Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

joke

2 verb
     
joke2 S3 [intransitive]
1 to say things that are intended to be funny and that you do not really mean
joke about
I never joke about money.
joke with
As we left the hospital he joked with the staff.
joke that
His father joked that his son was trying to put him out of business.
Calm down, Jo, I was only joking.
2

you're joking/you must be joking

also you've got to be joking spoken used to tell someone that what they are suggesting is so strange or silly that you cannot believe that they are serious:
'Tell him.' 'You must be joking - he'd never believe me.'
3

joking apart/aside

British English used before you say something serious after you have been joking
—jokingly adverb
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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