joke

7 definitions • 19 examples

something, such as a funny story or trick, that is said or done in order to make people laugh:

Did I tell you the joke about the chicken crossing the road?

She spent the evening cracking (= telling) jokes and telling funny stories.

She tied his shoelaces together for a joke.

I hope Rob doesn't tell any of his dirty jokes (= jokes about sex) when my mother's here.

He tried to do a comedy routine, but all his jokes fell flat (= no one laughed at them).

Don't you get (= understand) the joke?

a person or thing that is very bad or silly:

Our new teacher's a joke - he can't even control the class.

The new software is a complete joke - it keeps crashing.

The test was a joke (= was very easy) - everyone finished in less than an hour.

to say funny things:

They joked and laughed as they looked at the photos.

It's more serious than you think, so please don't joke about it.

[ + speech ] "I didn't expect to be out so soon", he joked, after spending nine months in hospital.

If you think that someone is joking, you think that they do not really mean what they say:

I thought he was joking when he said Helen was pregnant, but she really is.

She wasn't joking (= she was serious) when she said she was going to move out of the house.

something, such as an amusing story or trick, that is said or done in order to make people laugh:

He told a joke about a farmer and a lawyer that made Nicholas burst into laughter.

something considered to be so bad or worthless that it is ridiculous:

The playing conditions on the muddy field were a joke.

The midterm exam was a joke (= too easy).

to say things in an amusing or playful manner:

[ I ] He joked about how I was always cleaning.

[ + that clause ] They’ve always joked that the place is so wet, the bullfrogs have to sit on the fences.