From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishjestjest1 /dʒest/ noun [countable] formal JOKING/NOT SERIOUSsomething you say that is intended to be funny, not serious SYN joke I wasn’t sure whether to treat her words as a jest.in jest His serious face told me that he was not speaking in jest.
Examples from the Corpus
jest• There had been anger as well at the cruel jest of fate that had brought her into love with her own brother.• They exchanged words, not all of which appeared to be in jest.• It was made more in jest than seriousness but it does convey the nature of the Nicholson's operation.• What he said in 1 714, perhaps in jest, later gained acceptance as the perfect moniker for the marine timekeeper.• In jest or earnest, such a man would not wish to leave this human and more than human mystery unresolved.• His companion chuckled at the jest, but Gravelet, whose stage name was Blondin, was deadly serious.• King: I like your jest, but no.• Your jest is in poor taste.jestjest2 verb [intransitive] formal or old use FUNNYto say things that you do not really mean in order to amuse people ‘Do I look as if I am jesting?’ she asked, her face pale and tense. —jestingly adverb→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
jest• A cloud rested on my mind, which was occasioned by talking and jesting.• But of course you are jesting.• Sometimes this is within a light-hearted context, a move from jesting about love to declaring a more serious passion.Origin jest1 (1200-1300) Old French geste “action”, from Latin gesta (plural), from gerere “to behave, perform” 