jest

n. [ OE. jeste, geste, deed, action, story, tale, OF. geste, LL. gesta, orig., exploits, neut. pl. from L. gestus, p. p. of gerere to bear, carry, accomplish, perform; perh. orig., to make to come, bring, and perh. akin to E. come. Cf. Gest a deed, Register, n. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A deed; an action; a gest. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The jests or actions of princes. Sir T. Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mask; a pageant; an interlude. [ Obs. ] Nares. [ 1913 Webster ]

He promised us, in honor of our guest,
To grace our banquet with some pompous jest. Kyd. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Something done or said in order to amuse; a joke; a witticism; a jocose or sportive remark or phrase. See Synonyms under Jest, v. i. [ 1913 Webster ]

I must be sad . . . smile at no man's jests. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Right Honorable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts. Sheridan. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The object of laughter or sport; a laughingstock. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then let me be your jest; I deserve it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

In jest, for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest. [ 1913 Webster ] And given in earnest what I begged in jest. Shak. --
Jest book, a book containing a collection of jests, jokes, and amusing anecdotes; a Joe Miller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Gestour. ] 1. A buffoon; a merry-andrew; a court fool. [ 1913 Webster ]

This . . . was Yorick's skull, the king's jester. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dressed in the motley garb that jesters wear. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person addicted to jesting, or to indulgence in light and amusing talk. [ 1913 Webster ]

He ambled up and down
With shallow jesters. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Given to jesting; full of jokes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act or practice of making jests; joking; pleasantry. Eph. v. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sportive; not serious; fit for jests.
Syn. -- joking. [ 1913 Webster ]

He will find that these are no jesting matters. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]