jolly
jolly Lexical Profile
jolly Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Full of high spirits, merriment, and good humor; happy and cheerful.
"The shopkeeper was a jolly man who greeted every customer with a warm laugh."
British Very pleasant, enjoyable, or delightful (used informally).
"We had a jolly afternoon picnicking by the riverbank."
• adverb
British To a high degree; very or extremely (used informally as an intensifier).
"It was jolly kind of you to help us move our furniture over the weekend."
• verb
To keep (someone) in a good mood through friendly coaxing, flattery, or cheerful banter, especially to gain cooperation (often followed by 'along').
"The director had to jolly the exhausted cast along during the final hours of filming."
• noun
British A lively party, celebration, or pleasant social excursion (often one paid for at public or company expense).
"The annual conference in Spain was widely viewed by the staff as a week-long jolly."
A feeling of thrills, amusement, or pleasurable excitement (used in the plural, especially in the phrase 'get one's jollies').
"He seems to get his jollies from watching obscure vintage horror films."
• Rhymes for jolly
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in Middle English from Old French jolif (meaning 'festive, merry, or amorous'), likely tracing back to an Old Norse root related to jól ('Yule', a pagan midwinter festival).