practical joke : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: practical joke	by the DICT Development Group
3 results for practical joke
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
practical joke n a prank or trick played on a person (especially one intended to make the victim appear foolish)
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Joke \Joke\, n. [L. jocus. Cf {Jeopardy}, {Jocular}, {Juggler}.] 1. Something said for the sake of exciting a laugh; something witty or sportive (commonly indicating more of hilarity or humor than jest); a jest; a witticism; as, to crack good-natured jokes. And gentle dullness ever loves a joke. --Pope. Or witty joke our airy senses moves To pleasant laughter. --Gay. 2. Something not said seriously, or not actually meant; something done in sport. Inclose whole downs in walls, 't is all a joke. --Pope. {In joke}, in jest; sportively; not meant seriously. {Practical joke}. See under {Practical}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Practical \Prac"ti*cal\, a. [L. practicus active, Gr. [?] fit for doing or performing, practical, active, fr. [?] to do, work, effect: cf. F. pratique, formerly also practique. Cf. {Pragmatic}, {Practice}.] 1. Of or pertaining to practice or action. 2. Capable of being turned to use or account; useful, in distinction from {ideal} or {theoretical}; as, practical chemistry. [bd]Man's practical understanding.[b8] --South. [bd]For all practical purposes.[b8] --Macaulay. 3. Evincing practice or skill; capable of applying knowledge to some useful end; as, a practical man; a practical mind. 4. Derived from practice; as, practical skill. {Practical joke}, a joke put in practice; a joke the fun of which consists in something done, in distinction from something said; esp., a trick played upon a person.