Ban"ter (&?;), v. t. [ imp. & p.
p. Bantered(&?;); p. pr. & vb. n.
Bantering.] [Prob. corrupted fr. F. badiner to joke, or perh.
fr. E. bandy to beat to and fro. See Badinage, and cf.
Barter fr. OF. barater.]
1. To address playful good-natured ridicule to, --
the person addressed, or something pertaining to him, being the subject of
the jesting; to rally; as, he bantered me about my
credulity.
Hag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then
bantered on
my haggard looks the next day.
W. Irving.
2. To jest about; to ridicule in speaking of, as
some trait, habit, characteristic, and the like. [Archaic]
If they banter your regularity, order, and love of
study, banter in return their neglect of them.
Chatham.
3. To delude or trick, -- esp. by way of
jest. [Obs.]
We diverted ourselves with bantering several poor
scholars
with hopes of being at least his lordship's chaplain.
De Foe.
4. To challenge or defy to a match. [Colloq.
Southern and Western U.S.]
Ban"ter, n. The act of bantering; joking
or jesting; humorous or good-humored raillery; pleasantry.
Part banter, part affection.
Tennyson.
