Joke vs Prank - What's the difference?
joke | prank |
An amusing story.
* Gay
Something said or done for amusement, not in seriousness.
* Alexander Pope
(figuratively) The root cause or main issue, especially an unexpected one
(figuratively) A worthless thing or person.
To do or say something for amusement rather than seriously.
(dated) To make merry with; to make jokes upon; to rally.
(obsolete) An evil deed; a malicious trick, an act of cruel deception.
*, II.4.2.ii:
A practical joke or mischievous trick.
* Shakespeare
* Sir Walter Raleigh
To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously.
* Spenser
* 1748 , , B:II
* 1880 , For Spring, by Sandro Botticelli , lines 2–3
To make ostentatious show.
* M. Arnold
To perform a practical joke on; to trick.
* {{quote-news, year=2007, date=May 13, author=Karen Crouse, title=Still Invitation Only, but Jets Widen Door for Camp, work=New York Times
, passage=“If someone’s pranking me,” Rowlands remembered thinking, “they’re going to great lengths to make it work.” }}
(slang) To call someone's phone and promptly hang up
(obsolete) Full of gambols or tricks.
(Webster 1913)
English transitive verbs
In intransitive terms the difference between joke and prank
is that joke is to do or say something for amusement rather than seriously while prank is to make ostentatious show.As an adjective prank is
full of gambols or tricks.joke
English
Noun
(en noun)- Or witty joke our airy senses moves / To pleasant laughter.
- It was a joke !
- Enclose whole downs in walls, 'tis all a joke .
- 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 alsoDerived terms
* bad joke * standing joke * knock-knock joke * light bulb joke * practical jokeCoordinate terms
* comedy * limerick * parody * punVerb
(jok)- I didn’t mean what I said — I was only joking .
- to joke a comrade
See also
* jeer * mock ----prank
English
Noun
(en noun)- Hercules, after all his mad pranks upon his wife and children, was perfectly cured by a purge of hellebor, which an Antieyrian administered unto him.
- His pranks have been too broad to bear with.
- The harpies played their accustomed pranks .
- Pranks may be funny, but remember that some people are aggressive.
- He pulled a gruesome prank on his sister.
Synonyms
* See alsoDerived terms
* prankish * pranksome * pranksterVerb
- In sumptuous tire she joyed herself to prank .
- And there a Sea?on atween June and May,
- Half prankt with Spring, with Summer half imbrown'd,
- A li?tle?s Climate made, where, Sooth to ?ay,
- No living Wight could work, ne cared even for Play.
- ''Flora, wanton-eyed
- ''For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:
- White houses prank where once were huts.
citation
- Hey man, prank me when you wanna get picked up.
- I don't have your number in my phone, can you prank me?
