Jest Meaning
/d͡ʒɛst/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounAn act performed for amusement; a joke.
nounSomeone or something that is ridiculed; the target of a joke.
Sentence Examples
Are you in jest or in earnest?
Many a true word is spoken in jest.
CEFR Practice Quiz
His serious face made it hard to tell if he was speaking in ____ or truth.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He said it in ____, but his friend took it seriously and felt very offended by what was said today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English geste (“idle tale”), from Old French geste (“acts, exploits”), from Latin gesta (“acts, deeds”). Doublet of gest.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Alas poore Yorick, I knew him Horatio, a fellow of infinite Ieſt; […]"
— c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 278, column 1:
"Why then make ſport at me, then let me be your ieſt, / I deſerue it[…]"
— c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii], page 58, column 2:
"the jests or actions of princes"
— 1540, Thomas Elyot, Image of Governance:
"He promised us, in honour of our guest, / To grace our banquet with some pompous jest."
— c. 1587 (date written), [Thomas Kyd], The Spanish Tragedie: […] (Fourth Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for T[homas] Pauier, […], published 1602, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
"So I jest called out to know what was up, and found it was Miss Vanholte's cowboys, who had been forced into the store by them rascally ruffins."
— 1890, Emma E. Hornibrook, Queen of the ranche; or, Life in the Far west, page 150:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
His serious face made it hard to tell if he was speaking in ____ or truth.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He said it in ____, but his friend took it seriously and felt very offended by what was said today.