest/, X-SAMPA: /dZest/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst

Noun

jest (plural jests)

1. (archaic) An act performed for amusement; a joke.

   I shall not succumb to your jests!

2. (obsolete) Someone or something that is ridiculed; the target of a joke.

   Your majesty, stop him before he makes you the jest of the court.

Synonyms

• (joke): prank, gag, laughingstock, banter, crack, wisecrack, witticism
• See also Wikisaurus:joke

Translations

joke

• Finnish: pila (fi), vitsi (fi)
• Hungarian: tréfa (hu), tréfálkozás (hu)
• Italian: scherzo (it), barzelletta (it), battuta (it) f
• Portuguese: gracejo m

• Russian: насмешка (ru) (nasméška) f , остро́та (ru) (ostróta) f  (not to confuse with острота́ - bitterness, sharpness, etc.)
• Spanish: broma (es) f, chiste (es) m

target of a joke

• Finnish: naurunaihe (fi), vitsi (fi)
• Hungarian: nevetség tárgya (hu)

• Italian: oggetto di scherno (it)
• Russian: посмешище (ru) (posméšišče) n 

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: blaguer
• German: Spaß machen

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

• (to joke): banter, kid, mock, tease

Translations

to tell a joke

• Finnish: vitsailla (fi)
• Hungarian: tréfálkozik (hu)
• Latin: iocor (la)

• Portuguese: gracejar (pt)
• Russian: шутить (ru) (šutítʹ) 
• Spanish: bromear (es)

Derived terms

• jester
• jestingly

See also

• Wikipedia article on Jokes

Anagrams

• jets, Jets

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Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA: /jɛst/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

jest

1. is, 3rd person singular present tense of być (to be)
   • usage with adjectives

     Ona jest ładna — She's pretty

   • usage with noun complements: takes the instrumental case

     Agnieszka jest studentką — Agnieszka is a student.

2. (mathematics) is, equals (see also wynosi)

   dwa plus dwa jest cztery — Two plus two is four