jape

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The Word of the Day for September 8 is: 

jape   \JAYP\   verb
         *1 : to say or do something jokingly or mockingly 
     2 : to make mocking fun of 

Example sentence:
          At the convention, the younger gamers japed at the low-tech graphics 
of the early consoles on display.

Did you know?
          “Jape” mysteriously appeared in the English language during the 14th 
century and was adopted by literary folks, such as Geoffrey Chaucer, as a word 
meaning both “to trick” and “to jeer.” It was also used, however, with the 
meanings “to seduce (someone)” or “to have sexual intercourse.” This ambiguity 
forced writers to think twice about using “jape” in fear of misinterpretation. 
Ultimately, the word was avoided by respectable writers, and by the end of the 
16th century it had fallen into disuse. But this four-letter word was not 
completely forgotten. It got its second chance when 19th-century writers began 
using its “jeer” meaning again -- leaving its carnal meaning in oblivion.





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