jolly

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see also: Jolly

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Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /ˈdʒɒli/
• (GA) IPA: /ˈdʒɑli/

Adjective

jolly (comparative jollier, superlative jolliest)

1. Full of merriment and high spirits; jovial.
2. Full of life and mirth; jouous; merry.
   • 1815, William Wordsworth, "Hart-Leap Well," Part Second:

     "A jolly place," said he, "in times of old! / But something ails it now: the spot is curst. ..."

3. (colloquial) Splendid, excellent, pleasant
   • 1853, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, ch. 16:

     Jo silently notices how white and small her hand is and what a jolly servant she must be to wear such sparkling rings.

4. (colloquial) Large
   • 1590, Edmund Spencer, "The Faerie Queene", Book I, Canot 2, xi-xii:

     "Full jolly Knight he seemed ... full large of limb and every joint / He was, and cared not for God or man a point."

   • 1819, Washington Irving, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., "The Stage Coach":

     ... he is swelled into jolly dimensions by frequent potations of malt liquors ...

Noun

jolly (plural jollies)

1. (British, dated) A pleasure trip or excursion.
2. (slang, dated) A marine in the English navy.

   Synonyms: joey

   • I'm a Jolly — 'Er Majesty's Jolly — soldier an' sailor too!

Adverb

jolly

1. (British, dated) very, extremely
   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 37:

     Adrian thought it worth while to try out his new slang. ‘I say, you fellows, here's a rum go. Old Biffo was jolly odd this morning. He gave me a lot of pi-jaw about slacking and then invited me to tea. No rotting! He did really.’

Verb

jolly (jollies, present participle jollying; past and past participle jollied)

1. (transitive) To amuse or divert.

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Jolly

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Proper noun

1. A female given name
2. Surname

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