joke

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

n. jest, gag, wisecrack, witticism, bon mot; fooling, kidding, joshing. —v. i. josh, jest, gag. See wit.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [An action intended to be funny]

Syn. prank, buffoonery, game, sport, frolic, practical joke, gag, trick, hoax, revel, clowning, caper, caprice, mischief, escapade, stunt, fooling, foolery, tomfoolery, horseplay, pleasantry, fun, play, gambol, antic, lark, drollery, waggery, farce, mummery, monkeyshine*, shenanigan*, put-on*; see also sense 2; trick 1 .

2. [Words intended to be funny]

Syn. jest, witticism, pun, play on words, quip, bon mot, one-liner, gag, anecdote, pleasantry, banter, drollery, jocularity, riposte, retort, conceit, repartee, give-and-take, rejoinder, sally, persiflage, mot, jeu d'esprit (French), chestnut, epigram, badinage, raillery, smart answer, punch line, jape, crack*, wisecrack*, funny*, shaggy dog story*, zinger*, rib-tickler*; see also sense 1.

3. [A ridiculous person or thing]

Syn. laughingstock, butt, mockery, figure of fun, farce, laugh, sham; see also fake , fool 2 .

v.

Syn. jest, quip, banter, tell jokes, raise laughter, play, sport, frolic, revel, play tricks, pun, poke fun, twit, trick, fool, fool around, clown around, make merry, play the fool, play the clown, be facetious, be waggish, kid*, josh*, crack jokes*, wisecrack*, pull someone's leg*, put someone on*, jive*, fun*; see also deceive , trifle 1 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.

1. jest *one-liner, gag, witticism, wisecrack, quip, humor, bon mot, *funny, drollery, pun, *rib-tickler, prank, *knee-slapper. ''The cayenne of conversation.''—Paul Chatfield. ''Sport to one . . . death to an-other.''—William Hazlitt.

2. laughingstock butt, object of ridicule, target, clown, goat. see laughter

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I noun 1. Words or actions intended to excite laughter or amusement: gag, jape, jest, quip, witticism. Informal: funny, gag. Slang: ha-ha. See LAUGHTER. 2. A mischievous act: antic, caper, frolic, lark, prank1, trick. Informal: shenanigan. Slang: monkeyshine (often used in plural). See GOOD, WORK. 3. Informal. Something or someone uproariously funny or absurd: absurdity. Informal: hoot, laugh, scream. Slang: gas, howl, panic, riot. Idiom: a laugh a minute. See LAUGHTER. 4. An object of amusement or laughter: butt3, jest, laughingstock, mockery. See RESPECT. II verb 1. To make jokes; behave playfully: jest. Informal: clown (around), fool around, fun. See LAUGHTER. 2. To tease or mock good-humoredly: banter, chaff, josh. Informal: kid, rib, ride. Slang: jive, rag2, razz. See LAUGHTER.