English Explanatory Dictionary

kid on the square

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To be joking, but at the same time really mean it.

Word forms

kid on the square kids on the square kidding on the square kidded on the square

Etymology

Dates back to the early 20th century. Later popularized by Mose Allison in his 1983 song "Kidding on the Square" on the album Middle Class White Boy (described in the liner notes as "joking with serious intent") and later by Al Franken describing the negative reaction of Paul Wolfowitz to one of his jokes in the 2003 book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them.

Synonyms

ha ha only serious
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