name
Josh
JOSH
name
1
A male given name, a short form of Joshua.
"Josh started his new job on Monday."
verb
1
To tease someone in a light, friendly way; to joke around good-naturedly.
"Stop joshing me, I know you're not really moving to Australia."
"The coach was just joshing with the rookies about their pregame jitters."
How to Use Josh
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAs a name, short for Joshua; as a verb, to gently tease or joke with someone.
Common mistake
Don't confuse "joshing" (friendly teasing) with mocking someone unkindly — it implies affection, not cruelty.
Common pairings
just joshing
joshing around
Word Forms
joshed past tense, joshes plural, joshes singular
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_____ started his new job on Monday.
Etymology
Origin disputed, but likely traces back to the given name Joshua; the earliest recorded uses of the verb, in the mid-1800s, are capitalized.