josh

nounverbcommon in dialogue

An instance of good-natured banter.

noun

1
An instance of good-natured banter.

Etymology

Disputed origin, first attested in the mid-19th century. The earliest example is capitalized, therefore is likely derived from the proper name Joshua.

verb

1
To tease someone in a kindly or friendly fashion.
"My dear Polly. I welcome criticism, but this is mere——" Lady Wetherby stroked his coat sleeve fondly. "Never mind, Algie, I was only joshing you, precious.[…]"
2
To make or exchange good-natured jokes.
We are old friends, did I not tell you? So I may, what you Americans call, josh with him.
“Cut that joshing out,” she said, coolly and briskly. “Who do you think you are talking to? Your check, please. Oh, Lordy!—”
Boris, it seems, is taking it in this spirit, joshing beneath his ever-redeeming barnet that Labour's opposition to military action in Syria is a fey stance that he, as GQ politician of the year, would never be guilty of.

Forms

plural: joshes
past tense: joshed
past participle: joshed
present participle: joshing
third person singular: joshes

joseph · A woman's riding habit worn in the 18th century with a long…Joseph · Eleventh and favorite son of Jacob, by his wife Rachel.Josephine · A female given name from French.

josh · An instance of good-natured banter.

Josh · A diminutive of the male given name Joshua.Joshua · The sixth book of the Old Testament of the Bible, and a book…Josie · A diminutive of the female given name Josephine.

The neighbouring pages — Alphabetical order follows the rules of the language, not byte values: an accent decides only between two otherwise identical words, and Spanish files Ñ as a letter of its own.