English Explanatory Dictionary

jape

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A joke or quip.
  2. A prank or trick.
verb
  1. To jest; play tricks.
  2. To mock; deride.
  3. To have sexual intercourse with.

Pronunciation

/d͡ʒeɪp/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-jape.wav

Word forms

jape japes japing japed

Etymology

From Middle English japen (“to deceive, play tricks on; act foolishly, joke; have sex with”), of uncertain origin, but perhaps combining Old French japer (“to bark, howl, scream; chatter, gossip”) with gaber (“to mock, deride”). See also gab, Old Occitan japar, jaupar (“to bark, yelp, yap”), related to Old Saxon galpōn (“to cry loudly, make a noise, brag”) (Low German galpen (“to bark, howl, scream”)), Middle High German gelpfen (“to scream, bark, boast, proclaim”), Old Norse gjálpa (“to yelp”) (dialectal Swedish galpa (“to cry, screech”)). More at yelp, yawp, yap.

Synonyms

joke jest gibe trick befool make fun of razz chaff disparage forgab frump gleek jape jeer jibe josh kid lampoon mimic mock needle niggle rib roast satirize scoff scorn slag tease twit bust on extract the urine clown around make a fool of make sport of poke fun at take the piss coitize go to bed with sleep with Formal terms bed coit dight enjoy feague go in unto have know lie by lie with love mount occupy penetrate season seduce take Any of Thesaurus:copulate + "with" Informal and slang terms

Derived words

bejapen japery japester japish japingly
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