Banter \Ban"ter\ (b[a^]n"t[~e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bantered
   (b[a^]n"t[~e]rd); 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.]
   [1913 Webster]
   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.
      [1913 Webster]

            Hag-ridden by my own fancy all night, and then
            bantered on my haggard looks the next day. --W.
                                                  Irving.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To jest about; to ridicule in speaking of, as some trait,
      habit, characteristic, and the like. [Archaic]
      [1913 Webster]

            If they banter your regularity, order, and love of
            study, banter in return their neglect of them.
                                                  --Chatham.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To delude or trick, -- esp. by way of jest. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            We diverted ourselves with bantering several poor
            scholars with hopes of being at least his lordship's
            chaplain.                             --De Foe.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To challenge or defy to a match. [Colloq. Southern and
      Western U. S.]
      [1913 Webster]

	

	bantering
    adj 1: cleverly amusing in tone; "a bantering tone"; "facetious
           remarks"; "tongue-in-cheek advice" [syn: bantering,
           facetious, tongue-in-cheek]

	

	41 Moby Thesaurus words for "bantering":
   booing, catcalling, chaffing, derisive, derisory, fleering,
   flippant, fooling, grinning, hazing, hissing, hooting, jeering,
   jesting, joking, jollying, joshing, kidding, leering, mocking,
   panning, quizzical, ragging, railing, rallying, razzing, ribbing,
   ridiculing, roasting, scoffing, smart, smart-alecky, smart-ass,
   smirking, sneering, snickering, sniggering, snorting, taunting,
   teasing, twitting