Sekirov Dictionary

banter

UK /ˈbæntə/US /ˈbæntɚ/

verb 7
noun 2
forms 3

verb7

To engage in banter or playful conversation.
•
To tease (someone) mildly.
- Here comes the musty trader, running over vvith remonstrances. I must banter the cit. — 1760
•
To joke about; to ridicule (a trait, habit, etc.).
- June 1804, William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham If they banter your regularity, order, and love of study, banter in return their neglect of them.
To play or do something amusing.
•
To delude or trick; to play a prank upon.
- [W]e diverted ourselves vvith bantering several other poor Scholars, vvith hopes of being at least his Lordship's Chaplains and putting on a Scarf; […] — 1722
(US, informal) To challenge to a match.
(dialect, UK) To haggle; cheapen the price.

noun2

•
Sharp, good-humoured, playful, typically spontaneous conversation.
- This bullying continuum illustrates the progressive escalation from harmless banter to bullying and criminal behaviours. — 2007
Good-humoured bits of monologue and/or conversational prompts used in any of a wide range of occupations that must frequently interact with the public (for example, store clerks, salespersons, nurses).

forms

bantered · bantering · banters

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