# josh

/ˈdʒɑʃ/ (US) · /dʒˈɒʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/josh
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to tease someone

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to tease someone in a friendly way without meaning to be mean.

For teachers: to tease or joke with someone in a playful, good-natured manner. Often used transitively with a person as the object.

- Don't take him seriously; he's just joshing you about your new haircut.
- The colleagues spent the lunch hour joshing each other about their respective sports teams, maintaining a lighthearted atmosphere despite the looming deadline.

### 2. to joke around

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to make jokes or have a funny conversation with others.

For teachers: to engage in playful or humorous conversation. Intransitive use focusing on the act of joking rather than a target.

- We were just joshing around in the back of the car during the long drive.
- The veterans sat on the porch joshing around, their easy laughter suggesting decades of shared history and mutual respect.

### 3. a joke or banter

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Archaic

a friendly joke or a bit of playful teasing.

For teachers: an instance of good-natured banter or a playful joke.

- It was all just a bit of josh, so nobody's feelings were hurt.
- The exchange was intended as a harmless josh, though the newcomer initially struggled to interpret the local sense of humour.

## Examples

- Don't get angry; I was only joshing.
- The coworkers often josh each other about their sports teams during their lunch break.
- While the atmosphere in the locker room was competitive, the veterans would frequently josh the rookies to help ease their pre-game nerves.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.