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Joke vs Idiot - What's the difference?

joke | idiot |

As nouns the difference between joke and idiot

is that joke is an amusing story while idiot is a person of low general intelligence.

As a verb joke

is to do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.

joke

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An amusing story.
  • * Gay
  • Or witty joke our airy senses moves / To pleasant laughter.
  • Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.
  • It was a joke !
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Enclose whole downs in walls, 'tis all a joke .
  • (figuratively) The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one
  • (figuratively) A worthless thing or person.
  • 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

    Derived terms

    * bad joke * standing joke * knock-knock joke * light bulb joke * practical joke

    Coordinate terms

    * comedy * limerick * parody * pun

    Verb

    (jok)
  • To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.
  • I didn’t mean what I said — I was only joking .
  • (dated) To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.
  • to joke a comrade

    See also

    * jeer * mock ----

    idiot

    English

    Alternative forms

    * eejit * idjit, idget (eye dialect)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (pejorative) A person of low general intelligence.
  • usage note This may be used pejoratively, as an insult. It is a weak insult, however, and between close friends, family members, or lovers, is often completely nonaggressive.
  • (obsolete, medicine, psychology) A person who lacks the capacity to develop beyond the mental age of a normal four-year-old.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * genius