able to take a joke

able to take a joke

Able to remain calm or be amused in response to good-natured teasing. I'm certainly able to take a joke, but what you said to me was downright mean. A: "Do you think he'll be offended if I say something about his terrible driving?" B: "Nah, he's able to take a joke." I hate all these over-sensitive idiots who can't take a joke. Like, go whine to somebody else, am I right?

See also: able, joke, take, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

able to take a joke

to be able to accept ridicule good-naturedly; to be able to be the object or butt of a joke willingly. (Able to can be replaced with can.) Better not tease Ann. She can't take a joke.

See also: able, joke, take, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.