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cheering

 - 3 dictionary results

cheer

  [cheer]
–noun
1. a shout of encouragement, approval, congratulation, etc.: The cheers of the fans filled the stadium.
2. a set or traditional form of shout used by spectators to encourage or show enthusiasm for an athletic team, contestant, etc., as rah! rah! rah!
3. something that gives joy or gladness; encouragement; comfort: words of cheer.
4. a state of feeling or spirits: Their good cheer overcame his depression.
5. gladness, gaiety, or animation: full of cheer and good spirits.
6. food and drink: tables laden with cheer.
7. Archaic. facial expression.
–interjection
8. cheers, (used as a salutation or toast.)
–verb (used with object)
9. to salute with shouts of approval, congratulation, triumph, etc.: The team members cheered their captain.
10. to gladden or cause joy to; inspire with cheer (often fol. by up): The good news cheered her.
11. to encourage or incite: She cheered him on when he was about to give up.
–verb (used without object)
12. to utter cheers of approval, encouragement, triumph, etc.
13. to become happier or more cheerful (often fol. by up): She cheered up as soon as the sun began to shine.
14. Obsolete. to be or feel in a particular state of mind or spirits.
—Idioms
15. be of good cheer, (used as an exhortation to be cheerful): Be of good cheer! Things could be much worse.
16. with good cheer, cheerfully; willingly: She accepted her lot with good cheer.
Use cheering in a Sentence
Origin:
1175–1225; ME chere face < AF; cf. OF chiere < LL cara face, head < Gk kárā head

Related forms:
cheerer, noun
cheer⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
3. solace. 5. joy, mirth, glee, merriment. 9. applaud. 10. exhilarate, animate. Cheer, gladden, enliven mean to make happy or lively. To cheer is to comfort, to restore hope and cheerfulness to (now often cheer up, when thoroughness, a definite time, or a particular point in the action is referred to): to cheer a sick person; She soon cheered him up. (Compare eat up. ) To gladden does not imply a state of sadness to begin with, but suggests bringing pleasure or happiness to someone: to gladden someone's heart with good news. Enliven suggests bringing vivacity and liveliness: to enliven a dull evening, a party. 11. inspirit.

Antonyms:
10. discourage, depress.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To cheering
cheer   (chîr)   
n.  

  1. Lightness of spirits or mood; gaiety or joy: a happy tune, full of cheer.

  2. A source of joy or happiness; a comfort.

    1. A shout of approval, encouragement, or congratulation.

    2. A short, rehearsed jingle or phrase, shouted in unison by a squad of cheerleaders.

  4. Festive food and drink; refreshment.

v.   cheered, cheer·ing, cheers

v.   tr.

  1. To make happier or more cheerful: a warm fire that cheered us.

  2. To encourage with or as if with cheers; urge: The fans cheered the runners on. See Synonyms at encourage.

  3. To salute or acclaim with cheers; applaud. See Synonyms at applaud.

v.   intr.

  1. To shout cheers.

  2. To become cheerful: had lunch and soon cheered up.


[Middle English chere, expression, mood, from Old French chiere, face, from Late Latin cara, from Greek kara, head; see ker-1 in Indo-European roots.]
cheer'er n., cheer'ing·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

cheer 
c.1225, from Anglo-Norm. chere "the face," from O.Fr. chiere, from L.L. cara "face," from Gk. kara "head," from PIE base *ker- "head." Already by M.E. meaning had extended metaphorically to "mood, demeanor, mental condition" as reflected in the face. Could be in a good or bad sense ("The feend ... beguiled her with treacherye, and brought her into a dreerye cheere," "Merline," c.1500), but positive sense has predominated since c.1400. Meaning "shout of encouragement" first recorded 1720, perhaps nautical slang (earlier "to encourage by words or deeds," c.1430). Cheer up (intrans.) first attested 1676. Cheers as a salute or toast when taking a drink is British, 1919. Cheerleader first recorded 1903, Amer.Eng. Cheerful is from c.1400.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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