Bourd
/bʊərd/noun
An obsolete or dialectal English word meaning a jest, joke, or playful mockery.
Did you know?The word often meant not only a joke but also a trick or false tale, reflecting an older suspicion that playful speech could conceal lies.
Etymological Timeline
Old French, 12th–13th Century
Old French
bourde
“A lie, fib, trick, or jest; the precise earlier origin is uncertain.”
Middle English, 14th Century
Middle English
bourd
“A joke, jest, or piece of playful mockery.”
Middle English, 14th–15th Century
Middle English
bourden
“To jest or engage in joking speech; a related verbal form.”
Early Modern English, 16th–17th Century
English
bourd
“A jest or mocking joke, increasingly archaic in general English.”
Modern English
English
bourd
“An obsolete or dialectal term for a joke, jest, or playful deception.”