from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Jest \Jest\ (j[e^]st), n. [OE. jeste, geste, deed, action,
story, tale, OF. geste, LL. gesta, orig., exploits, neut. pl.
from L. gestus, p. p. of gerere to bear, carry, accomplish,
perform; perh. orig., to make to come, bring, and perh. akin
to E. come. Cf. {Gest} a deed, {Register}, n.]
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1. A deed; an action; a gest. [Obs.]
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The jests or actions of princes. --Sir T.
Elyot.
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2. A mask; a pageant; an interlude. [Obs.] --Nares.
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He promised us, in honor of our guest,
To grace our banquet with some pompous jest. --Kyd.
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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.
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I must be sad . . . smile at no man's jests. --Shak.
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The Right Honorable gentleman is indebted to his
memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his
facts. --Sheridan.
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4. The object of laughter or sport; a laughingstock.
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Then let me be your jest; I deserve it. --Shak.
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{In jest}, for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and
reality; not in earnest.
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And given in earnest what I begged in jest. --Shak.
{Jest book}, a book containing a collection of jests, jokes,
and amusing anecdotes; a Joe Miller.
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