raillery

English

Etymology

From French raillerie.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹeɪləɹi/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /ˈɹæləɹi/

Noun

raillery (countable and uncountable, plural railleries)

1. Good-natured banter, jest, or ridicule.
   • 1671 March (first performance), [William] Wycherley, Love in a Wood, or, St James’s Park. A Comedy, […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman, […], published 1672, →OCLC, Act II, page 22:

     Flip [Lady Flippant]. I love, of my life men ſhould deal freely vvith me; there are ſo fevv men vvill deal freely with one— / Sir Sim[on Addlepot]. Are you not a Fireſhip? a Punk, Madam? / Flip. VVell, Sir, I love Raillery. / Sir Sim. Faith and troth I do not railly, I deal freely.

   • 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, act III, scene iii:

     It is so indeed—Charles—they give into all the substantial Luxuries of the Table—and abstain from nothing but wine and wit—Oh, certainly society suffers by it intolerably—for now instead of the social spirit of Raillery that used to mantle over a glass of bright Burgundy their conversation is become just like the Spa water they drink which has all the Pertness and flatulence of champaine without its spirit or Flavour.

   • 1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter XVIII, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC:

     Excitement instantly seized the whole party: a running fire of raillery and jests was proceeding when Sam returned.

   • 1892–1893, Cao Xueqin, translated by H. Bencraft Joly, Hung Lou Mêng; or, The Dream of the Red Chamber; a Chinese Novel, Hong Kong: Kelly & Walsh, →OCLC:

     Lady Feng was at the moment having a little goodhumoured raillery with Yüan Yang, and was taken so much off her guard, that she was quite startled out of her senses.