jos
C2Informal
Definition
Meaning
To tease, to joke with someone playfully.
To engage in light-hearted banter or gentle mockery, often to build rapport or affection.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically implies a warm, friendly, non-malicious intent. Often used in close personal relationships. Primarily a verb.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is primarily used in British English, particularly in Northern and Midlands dialects. It is largely absent from standard American English.
Connotations
In UK usage, it carries a distinctly affectionate, colloquial, and working-class tone. In contexts where understood in the US, it might be perceived as a quaint Britishism.
Frequency
Very low frequency globally. Its use in the UK is regional and generational, often heard more in speech than seen in writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
jos [somebody]jos [somebody] about [something]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “'Only joshing!' (said to clarify a tease was not serious)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in very informal UK workplaces with close teams: 'The boss loves to jos the new recruits.'
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Used in informal, friendly UK settings among friends and family.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Don't take him seriously, he's just joshing you.
- We spent the evening joshing each other about our football teams.
American English
- He loved to josh his buddies about their golf swings.
- I'm just joshing you, don't look so worried! (using 'josh', the AmE form)
adverb
British English
- (Not used as an adverb)
American English
- (Not used as an adverb)
adjective
British English
- He had a jossing manner that put everyone at ease. (very rare)
American English
- (Not used as an adjective in AmE)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My brother always josses me about my cooking.
- It's a local tradition to gently jos the bride and groom at the wedding reception.
- The veteran politician was a master of the media interview, able to deflect tough questions with a bit of self-deprecating jos.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a JOSS stick burning – its friendly scent reminds you of the warm, smoky atmosphere of a pub where friends JOS (joke) with each other.
Conceptual Metaphor
VERBAL INTERACTION IS PHYSICAL PLAY (e.g., 'ribbing', 'joshing' implies a gentle, non-harmful contact).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with "джос" (dzhos) or the name "Джос" (Jos). It is not related to "дразнить" (draznit') in a mean way; the connotation is much friendlier, closer to "подшучивать" (podshuchivat').
Common Mistakes
- Using it in formal contexts.
- Using it with a negative or sarcastic tone contrary to its core meaning.
- Spelling it as 'josh' (which is the standard US variant).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'jos' be MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Jos' is primarily a British regional spelling and pronunciation of the verb that is more standardly spelled 'josh' in American English. They mean the same thing.
No, the core meaning of 'jos' implies affectionate, playful teasing. If the intent is malicious, a different word like 'mock' or 'taunt' would be used.
No, it is quite rare and regionally specific to parts of the UK. Most English speakers globally would be more familiar with 'tease', 'kid', or 'josh'.
It is almost exclusively used as a transitive verb (e.g., 'to jos someone'). Other uses (noun, adjective) are extremely rare and non-standard.