Jest, subst. 1) any thing ludicrous and amusing uttered or done: Tp. IV, 241. Gent. II, 1, 141. Gent. II, 1, 141 Wiv. II, 1, 224. II, 2, 116. III, 4, 39. III, 4, 39 IV, 2, 237. IV, 6, 17. V, 5, 109. Err. I, 2, 21. Err. I, 2, 21 II, 2, 21. III, 1, 123. Ado I, 3, 15. II, 1, 252. II, 3, 141. II, 3, 141 LLL II, 71. IV, 1, 144. IV, 3, 174. V, 2, 46. Mids. III, 2, 239. Merch. I, 1, 56. As I, 3, 26. Shr. V, 2, 91. H4A I, 2, 208. H6B I, 1, 132. R3 II, 4, 30. Hml. V, 1, 204 “(a fellow of infinite j.).” Ant. III, 13, 181 etc. “to break --s:” Ado V, 1, 189. Shr. IV, 5, 72. Troil. I, 3, 148. “to make a j.:” H6C V, 1, 30.
2) the object of laughter, a laughing-stock: “let me be your j., I deserve it,” Wiv. III, 3, 161.
3) the contrary to earnest; what is not meant as it was pretended: “let us confess and turn it to a j.” LLL V, 2, 390. “rated them at courtship, pleasant j. and courtesy,” LLL V, 2, 390 “our letters showed much more than j.” LLL V, 2, 390 “'tis no j. that I do hate thee,” Mids. III, 2, 280. “if that be j., then all the rest was so,” Shr. II, 22. “takest it all for j.” Wint. I, 2, 249. in j. == not in earnest: Gent. II, 5, 14. LLL I, 1, 54. Shr. I, 2, 84. R2 V, 3, 101. H4A II, 3, 102. H6B III, 2, 400. H6C II, 3, 28. R3 V, 1, 22. Hml. III, 2, 244.