jolly

See also: Jolly

English

Etymology

From Middle English joli, jolif (“merry, cheerful”), from Old French joli, jolif (“merry, joyful”) It is uncertain whether the Old French word is from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Norse jól ("a midwinter feast, Yule", hence "fest-ive") , in which case, equivalent to yule +‎ -ive; or ultimately from Latin gaudeō (see etymology at joy). For the loss of final -f compare tardy, hasty, hussy, etc.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɒli/
• IPA^(key): /ˈdʒɑli/

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒli
• Hyphenation: jol‧ly

Adjective

jolly (comparative jollier, superlative jolliest)

1. Full of merriment and high spirits; jovial.

Derived terms

• jollify
• jollily
• jolliness
• jollity
• Jolly Roger

 

Translations

jovial — see jovial

Noun

jolly (plural jollies)

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

   Synonym: joey

   • Rudyard Kipling

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

Adverb

jolly (comparative more jolly, superlative most 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.’

Derived terms

• jolly well

Verb

jolly (third-person singular simple present jollies, present participle jollying, simple past and past participle jollied)

1. (transitive) To amuse or divert.

Derived terms

• jolly along

Translations

To amuse or divert

• Bulgarian: развеселявам (bg) (razveseljavam)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

References

• Jolly in the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 15, p. 495.

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Italian

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] English jolly joker, an older name for the joker card in a deck of cards.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɔl.li/

Noun

jolly m (uncountable)

1. (card games) joker
2. wild card

See also

Playing cards in Italian · carte da gioco (layout · text)
asso	due	tre	quattro	cinque	sei	sette
otto	nove	dieci	fante	donna, regina	re	jolly, joker, matta