Jest \Jest\, 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.]

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.]

--Nares.

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.

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.

In jest, for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest.

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Jest \Jest\, v. i. [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.]

--Shak.

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.

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)