jest

See also: Jëst and jesť

English

Etymology 1

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English geste (“idle tale”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French geste (“acts, exploits”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin gesta (“acts, deeds”). Compare gest, gesture.

Pronunciation

• enPR: jĕst, IPA^(key): /dʒɛst/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛst

Noun

jest (plural jests)

1. (archaic) An act performed for amusement; a joke.
   • (Can we date this quote by Sheridan and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     The Right Honourable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.

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

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

   • (Can we date this quote by Shakespeare and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     Then let me be your jest; I deserve it.

3. (obsolete) A deed; an action; a gest.
   • (Can we date this quote by Sir T. Elyot and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     the jests or actions of princes

4. (obsolete) A mask; a pageant; an interlude.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Nares to this entry?)

   • (Can we date this quote by Kyd and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     He promised us, in honour of our guest, / To grace our banquet with some pompous jest.

Synonyms

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

Translations

joke

• Bulgarian: шега (bg) f (šega), закачка (bg) f (zakačka)
• Finnish: pila (fi), vitsi (fi)
• Georgian: ხუმრობა (xumroba), ოხუნჯობა (oxunǯoba)
• Greek:

  Ancient: χλεύη f (khleúē)

• Hungarian: tréfa (hu), tréfálkozás
• Italian: scherzo (it), barzelletta (it), battuta (it) f, celia (it) f, arguzia (it) f, facezia (it) f
• Latin: iocus m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maori: takao
• Pashto: ټوکه (ps) f (ṭoka)
• Portuguese: gracejo (pt) m, piada (pt) f
• Russian: насме́шка (ru) f (nasméška), остро́та (ru) f (ostróta) (not to confuse with острота́ - bitterness, sharpness, etc.)
• Scottish Gaelic: fealla-dhà m
• Spanish: broma (es) f, chiste (es) m

target of a joke

• Bulgarian: посмешище (bg) (posmešište)
• Finnish: naurunaihe, vitsi (fi)
• French: risée (fr) f
• Georgian: დაცინვის საგანი (dacinvis sagani), დასაცინი (dasacini), სასაცილო (sasacilo)
• Hungarian: nevetség tárgya
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: oggetto di scherno, zimbello (it) m
• Maori: omeke
• Russian: посме́шище (ru) n (posméšišče)

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

Derived terms

• jester
• jestingly

Translations

to tell a joke

• Bulgarian: шегувам се (šeguvam se)
• Finnish: vitsailla (fi)
• Greek:

  Ancient Greek: σκώπτω (skṓptō)

• Hungarian: tréfálkozik (hu)
• Italian: scherzare (it), affabulare
• Latin: iocor
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maori: nene, whakanene, kārikarika
• Persian: لاغیدن (fa) (lâğidan)
• Portuguese: gracejar (pt)
• Russian: шути́ть (ru) (šutítʹ)
• Spanish: bromear (es)
• Swedish: skämta (sv), skoja (sv), driva (sv), gyckla (sv)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} blaguer (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: ^{(please verify)} Spaß machen

See also

• jest on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Etymology 2

Eye dialect spelling of just.

Adverb

jest (not comparable)

1. (African-American Vernacular, Southern US) Alternative spelling of just

Anagrams

• ESTJ, Jets, jets

---

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /jɛst/

• Audio

  (file)

Verb

jest

1. third-person singular present indicative of być; is

   Ona jest ładna. ― She's pretty.

   Agnieszka jest studentką. ― Agnieszka is a student.

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

   dwa plus dwa jest cztery. ― Two plus two is four.

---

Serbo-Croatian

Verb

jest (Cyrillic spelling јест)

1. third-person singular present of bȉti