cheer Hear it!

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cheer definition

cheer (c̸hir)

noun

  1. state of mind or of feeling; mood; spirit: now usually in such phrases as be of good cheer and with good cheer
  2. gaiety; gladness; joy
  3. festive entertainment, esp. with food and drink
  4. anything that comforts or gladdens one; encouragement
    1. a glad, excited shout used to urge on, welcome, approve, etc.
    2. a jingle, rallying cry, etc. shouted in unison in rooting for a team
  6. Archaic facial expression

Etymology: ME chere, the face, demeanor, bearing, mood < OFr chiere < LL cara, head < Gr kara < IE base *er-, head, horn; modern senses < phr. good cheer (Fr bonne chère)

transitive verb

  1. to fill with joy, good spirits, and hope; gladden; comfort: often with up
  2. to urge on or encourage by cheers
  3. to greet or applaud with cheers

intransitive verb

  1. to be or become cheerful; feel encouraged: usually with up
  2. to shout cheers

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms cheer idiom

cheer Synonyms

cheer

n.

  1. An agreeable mental state

    delight, mirth, glee; see happiness 1, joy 2.

  2. Something that comforts or gladdens

    encouragement, reassurance, comfort, solace; see encouragement 2.

  3. An encouraging shout

    roar, applause, hurrah, hurray, bravo, huzzah, cheering, organized cheering, college yell, rah, approval, approbation; see also cry 1, yell 1.


cheer

v.

  1. To hearten

    console, inspirit, brighten, gladden; see comfort, encourage 2, gladden, help 1.

  2. To support with cheers

    applaud, shout, salute; see praise 1, support 2, yell.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

cheer Usage Examples

Object

  • crowd: As I marched through those cheering crowds I felt like a king among men.

Converse of object

  • deafen: The gathering of British supporters on the bottom bend responded with a deafening cheer.

Adjective modifier

  • festive: So perhaps there is a note of festive cheer to strike about managed services.

Modifies a noun

  • mate: Only disappointment was missing Marmaduke the Bierkeller Monkey who was a great help with info and directions, cheers mate.

Modifying Another Word

  • loudly: The people followed us through the streets to our home, loudly cheering us all the way.

Noun used with modifier

  • Xmas: Michael, Brian is 13 so maybe a bit of Xmas cheer would've been more appropriate, rather than a mocking reply.

Used with why or when

  • whenever: The civilized in every nation should cheer whenever our troops take the field.

Preposition: of

  • crowd: Louis steps out through the prison gate to the cheers of the crowd.

Preposition: from

  • sideline: They are run by charismatic leaders and executive boards, while their members send them money and cheer from the sidelines.
cheer usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

cheer quotes

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be 118 of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

-Bible (NewTestament)

Piping down the valleys wild, Piping songs of pleasant glee, On a cloud I saw a child, And he laughing said to me, 'Pipe a song about a lamb!' So I piped with merry cheer. 'Piper, pipe that song again!' So I piped. He wept to hear.

-Blake,William

Greet the unseen with a cheer!

-Browning, Robert

cheer quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"cheer." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/cheer>

APA Style

cheer. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/cheer

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