jape

Meanings

Noun

• A joke or quip.
• A prank or trick.

Verb

• To jest; play tricks.
• To mock; deride.
• To have sexual intercourse with.

Origin

• From Middle English japen ("to deceive, play tricks on; act foolishly, joke; have sex with"), of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old French japer ("to bark, howl, scream; chatter, gossip") (possibly conflated with Old French gaber ("to mock, deride"), see gab), related to Old Occitan japar, jaupar, probably of Proto-Germanic origin, related to Old Saxon galpōn ("to cry loudly, make a noise, brag") (Low German galpen ("to bark, howl, scream")), Middle High German gelpfen ("to scream, bark, boast, proclaim"), Old Norse gjálpa ("to yelp") (dialectal Swedish galpa ("to cry, screech")). More at yelp, yawp, yap.