Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Jolly
Jol′ly
(jŏl′ly̆)
, Adj.
[
Com
par.
Jollier
(-lĭ-ẽr)
; sup
erl.
Jolliest
.] [OF.
joli
, jolif
, joyful, merry, F. joli
pretty; of Scand. origin, akin to E. yule
; cf. Icel. jōl
yule, Christmas feast. See Yule
.] 1.
Full of life and mirth; jovial; joyous; merry; mirthful.
Like a
jolly
troop of huntsmen. Shakespeare
“A
But something ails it now: the spot is cursed.”
jolly
place,” said he, “in times of old!But something ails it now: the spot is cursed.”
Wordsworth.
2.
Expressing mirth, or inspiring it; exciting mirth and gayety.
And with his
jolly
pipe delights the groves. Prior.
Their
jolly
notes they chanted loud and clear. Fairfax.
3.
Of fine appearance; handsome; excellent; lively; agreeable; pleasant.
“A jolly cool wind.” Sir T. North.
[Now mostly colloq.]
Full
jolly
knight he seemed, and fair did sit. Spenser.
The
coachman is swelled into jolly
dimensions. W. Irving.
Webster 1828 Edition
Jolly
JOL'LY
, a.1.
Merry; gay; lively; full of life and mirth; jovial. It expresses more life and noise than cheerful; as a jolly troop of huntsmen.[It is seldom applied in colloquial usage to respectable company. We rarely say of respectable persons, they are jolly. It is applied to the young and the vulgar.]
2.
Expressing mirth or inspiring it. And with his jolly pipe delights the groves.
The coachman is swelled into jolly dimensions by frequent potations of malt liquors.
3.
Exciting mirth and gayety; as jolly May.4.
Like one in high health; pretty.Definition 2024
Jolly
jolly
jolly
See also: Jolly
English
Adjective
jolly (comparative jollier, superlative jolliest)
Translations
jovial — see jovial
Noun
jolly (plural jollies)
- (Britain, dated) A pleasure trip or excursion.
- (slang, dated) A marine in the English navy.
- Rudyard Kipling
- I'm a Jolly — 'Er Majesty's Jolly — soldier an' sailor too!
- Rudyard Kipling
Adverb
jolly (comparative more jolly, superlative most jolly)
Derived terms
Verb
jolly (third-person singular simple present jollies, present participle jollying, simple past and past participle jollied)
Derived terms
References
- JOLLY in the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 15, p. 495.
Italian
Etymology
From English jolly joker, an older name for the joker card in a deck of cards.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈdʒɔlli/
Noun
jolly m (invariable)
See also
| Playing cards in Italian · carte da gioco (layout · text) | ||||||
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| otto | nove | dieci | fante | donna, regina |
re | jolly, joker, matta |