joke
/dʒəʊk/ (bre, ipa) · /dʒəʊk/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjōk/ (ame, mw) · /dʒoʊk/ (ame, ipa)
joke — noun
1. a short funny story, a clever remark, or a playful action that a person says or
a short funny story, a clever remark, or a playful action that a person says or does to make other people laugh.
Saira told a funny joke about a parrot and a pirate at the party.
tell + joke + about [topic]
The comedian's joke about traffic jams made the whole audience laugh out loud.
joke + about [topic]
Kenji played a practical joke by hiding his brother's phone in a loaf of bread.
Dahlia did not understand the joke until Ramón explained the pun at the end.
A good joke can turn a boring meeting into a room full of laughter.
文法句型
a + joke
joke + about + noun phrase
tell + joke
用法筆記
Countable noun. Common verb partners include tell, make, get, and crack. A practical joke is a trick played on someone physically rather than a spoken story.
常見錯誤
2. the humorous quality or content of something that a person either understands an
the humorous quality or content of something that a person either understands and enjoys, or fails to appreciate.
Baraka laughed loudly, showing that he got the joke immediately.
get the joke: understand the humour
Poor Zayd did not get the joke and looked confused while everyone else laughed.
My grandfather cannot take a joke and always gets offended when we tease him.
The joke was lost on the younger children, who were too sleepy to follow it.
Amihan is a good sport who can take a joke and laugh at herself afterwards.
- humour
broader term for the quality of being funny; 'joke' in this sense is narrower, referring to a specific instance or its reception
文法句型
can't take a joke
get the joke
用法筆記
This sense appears mainly in fixed phrases such as get the joke (understand the humour) or can/can't take a joke (accept or be offended by humour). The noun is uncountable here — you would not say 'a good joke understanding'.
3. someone or something that is so ridiculous, badly run, or poorly made that nobod
someone or something that is so ridiculous, badly run, or poorly made that nobody can treat it with respect.
The hotel cooking class was a total joke because the chef forgot all the ingredients.
be a joke: be ridiculously bad
That politician became a joke after promising to build a bridge between two connected islands.
The public buses in this town are a joke because they never arrive on time.
After falling asleep during the match, the referee was a joke among the football fans.
- laughingstock
stronger and more informal; a person who everyone laughs at
- farce
a situation that is a disorganized failure; slightly more formal
文法句型
be a joke
someone is a joke
something is a joke
用法筆記
Informal and often critical. Singular only — you would not say 'these are jokes' in this sense. Typically follows 'be a joke' or 'become a joke'.
常見錯誤
joke — verb
1. to say things or tell stories that are intended to make people laugh.
to say things or tell stories that are intended to make people laugh.
Ramón likes to joke about his terrible cooking, but his food actually tastes great.
joke + about [topic]
The two friends joked with each other throughout the long bus ride to Taipei.
joke + with [person]
Saira was joking and laughing with her colleagues during the lunch break yesterday.
The teacher joked that the homework was so light it might float away before morning.
People often joke about the weather in this city because it changes every fifteen minutes.
文法句型
joke + about + noun phrase
joke + with + person
用法筆記
Intransitive — you joke about a topic or with a person, but not 'joke something'. Common patterns: joke about [topic], joke with [person], joke that [clause].
常見錯誤
2. to speak in a playful or teasing way without intending what you say to be taken
to speak in a playful or teasing way without intending what you say to be taken as the truth, often used when the other person is surprised by a statement.
Zayd said the dog ate his homework, but the teacher knew he was joking.
be joking: not serious
You must be joking if you think I'll swim across that freezing lake in January.
must be joking: expressing disbelief
When Amani offered to pay for everyone's dinner, we assumed she was only joking.
When the boss said we had to work all weekend, we hoped she was joking.
- mean
'to be serious about what you say' — opposite of joking in this sense
文法句型
be joking
must be joking
you're joking
用法筆記
Almost always used in continuous forms (be joking). Frequently occurs in negative contexts (I'm not joking) or as an exclamation of disbelief (You must be joking!). Rarely used in past simple without context.