jesting

jesting
    adj 1: characterized by jokes and good humor [syn: {jesting},
           {jocose}, {jocular}, {joking}]
    

Jesting \Jest"ing\, a.
   Sportive; not serious; fit for jests.

   Syn: joking.
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              He will find that these are no jesting matters.
                                                  --Macaulay.
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Jest \Jest\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Jested}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Jesting}.]
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   1. To take part in a merrymaking; -- especially, to act in a
      mask or interlude. [Obs.] --Shak.
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   2. To make merriment by words or actions; to joke; to make
      light of anything.
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            He jests at scars that never felt a wound. --Shak.

   Syn: To joke; sport; rally.

   Usage: 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." --Crabb.
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Jesting \Jest"ing\, n.
   The act or practice of making jests; joking; pleasantry.
   --Eph. v. 4.
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43 Moby Thesaurus words for "jesting":
      Attic, bantering, biting, brilliant, chaffing, clever, droll,
      facetious, fooling, funny, hazing, humorous, humorsome, jocose,
      jocular, joking, joky, jollying, joshing, keen, keen-witted,
      kidding, mordant, nimble-witted, pointed, pungent, quick-witted,
      ragging, rapier-like, razzing, ribbing, roasting, salt, salty,
      scintillating, sharp, smart, sparkling, sprightly, teasing,
      twitting, whimsical, witty