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UKthe joke is on sb
/ðə dʒˈəʊk ɪz ˌɒn ˌɛsbˈiː/
/ðə dʒˈoʊk ɪz ˌɑːn ˌɛsbˈiː/the joke is on sb
[SENTENCE]1
used when a person attempts to embarrass or humiliate someone but gets embarrassed or humiliated instead
What is the origin of the idiom "the joke is on someone" and when to use it?
The origin of the idiom "the joke is on someone" can be traced back to the concept of humor and pranks. Humor often revolves around the unexpected or ironic, where the outcome is contrary to what was anticipated. In this idiom, "the joke" refers to a humorous or clever action taken by one person, while "on someone" implies that the humor or cleverness of the situation is at the expense of another person. It is used to emphasize situations where someone's efforts to be clever or humorous have unintended consequences.
Examples
1. He thought he could embarrass us, but now the joke is on him and he's the one who looks foolish.
2. - Actually your monitor, so it might be broken, so the joke's on you.
3. - Just when you thought there quite possibly cannot be another wireless earbud for me to review, well, the joke's on you, bud.
4. [ Insects buzzing, bird cries ] Guess the joke's on me.
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