Definition of jape
: to make mocking fun of
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Examples of jape in a Sentence
the characters in Oscar Wilde's plays jape with a readiness and sophistication that is rarely, if ever, encountered in real life
Did You Know?
Jape mysteriously appeared in the English language during the 14th century and was adopted by literary folks, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, as a word meaning both "to trick" and "to jeer." It was also used, however, with the meanings "to seduce (someone)" or "to have sexual intercourse." This ambiguity forced writers to think twice about using "jape" in fear of misinterpretation. Ultimately, the word was avoided by respectable writers, and by the end of the 16th century it had fallen into disuse. But this four-letter word was not completely forgotten. It got its second chance when 19th-century writers began using its "jeer" meaning again - leaving its carnal meaning in oblivion.
Origin and Etymology of jape
Middle English
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First Known Use: 14th century
in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
See Words from the same yearExamples of jape in a Sentence
by the standards of today's no-holds-barred satire, Will Rogers' homespun japes about politicians seem awfully gentle
Recent Examples of jape from the Web
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Bankruptcy jape Elon Musk sought to lighten the mood after one of the worst weeks for Tesla Inc. in its 15-year history with a series of April Fool’s Day tweets about bankruptcy.
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The latter was a jape; the former was a cautionary howl.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jape.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of jape
14th century
jape Synonyms
Synonyms
crack, drollery, funny, gag, jest, joke, laugh, one-liner, pleasantry, quip, rib, sally, waggery, wisecrack, witticism;
Related Words
funning, joking, wisecracking;
antic, buffoonery, caper, monkeyshine(s), practical joke, prank, trick;
burlesque, caricature, lampoon, mock, mockery, parody, put-on, riff;
Learn More about jape
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See words that rhyme with jape Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for jape Nglish: Translation of jape for Spanish speakers
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