joke

[dʒəʊk]

[dʒoʊk]

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joking - joke

A joke is a funny statement or action that's meant to make people laugh.

When we talk about jokes, it usually means something that's silly or ridiculous, and often said in a playful way. For example, if someone makes a funny comment at the dinner table, like "Why did the chicken cross the road? To get away from the farmer's constant egg-xpectations!", you might say they're telling a joke. Jokes can be one-liners that are quick to laugh at, or longer stories with punchlines that surprise and delight us. Sometimes jokes are even about poking fun at ourselves or our situations, making them relatable and entertaining for everyone involved.

How common is "joke"?

Word joke is considered uncommon in modern English.
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.

Definitions

noun

An amusing story.
Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.
Example: It was a joke!
The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one
A laughably worthless thing or person; a sham.
Example: The president was a joke.

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verb

To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.
Example: I didn’t mean what I said — I was only joking.
(intransitive, followed by with) To dupe in a friendly manner for amusement; to mess with, play with.
Example: Relax, man, I'm just joking with you.
To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.
Example: to joke a comrade

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