Etymology Dictionary

JEST,  a joke, fun.  (F.,—L.)   In Shak. Temp. iv. 241.   Orig. a story, tale.   M.E. geste, a story, a form of composition in which tales were recited.   'Let see wher [whether] thou canst tellen ought in geste;' Chaucer, C. T. 13861.   'I cannot geste' = I cannot tell tales like a gestour, or professed tale-teller; id. 17354.   Geste = a tale, a saying; Allit. Poems, ed. Morris, A. 277.—O.F. geste, an exploit, a history of exploits, romance, tale; chansons de geste, heroic poems; see Burguy.—Lat. gesta, used for res gesta, a deed, exploit, lit. 'a thing performed.'—Lat. gestus, pp. of gerere, to carry on, do, perform.   β. Gerere stands for gesere, as shewn by pt. t. ges-si; from ✔GAS, to bring, extended from ✔GA, to come; cf. Skt. gá, to come; and see Come.   Der. jest, vb., jest-ing-ly; also jest-er = M.E. gestour, a reciter of tales, as in:  'And gestours for to tellen tales,' Chaucer, C. T. 13775.   From Lat. gerere are also formed gest-ure, gest-i-cu-late, con-gest-ion, di-gest, in-di-gest-ion, sug-gest, re-gist-er; also belli-ger-ent, con-ger-ies, ex-ag-ger-ate.