• enPR: jĕst, IPA: /dʒɛst/

jest (plural jests)

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

   • 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.

   • c. 1593, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:

     Then let me be your jest; I deserve it.

3. (obsolete) A deed; an action; a gest.

   • the jests or actions of princes

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

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

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

• Italian: scherzo, barzelletta, battuta, celia, arguzia, facezia
• Portuguese: gracejo, piada
• Russian: насме́шка
• Spanish: broma, chiste

• French: risée
• Italian: oggetto di scherno, zimbello
• Russian: посме́шище

jest (jests, present participle jesting; 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!

• (to joke) banter, kid, mock, tease

• Italian: scherzare, affabulare
• Portuguese: gracejar
• Russian: шути́ть
• Spanish: bromear

jest (not comparable)

1. (AAVE, Southern US) Alternative spelling of just