Banter \Ban"ter\, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bantered(?); p. pr. & vb. n. Bantering.]

[Prob. corrupted fr. F. badiner to joke, or perh. fr. E. bandy to beat to and fro. See Badinage, and cf. Barter fr. OF. barater.]

1. To address playful good-natured ridicule to, -- the person addressed, or something pertaining to him, being the subject of the jesting; to rally; as, he bantered me about my credulity.

Hag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then bantered on my haggard looks the next day. --W. Irving.

2. To jest about; to ridicule in speaking of, as some trait, habit, characteristic, and the like. [Archaic]

If they banter your regularity, order, and love of study, banter in return their neglect of them. --Chatham.

3. To delude or trick, -- esp. by way of jest. [Obs.]

We diverted ourselves with bantering several poor scholars with hopes of being at least his lordship's chaplain. --De Foe.

4. To challenge or defy to a match. [Colloq. Southern and Western U.S.]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)