- Banter
- Banter Ban"ter (b[a^]n"t[~e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bantered}
(b[a^]n"t[~e]rd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Bantering}.] [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.]
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
Hag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then bantered on my haggard looks the next day. --W. Irving. [1913 Webster]
2. To jest about; to ridicule in speaking of, as some trait, habit, characteristic, and the like. [Archaic] [1913 Webster]
If they banter your regularity, order, and love of study, banter in return their neglect of them. --Chatham. [1913 Webster]
3. To delude or trick, -- esp. by way of jest. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
We diverted ourselves with bantering several poor scholars with hopes of being at least his lordship's chaplain. --De Foe. [1913 Webster]
4. To challenge or defy to a match. [Colloq. Southern and Western U. S.] [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.