in jest
9
6.6
- idiom
- Informal
:
en broma
- Many a true word spoken in jest.
- only in jest
- partly in jest
- half in jest
Would you be prepared to mock the Prophet Muhammad in jest?
- Would you be prepared to mock the Prophet Muhammad in jest?
- The court gave reasons why it found the advertisement was clearly in jest.
- The other one that surprised me is when I said now I did it in jest.
- What's that process like we or, or is that, like you say that in jest?
- And I find that I make a lot of negative comments, even if it is in jest.
- I call myself a genius, like in jest, but I'm creatively fruity all over the place, just flying high.
Examples
-
Although she made her remark in jest, it still made everyone laugh.
-
Half in jest, the men talked sometimes of organizing a soccer match with the Reds.
Fiction book (1998) -
Little did I know that those comments made in jest would actually become reality.
Blog text (34) -
As long as the questions and the comments here are in jest, it's all fine.
Blog text (28) -
A slight smile suggested her words were only half in jest.
Fiction book (2002) -
Billy, many a true word is spoken in jest.
-
When children tease others, much of it is done in jest, and much of it is done in the presence of peers.
Academic text (2001) -
Only partly in jest, my friend merrily replied, "Build a wall."
Academic text (2011) -
"If only you would go fetch me that ring, you lazy bird," I said to Skava in jest.
Fiction book (1993) -
One opposition party militant said, and only partly in jest, that "we are lucky Moi won."
Academic text (1994)
Synonyms
27
2.0
Said or done as a joke and not meant seriously
5
5.3
People say it as a joke and do not mean it seriously
5
3.3
In a funny way that makes people laugh
3
8.1
In a joking way that is not meant to be taken seriously
2
6.8
Joking and not meant to be taken seriously
1
3.6
To say or do something in a joking way without being serious
1
7.1
In a joking way to make people laugh
Said or done as a joke and not meant to be serious
In a joking way that is not serious
In a joking way to make people laugh
Antonyms
How Playful
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'spoken or done as a joke' is directly derivable from combining 'in' (indicating manner/state) with 'jest' (a joke), yielding 'in a joking manner.' This compositional pattern (in + noun = in the manner/state of ...) is common in English and cross-linguistically parallel, so a B1 learner who knows both words should understand the expression.
Etymology
In jest comes from the old word jest, which meant a playful story or joke. So when something is said in jest, it is meant as a joke and not to be taken 'seriously'.