to mock or ridicule someone harshly; to treat someone as a joke or fool.
From the prefix 'be-' (meaning to cause to be) combined with 'jape' (a practical joke or witty remark), originating from Middle English japen, possibly from Old Norse origin. The 'be-' prefix intensifies the meaning of the base word.
The prefix 'be-' is a linguistic multiplier that turns nouns and verbs into something more intense—'befriend' makes someone a friend, 'bejape' makes someone a victim of jokes. This prefix was incredibly productive in Middle English and Old English, creating hundreds of now-forgotten words.
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