Category:Banter

Ban"ter, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bantered(p. pr. & vb. n. Bantering.] Etym: [Prob. corrupted fr. F. badiner to joke, or perh. fr. E. bandy to beat to and fro. See Badinage, and cf. Barter fr. OF. barater.]

1. To address playful good-natured ridicule to, -- the person addressed, or something pertaining to him, being the subject of the jesting; to rally; as, he bantered me about my credulity. Hag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then bantered on my haggard looks the next day. W. Irving.

2. To jest about; to ridicule in speaking of, as some trait, habit, characteristic, and the like. [Archaic] If they banter your regularity, order, and love of study, banter in return their neglect of them. Chatham.

3. To delude or trick, -- esp. by way of jest. [Obs.] We diverted ourselves with bantering several poor scholars with hopes of being at least his lordship's chaplain. De Foe.

4. To challenge or defy to a match. [Colloq. Southern and Western U.S.]

Ban"ter, n.

Defn: The act of bantering; joking or jesting; humorous or good- humored raillery; pleasantry. Part banter, part affection. Tennyson.