Jest — Defs

01 n. A deed; an action; a gest.

1.
A deed; an action; a gest.[Obs.]
“The jests or actions of princes.” — Sir T. Elyot.
2.
A mask; a pageant; an interlude.[Obs.]
“He promised us, in honor of our guest, To grace our banquet with some pompous jest.” — Kyd.
3.
Something done or said in order to amuse; a joke; a witticism; a jocose or sportive remark or phrase. See Synonyms under Jest, v. i. See: Jest
“I must be sad . . . smile at no man's jests.” — Shak.

“The Right Honorable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts.” — Sheridan.
4.
The object of laughter or sport; a laughingstock.
“Then let me be your jest; I deserve it.” — Shak.

“And given in earnest what I begged in jest.” — Shak.

02 v. i. To take part in a merrymaking; -- especially, to act in a mask or interlude.

imp. & p. p. Jested; p. pr. & vb. n. Jesting

1.
To take part in a merrymaking; -- especially, to act in a mask or interlude.[Obs.]
2.
To make merriment by words or actions; to joke; to make light of anything.
“He jests at scars that never felt a wound.” — Shak.

Syn. To joke; sport; rally.

-- To Jest, Joke. One jests in order to make others laugh; one jokes to please himself. A jest is usually at the expense of another, and is often ill-natured; a joke is a sportive sally designed to promote good humor without wounding the feelings of its object. “Jests are, therefore, seldom harmless; jokes frequently allowable. The most serious subject may be degraded by being turned into a jest.”