jest (n.)
- badinage
- bagatelle
- banter
- bauble
- bean
- bit
- butt
- button
- byword
- cent
- chaff
- comeback
- crack
- curio
- cut
- derision
- dig
- drollery
- dump
- dupe
- exchange
- farce
- farthing
- feather
- fig
- fleer
- folderol
- fool
- foolery
- fooling
- frippery
- fun
- gag
- game
- gaud
- gewgaw
- gibe
- gimcrack
- give-and-take
- goat
- hair
- halfpenny
- haze
- howler
- jab
- jape
- jeer
- jive
- joke
- jolly
- kickshaw
- kid
- knickknack
- knickknackery
- laugh
- laughingstock
- leg-pull
- mock
- mockery
- molehill
- monkey
- needle
- panic
- peppercorn
- persiflage
- pin
- pinprick
- play
- pleasantry
- point
- pun
- put-down
- put-on
- quip
- rag
- raillery
- rally
- rallying
- rap
- razz
- rib
- ride
- ridicule
- riot
- roast
- rush
- scoff
- scream
- scurrility
- shit
- sidesplitter
- slam
- slap
- snap
- sou
- sparkle
- sport
- stock
- story
- straw
- swipe
- target
- taunt
- tease
- toy
- trifle
- trinket
- triviality
- tuppence
- twit
- twopence
- victim
- waggery
- wheeze
- wisecrack
- witticism
- wow
- yak
- yarn
jest (v.)
- banter
- bean
- bit
- butt
- button
- cent
- chaff
- crack
- cut
- dig
- dump
- dupe
- exchange
- farce
- feather
- fleer
- flout
- fool
- fun
- gag
- game
- gibe
- gird
- hair
- haze
- jab
- jeer
- jive
- joke
- jolly
- josh
- kid
- laugh
- mock
- monkey
- needle
- panic
- pin
- play
- point
- pun
- quip
- rag
- rally
- rap
- razz
- rib
- ride
- ridicule
- riot
- roast
- rush
- scintillate
- scoff
- scream
- shit
- slam
- slap
- snap
- sparkle
- sport
- stock
- straw
- swipe
- target
- taunt
- tease
- toy
- trifle
- twit
- wheeze
- wisecrack
- wow
- yak
- yarn
Chaos of thought and passion, all confused;
Still by himself abused or disabused;
Created half to rise, and half to fall;
Great lord of all things, yet a prey to all;
Sole judge of truth, in endless error hurled,—
The glory, jest, and riddle of the world.
Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee
Jest and youthful Jollity,
Quips and Cranks and wanton Wiles,
Nods and Becks and wreathed Smiles.
Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.
Of all the griefs that harass the distrest,
Sure the most bitter is a scornful jest.
Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times; and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now; your gambols, your songs? your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own grinning? Quite chap-fallen? Now get you to my lady's chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favour she must come.
It would be argument for a week, laughter for a month, and a good jest for ever.
Life is a jest, and all things show it;
I thought so once, but now I know it.
What things have we seen
Done at the Mermaid! heard words that have been
So nimble and so full of subtile flame
As if that every one from whence they came
Had meant to put his whole wit in a jest,
And resolved to live a fool the rest
Of his dull life.
O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible,
As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple.
