2joke verb
jokes; joked; jok·ing : to say things that are meant to cause laughter : to make jokes about someone or something [no obj] ▪ My friends would joke about the uniform I had to wear at work. ▪ She joked about the possibility of losing her job. ▪ I thought he was joking when he said he might quit, but it turned out that he really meant it. ▪ Don't take it seriously: I was only joking. ▪ She spent a few minutes joking with reporters after giving her speech. ▪ “The report is to be done by tomorrow.” “You're joking.” = “You must be joking.” [=you must be kidding; what you say is very surprising or hard to believe] ▪ It's no joking matter. [=it is no joke; it is a serious matter] [+ obj] ▪ She joked that she could always get work as a truck driver if she lost her job.
joking aside or Brit joking apart
— used to introduce a serious statement that follows a humorous statement ▪ It looks like this is a job for Superman! But joking aside, this is a serious problem and we're going to need help.
— jok·ing·ly 
/ˈʤoʊkɪŋli/ adverb [more jokingly; most jokingly]
▪ She spoke jokingly about the possibility of losing her job.
/ˈʤoʊkɪŋli/ adverb [more jokingly; most jokingly] ▪ She spoke jokingly about the possibility of losing her job.
