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Glite Dictionary
to keep the jokes flowing

to keep the jokes flowing

5.0
To say funny things one after another to make people laugh
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
: mantener los chistes
  • At the party, his quick wit helped him keep the jokes flowing all night long.

Examples

  • She knew how to keep the jokes flowing during even the dullest meetings.

  • He always keeps the jokes flowing at family gatherings.

  • The comedian managed to keep the jokes flowing despite a few interruptions from the audience.

  • Let's keep the jokes flowing during the party!

  • At the party, his quick wit helped him keep the jokes flowing all night long.

  • She knew how to keep the jokes flowing during even the dullest meetings.

  • The comedian managed to keep the jokes flowing despite a few interruptions from the audience.

Synonyms

to joke
vsto keep the jokes flowing
530 1.0

To say or do something to make people laugh

focuses on keeping a steady stream of humorous remarks over time

How Continuous

to keep the jokes flowing
  • Informal
5.0
to joke
530 1.0

Surface Forms

keep the jokes flowing infinitive
kept the jokes flowing past
kept the jokes flowing past participle
keeping the jokes flowing present participle
keeps the jokes flowing third person singular

Morphology

keep + the + joke + flow

The meaning 'to maintain a steady sequence of jokes' is directly and predictably derived from combining 'keep' (continue) with 'jokes' (humorous remarks) and 'flowing' (occurring smoothly). The pattern 'keep X V-ing' meaning 'maintain X in a state' and the common metaphor of 'flow' for continuity are cross-linguistically familiar, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should understand the MWE.

Etymology

Keep the jokes flowing uses the image of a running stream: imagine jokes as drops of water that must keep flowing so the laughter never stops. So, keep the jokes flowing means 'to keep telling new jokes or funny lines' to keep people laughing.