different between zinger vs joke

English

Etymology

zing +? -er

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -???(?)

Noun

zinger (plural zingers)

1. (informal) A very rapidly moving object, especially one that is thrown.

   The pitcher threw a real zinger and struck him out.

2. (informal) A surprising or unusually pointed, humorous and impressive insult or insulting quip.

   My little niece let fly with the zinger that my sister was pregnant again.

3. (informal) An event that when experienced leaves the witness dazed, either physically or metaphorically.

   I was still reeling from the zinger of seeing my ex on a date with my best friend.

4. (informal) An outstanding, energetic and surprising thing or person.
5. Something to eat or drink that is tart and stimulating.

Synonyms

• (surprising, pointed, or telling remark): one-liner

English

Etymology

From Latin iocus (“joke, jest, pastime”), from Proto-Italic *jokos (“word, (playful?) saying”), from Proto-Indo-European *yokos (“word, utterance”), from ultimate root Proto-Indo-European *yek- (“to speak, utter”) (of which distant cognates include Proto-Celtic *yextis (“language”) (Breton yezh (“language”) and Welsh iaith (“language”)) and German Beichte (“confession”)). Cognate with French jouer, Italian giocare, Portuguese jogar, Spanish juego and jugar, and Romanian juca.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d???k/
• (US) IPA^(key): /d?o?k/
• Rhymes: -??k

Noun

joke (plural jokes)

1. An amusing story.
   • 1708, John Gay, Wine

     Or witty joke our airy senses moves / To pleasant laughter.

2. Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.

   It was a joke!
3. (figuratively) The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one
4. (figuratively) A laughably worthless thing or person; a sham.

   Your effort at cleaning your room is a joke.

   The president was a joke.

Usage notes

• Adjectives often applied to "joke": old, bad, inside, poor, silly, funny, lame, hilarious, stupid, offensive.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:joke

Coordinate terms

• comedy
• limerick
• parody
• pun

Derived terms

Related terms

• jocular

Descendants

• ? Danish: joke
• ? French: joke
• ? Persian: ????
• ? Japanese: ????, ? Japanese: ??
• ? Welsh: jôc

Translations

Verb

joke (third-person singular simple present jokes, present participle joking, simple past and past participle joked)

1. (intransitive) To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.

   I didn’t mean what I said — I was only joking.

2. (intransitive, followed by with) To dupe in a friendly manner for amusement; to mess with, play with.

   Relax, man, I'm just joking with you.

3. (transitive, dated) To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.

   to joke a comrade

Related terms

• joker

Translations

See also

• jeer
• mock

Anagrams

• ojek

Danish

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English joke.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?d?j?w??]

Noun

joke c (singular definite joken, plural indefinite jokes)

1. joke

Inflection

Synonyms

• spøg
• vits
• vittighed

Etymology 2

Borrowed from English joke.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?d?j?w???], (imperative) IPA^(key): [?d?j?w???]

Verb

joke (past tense jokede, past participle joket)

1. joke

Inflection

Synonyms

• spøge

French

Etymology

From English joke.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?ok/
• (Quebec) IPA^(key): /d?o?k/

Noun

joke f (plural jokes)

1. (Louisiana, Quebec) joke

Derived terms

• faire une joke