▪ I. jest, n.
(dʒɛst)
Also 4–6 ieste, 6 gest, 6–7 ieast. See also gest n.1
[a. OF. geste, jeste, ad. L. gesta doings, exploits: see gest n.1, of which this is a variant spelling.]
† 1. A notable deed or action; an exploit. Obs.
| a 1300, etc. [see gest n.1 1]. 1534 Whitinton Tullyes Offices i. (1540) 35 The noble iestes at home. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII, 4 b, Settyng furthe the iestes, actes and deedes, of the nobilitie. 1594 Lodge Wounds Civ. War in Hazl. Dodsley VII. 186 Now, by my sword, this was a worthy jest. 1604 E. G[rimstone] tr. D'Acosta's Hist. Ind. i. vii. 22 These two authors agree in their ieasts. |
† 2. A narrative of exploits; a story, tale, or romance, originally in verse. Obs.
| a 1300, etc. [see gest n.1 2]. 13.. K. Alis. 30 Here a noble jeste of Alisaundre theo riche kyng. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love Prol. (Skeat) l. 2 Men..that..so moche swalowen the deliciousnesse of iestes and of ryme. |
† 3. An idle tale. Obs.
| c 1470 [see gest n.1 3 b]. a 1577 Gascoigne Memories, R. Courtop, Thus this foolishe iest, I put in dogrell rime. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iv. xxiv. 140 Alexander taking it for a iest would not beleeve it. 1611 Cotgr., Bourde, a ieast, fib, tale of a tub. 1620 T. Peyton Glass Time i. (1623) 50 The paradise of Rome's fantastike braine Is but a iest a little wealth to gaine. |
4. A mocking or jeering speech; a taunt, a jeer. Also, in milder sense, A piece of raillery or banter. to break a jest (also in sense 5): see break v. 23.
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V, 77 b, [He] fled to Burges in Berrie,..and therefore in a Iest he was commonly called the kyng of Burges and of Berries. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. To P. Giles (1895) 10 An other is so narrow in the sholders That he can beare no iestes nor tawntes. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. iii. 174 Too bitter is thy iest. Are wee betrayed thus to thy ouer-view? 1599 ― Much Ado v. i. 189 You breake iests as braggards do their blades, which God be thanked hurt not. 1670 A. Roberts Adv. T.S. 27 He cast a Jest upon every one of us, which gave the Company a great deal of Mirth. 1791 Cowper Iliad ii. 258 Might he but set the rabble in a roar, He cared not with what jest. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. IV. xviii. 233 That their return to Normandy was owing to the importunities of their wives would be an obvious jest at the time. |
5. A saying intended to excite laughter; a witticism, joke.
| 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. i. (1895) 73 He himself was oftener laughed at then his iestes were. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 152 note, He forgot..who exceeded al other in uttering delightsome ieastes with a convenient grace. 1640 Quarles Enchirid. iv. 83 Let not thy laughter hand⁓sell thy owne Jest. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 141 ¶8 The hapless wit has his labours always to begin..and one jest only raises expectation of another. 1864 Tennyson Aylmer's F. 440 The jests, that flashed about the pleader's room, Lightning of the hour. |
b. transf. Something the recital of which causes amusement; a ludicrous event or circumstance.
| 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, i. i. 132 A proper iest, and neuer heard before, That Suffolke should demand a whole Fifteenth. 1598 ― Merry W. ii. ii. 116 Fal. Has Fords wife, and Pages wife acquainted each other, how they loue me. Qui. That were a iest indeed. 1632 Lithgow Trav. i. 32 Now I remember here of a pretty jest, for he and I going in [etc.]. 1737 Pope Hor. Ep. ii. i. 318 To complete the Jest, Old Edward's Armour beams on Cibber's breast. |
6. a. The opposite of earnest or seriousness; trifling sport, fun. Chiefly in phrases, as in jest: not seriously, without serious intention, in joke, in fun.
| 1551 T. Wilson Logike (1580) 68 Reasonyng in ieste after this sorte, and yet meanyng good earnest. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, v. iii. 101 His eyes do drop no teares: his prayres are in iest. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 83, I complaining therof to my Host, he between ieast and earnest replied [etc.]. 1635 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virg. 163 In loves schoole, wherein who-so studies in jest, may learne in good earnest. 1838 Thirlwall Greece xxxviii. V. 72 Epaminondas..never permitted himself to utter a falsehood even in jest. 1847 Tennyson Princ. iv. 541 The jest and earnest working side by side. |
b. Jesting, joking, merriment; ridicule.
| 1597 Bacon Ess., Discourse (Arb.) 16/1 Some thinges are priuiledged from iest, namely Religion, matters of state, great persons,..and any case that deserueth pittie. 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. i. 204 Alas poore Yorick,..a fellow of infinite Iest, of most excellent fancy. 1632 Milton L'Allegro 26 Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee Jest and youthful Jollity. 1771 Junius Lett. xlix. 257 A hopeful subject of jest and merriment between them. 1854 Patmore Angel in Ho. i. ii. ix. (1879) 231 In joy's crown danced the feather jest. |
c. A thing that is not serious or earnest; a jocular affair.
| a 1732 Gay Epitaph, Life is a jest, and all things shew it, I thought so once, and now I know it. 1822 Byron Werner ii. i, Oh, thou world! Thou art indeed a melancholy jest! |
7. A sportive action, prank, frolic; a trick played in sport, a practical joke. Now rare.
| 1578 N. Baxter Calvin on Jonah Compl. 3 Guy of Warwicke, Scoggins gests and Gargantua. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 239 Hold the sweete iest vp: This sport well carried, shall be chronicled. 1613 Heywood Braz. Age Wks. 1874 III. 238 If Vulcan in this ieast hath pleas'd the Gods, All his owne wrongs he freely can forgiue. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 110 March begins with a Licentious Week of Sports..nor are they to be offended at any Jest or Waggery. 1807–8 W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 60 Students famous for their love of a jest—set the college on fire, and burnt out the Professors. |
† 8. An amusing or entertaining performance; a pageant, masque, masquerade, or the like. Obs.
| 1599 Kyd Sp. Trag. i. (1602) C j, But where is old Hieronymo our Marshall? He promised vs..To grace our banquet with some pompous iest. Stage direction, Enter Hieronymo with a Drum, three Knightes..then he fetches three Kinges, etc. 1601 Munday Downf. Earl Huntington i. iii. in Hazl. Dodsley VIII. 114 My rival..Hath cross'd me in this jest, and at the court employs the players should have made us sport. |
9. An object of or matter for jesting or derision; a laughing-stock.
| 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iii. iii. 161 Why then make sport at me, then let me be your iest. 1606 Hieron Wks. I. 46 [He] scorneth it, [the Word] and maketh a very ieast of it. 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scand. v. ii, To be the standing jest of all one's acquaintance. 1809 Malkin Gil Blas i. v. ¶6 My father and mother were a standing jest. 1878 B. Taylor Deukalion ii. iii. 69 Lowly virtue is the jest of fools. |
10. Comb., as jest-killer, jest-monger; † jest-monging adj.; jest-wise adv., in a jesting manner; jest-word, a word of jesting; transf. an object of jesting or ridicule (cf. byword).
| 1599 Marston Sco. Villanie iii. xi. 227 Tuscus, that iest-mounging youth Who nere did ope his Apish gerning mouth But to retaile and broke anothers wit. 1681 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. (1693) 754 A witless jestmonger. 18.. J. Baillie (O.), Some witlings and jest-mongers still remain For fools to laugh at. 1843 Whittier Chr. Slave 11 The jest-word of a mocking band. 1844 Mrs. Browning Vis. Poets ccxli, Because Anacreon looked jest-wise. |
▪ II. jest, v.
(dʒɛst)
Also 6 gest(e, geast, ieste, 6–7 ieast.
[f. prec.: = gest v.1, of which this is a variant spelling.]
† 1. intr. To tell a tale, to recite a romance.
| 1340–1440 [see gest v.1 1]. |
2. intr. To utter gibes or taunts; to give utterance to ridicule; to scoff, jeer, mock.
| 1526 Tindale 3 John 10 Iestynge on vs with malicious wordes. 1530 Palsgr. 562/1, I geste, I rayle upon one, je raffarde. I love nat his condyscions, for he doth but jeste upon other men. 1535 Coverdale Job xxvii. 23 Than clappe men their hondes at him, yee and ieast of him. 1563 Winȝet Four Scoir Thre Quest. Wks. 1888 I. 73 Ȝe schaw ȝour arrogance only..to be lachin and gestit at. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 313 He..made an oath he would never jest at spirits again. |
b. trans. To jeer at; to ridicule; to banter.
| 1721 Ramsay Content 248 Be not aghast; Come briskly on, you'll jest them when they're past; Mere empty spectres. 1775 Adair Amer. Ind. 427, I jested them in commending the swiftness of their horses. 1800 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. VIII. 728 Mock'd by the madman, jested by the fool. 1830 James Darnley xx, He jested his companion upon his gravity. |
3. intr. To speak or act in a trifling manner or not seriously; to trifle.
| 1530 Palsgr. 562/1, I gest, I bourde or tryfyll with one, je bourde. I sayd it nat in good earnest, I dyd but..jeste with you. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 63 b, God forbydde I should ieste in these weyghtie matters. 1607 Shakes. Cor. i. iii. 103 Verily I do not iest with you; there came newes from him last night. 1650 Fuller Pisgah ii. xiii. 270 The most sportfull fishes dare not jest with the edged⁓tools of this Dead-sea. a 1873 Lytton Pausanias i. i. (1876) 51 ‘Jest not, Pausanias; you will find me in earnest’, answered Uliades, doggedly. |
4. intr. To say something amusing or facetious; to make witty or humorous remarks; to joke.
| 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 137 Other can ieste at large, and tell a rounde tale pleasauntly. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. i. 34 Now was Severus the Emperour, an Emperour of his own name, as they jested upon him, Severe was his name, and severe his nature. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 215 ¶2 Because Mirth is agreeable, another thinks fit eternally to jest. 1725 Ramsay Gent. Sheph. iii. iv, Well jested, Symon. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvii. IV. 97 He drank: he jested: he was again the Dick Talbot who had diced and revelled with Grammont. |
† b. intr. To disport or amuse oneself; to make merry; ? to act in a masque or play. Obs.
| 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, i. iii. 95 As gentle, and as iocond, as to iest, Go I to fight. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 29 To the end that those of the House..seeing them jest (beating one the other with pillowes) might beleeve that thence began the first noise. |
c. quasi-trans., usually with adverb or phrase expressing result.
| a 1562 G. Cavendish Wolsey (1893) 214 The matter was gested and laughed owte merylye. 1634 Massinger Very Woman v. iv, Do not jest thyself Into the danger of a father's anger. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 358 ¶1 Thus they have jested themselves stark naked, and ran into the Streets, and frighted Women. 1802 Oracle in Spirit Pub. Jrnls. (1803) VI. 291, I have jested away all my friends. 1811 Lamb Ess., Edax on Appetite, That freak..jested me out of a good three hundred pounds a year. |
▪ III. jest
(dʒɛst)
colloq. and dial. var. just adv. Cf. jes, jes'.
| 1815 D. Humphreys Yankey in Eng. i. 22 I'm rather in a strait, jest now. 1890 Kipling Barrack-Room Ballads (1892) 19 Jest send in your Chief an' surrender. 1896 in G. F. Northall Warwickshire Word-Bk. 119. 1908 A. J. Dawson Finn xix. 293 Jest you remember, my boy, that where I sleeps I breakfast. 1971 M. Babson Cover-up Story x. 112 Hell, it was jest a thought. 1973 Black World June 63 Jest git on da good foot. |
▪ IV. jest
variant of gist n.3, jet n.4