▪ I. cheer, n.1
(tʃɪə(r))
Forms: 3–7 chere, 4–6 cher, 4– cheer. Also 4 scher(e, chire, cheyr, 4–6 cheir, chier(e, 4–7 cheere, 5 chyr, 5–6 chyer(e, 5–7 cheare, 6–8 chear, 7 chaire.
[ME. chere, a. OF. chiere, chere face (= Pr., Sp., Pg. cara face):—late L. cara face, countenance, used in 6th c. by the African poet Corippus (De Laud. Justini ‘Caesaris ante caram’).
The origin of cara is uncertain; the current conjecture is that it was a. Gr. κάρα head; but as to this there are many difficulties: see Diez. The word seems to have come by way of Africa and Spain: it is unknown to Italian and Wallachian.]
† 1. The face. Obs.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 210 Summe iuglurs..makien cheres, & wrenchen mis hore muð, & schulen mid hore eien. c 1330 Florice & Bl. (1857) 143 For hire faired and for her schere. 1382 Wyclif Ex. xxv. 20 The cheeres turned into the propiciatorie. ― Jer. i. 17 To dreden the chere of them. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 72 Cheere, vultus. 1475 Caxton Jason 18 b, His fair chiere. 1483 ― Gold. Leg. 38/2 In the swete of thy chere thou shalt ete brede. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. ii. 96 All fancy sicke she is, and pale of cheere. |
† 2. a. The look or expression of the face; countenance, aspect, visage, mien. Obs. or arch.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 70 Of one glede chere. a 1300 Cursor M. 1091 For be his chere he sagh him wrath. 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 34 [He] schawyt him, with lauchand cher, The Endentur. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 664 His chere was so sad and sori. 1559 Mirr. for Mag., Salisbury xiii, Where ever I went, I met thy smyling cheare. 1622 Peacham Compl. Gentl. ii. i. (1634) 102 Piety is drawne like a Lady of Solemne cheare. 1693 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. 325 Chear or countenance. 1830 Tennyson Poet's Mind, The flowers would faint at your cruel cheer. |
† b. Phrases. to change cheer: to change countenance, as the effect of anger, fear, shame, etc. to make a cheer: to assume a (specified) look or expression. Obs.
| a 1225 St. Marher. 3 Olibrius..þa he þis iherde, Changede his chere. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 622 She no chiere maade of heuynesse. c 1400 Gamelyn 319 If my brother grucche or make foule cheere. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 265 Whan he cam to the place there he schuld deye he chaunged no cheere. 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. ii. 42 The diuelish hag by chaunges of my cheare Percieu'd my thought. a 1700 Dryden Fab., Meleager & A. 246 Pale at the sudden sight, she chang'd her cheer. |
3. a. Disposition, frame of mind, mood, esp. as showing itself by external demeanour, etc. Usually with qualification as ‘good’, ‘glad’, ‘joyful’, or ‘sorrowful’, ‘heavy’, etc.
(In very many early quotations it is impossible to say whether the meaning is 2 or 3, or both at once.)
| a 1300 Cursor M. 5075 Ioseph comforth þan þere chere [Gött. ioseph confort þaim þar chere]. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 184 She thonked dyomede Of alle his trauaile and his gode chere. c 1500 Merline 768 in Furniv. Percy Folio I. 446 The feend..beguiled her with treacherye, and brought her into a dreerye cheere. 1598 R. Barckley Felic. Man i. (1603) 5 He was..with heavie cheare enforced to seeke an other dwelling. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xcvii, If they sing, 'tis with so dull a cheere. 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 496 His words thir drooping chere Enlightn'd, and thir languisht hope reviv'd. 1783–94 Blake Songs Innoc. Introd. 6 So I piped with merry cheer. |
b. Phrases. † what cheer with you? † what cheer make you? what cheer?: lit. ‘what is your state or mood?’ ‘how are you?’ to be of good cheer: to be stout of heart, cheerful, courageous. with good cheer: cheerfully, joyfully, with ready will.
| c 1440 York Myst. xiv. 85 Say Marie doghtir, what chere with þe. c 1450 Merlin xviii. 282 He badde his felowes to be of goode chier. c 1460 Towneley Myst. (1836) 109 A, Gylle, what chere? 1526 Tindale 2 Cor. v. 6 We are alwaye of good chere. c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 28 What chere make you, fayre loue Jehannet. 1535 Coverdale Haggai ii. 4 Be of good chere, o Zorobabel. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. i. 2 Heere Master: What cheere? 1712 Budgell Spect. No. 313 ¶16 His Friend..bade him be of good Cheer. 1805 Wordsw. Waggoner 1, The same strong voice more near Said cordially, My Friend, what cheer? 1842 Tennyson Two Voices cxliii, A second voice was at mine ear..A murmur, ‘Be of better cheer’. |
4. Cheerfulness, gladness, mirth, joy, gaiety. to make cheer: to make merry, be cheerful.
| 1393 Gower Conf. III. 13 This blinde boteler [i.e. Cupid] Yiveth of the trouble in stede of chere And eke the chere in stede of trouble. c 1440 Generydes 570 He cowde not make no chere but alwey mourn. Ibid. 802 His comfort and his chere is all awaye. 1535 Coverdale Isa. xvi. 9 Myrth and chere was gone out of y⊇ felde & vynyardes. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. ii. 174 You are so sicke of late, So farre from cheere. 1634 Milton Comus 955 Our sudden coming there Will double all their mirth and chere. 1693 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. 325 Chear or gladness, gaudium. Ibid. 327 To make good chear, genialiter agere. 1842 Tennyson Two Voices lxxx, Naked I go, and void of cheer. |
† 5. Kindly welcome or reception, hospitable entertainment. to make (do, or give) cheer: to give a kindly welcome, to receive and entertain. Hence belly-cheer, and ironical whipping cheer, q.v.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 5328 Quen iacob sagh þat hall plenar And all a-bute to mak him cher. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 904 Gret cheere doth this noble senatour To kyng Alla. 1413 Lydg. Pylgr. Sowle iv. xxxviii. (1859) 63 To doo yow suche chere as to youre estate bylongeth. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. cxlix. 280 When she was come, she had all the cheer that might be done. 1488 Caxton Chast. Goddes Chyld. 12 They that dide him chere before haue him now in scorne. 1550 Crowley Epigr. 68 What occasion was here, To provide for learninge and make povertye chere? 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 89 She securely giues good cheare, And reuerend welcome to her princely guest. 1666 Temple Let. Wks. 1731 II. 17 After I have welcomed you into the Climate with the same Chear and Kindness the Sun I know will do. |
6. a. concr. What is provided by way of entertainment: fare, provisions, viands, food. to make good (etc.) cheer: to feast and make merry: cf. sense 4.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xiv. 453 That nycht thai maid thame merye cher. 1533 Frith Answ. More (1829) 435 The Corinthians..came to feed their flesh, and to make carnal cheer. 1535 Coverdale Ecclus. xviii. 33 Make not to greate cheare of the thinge that thou hast wonne by avauntage. 1567 Drant Horace's Epist. i. xiv. E v, Me to fede on simple cheare. 1581 Mulcaster Positions xxxix. (1887) 194 Liuely cheese is lusty cheare. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 713 Their cheere was only rice and mutton. 1656 H. More Antid. Ath. iii. x. (1712) 119 This stranger not relishing his chear without salt. 1693 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. 327 To make good chear, Epulari hilariter. 1726 Cavallier Mem. i. 39 Our Cheer was very indifferent..for the King's Troops had plunder'd all the Country. 1827 Lytton Pelham xxiii, I care not a rush for the decorations of the table so that the cheer be good. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 162 Every table was loaded with good cheer. |
b. the fewer the better cheer: the fewer there are, the more there is for each to eat.
| 1649–50 Norwood Voy. Virginia in Voy. (1744) VI, We..fell on without using the ceremony of calling the rest of our company..the proverb telling us, The fewer the better chear. c 1720 Swift Polite Conv. ii, Lady Smart. Come, the more the merrier. Sir John. Ay, but the fewer the better cheer. |
7. That which gives joy or gladness; comfort, solace; encouragement.
| 1549–62 Sternhold & H. Ps. xliii. 4 Then shall I to the altar goe of God my joy and cheare. 1649 Selden Laws Eng. i. lviii. (1739) 107 Their deportment then was full of chear and safety to the people. 1757 Dyer Fleece iv. 131 The cheers of life..but not the vices, learn to taste. 1861 Miss Cobbe in Macm. Mag. III. 461 A little breath of cheer from the outer world. 1863 B. Taylor H. Thurston I. Ded., With the cheer and encouragement which I owed to your unexpected kindness. |
8. a. A shout of encouragement, welcome, approbation, or congratulation; esp. in pl. the loud, combined shouts (Hurrah!, Huzza!) and other expressions of applause of a company or crowd.
In the House of Commons, Cheers of approbation are expressed by the words Hear! hear! Counter-cheers are answering cheers from the opposite party as an assertion that the matter is really reason for congratulation to them.
| 1720 De Foe Capt. Singleton xvii. (1840) 295 We gave them a cheer, as the seamen call it. 1751 Smollett Per. Pic. xxxiii, Peregrine..as he went out of the gate, was saluted with three chears by all the domestics. 1785 Burns Winter Night, And hail'd the morning wi' a cheer. 1798 Coleridge Anc. Mariner vii, They answered not our cheer! 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 516 Not a cheer was heard. 1857 S. Osborn Quedah vii. 91 We gave one cheer, fired our guns, and then pushed on for our lives. Mod. Newsp., Parl. Rept. The result of the division was received with cheers and counter-cheers. Loud and prolonged cheers, during which the honourable gentleman resumed his seat. |
b. pl. A friendly exclamation or exhortation to be cheerful; esp. a salutation before drinking. colloq.
| 1919 Sphere 28 June p. v/1 (Advt.), Cheers—I'm longing to see you and a Kenilworth together—the two nicest things on earth. 1926 E. Chisholm Jolly Book 221 ‘Cheers.’ Gratian spoke comfortingly. ‘It's an ill wind that blows no one any good.’ 1934 T. E. Lawrence Lett. (1938) 836 Here you go a full stride forward. Cheers, and long life to your pen. 1946 E. Taylor Palladian vi. 61 ‘Cheers!’ the men barked at him, lifting their glasses. ‘Cheers!’ he growled back and swallowed his whisky. |
9. Comb., as cheer-marrer. cheer-leader (orig. U.S.), one who leads the cheering on special occasions; also fig.; hence cheer-leading vbl. n.
| 1594 Daniel Cleopatra Poems (1717) 298 Chear-Marrer, Care, did then such Passions breed. 1903 F. D. Roosevelt Let. 26 Oct. (1949) 437, I was one of the three cheer leaders in the Brown game. 1923 R. D. Paine Comr. Rolling Ocean i. 1 The appeals of the frenzied cheer leaders to back up the team. 1923 Wodehouse Adv. Sally xii. 144 Somebody mentioned you, and the most awful roasting party broke loose, Uncle Donald acting as cheer-leader. 1933 C. Day Lewis Magnetic Mountain 51 Back-slappers, cheer-leaders. 1951 R. Hoggart Auden ii. 39 At its worst it [sc. his assertiveness] becomes drum-beating, button-holing, cheer-leading. 1963 Listener 31 Jan. 192/2 The Parliament has tended to think that its chief job is to side with them, and act almost as a cheer-leader for their actions. |
Add: [8.] c. pl. In British English, = thank you, thanks. colloq.
| 1976 P. Howard in Times 5 Aug. 12/1 By a remarkable transition from the pub to the sober world at large outside cheers has become the colloquial synonym in British English for ‘thanks’. 1978 in R. Buckle U & Non-U Revisited 48 Do any small favour for a young Englishman these days and he will thank you by saying ‘cheers’. |
▪ II. cheer, n.2
(tʃɪə(r))
Also chir.
[An imitative (Nepali) word.]
An Indian pheasant, Catreus wallichii.
| 1827 Trans. Linn. Soc. 1826 XV. 166 The local [Nepal] name of this bird is Cheer. 1879 Hume & Marshall Game Birds India I. 170 The best places in which to find Cheer are the Dangs or precipitous places. Ibid. 173 The Cheer Pheasant feeds chiefly on roots. 1922 Blackw. Mag. Mar. 334/1 There are three other varieties of pheasant—the cheer, the white-crested kaleeg, and the koklass. 1969 Ali & Ripley Handbk. Birds India & Pakistan II. 116 Chir pheasant, Catreus wallichii... A long-tailed West Himalayan pheasant reminiscent of an English hen pheasant. |
▪ III. cheer, v.
(tʃɪə(r))
Forms: (5 chyer), 5–6 cher(e, (6 chyr, chire), 6–7 cheere, 6–8 chear(e, 5– cheer.
[f. cheer n.1, in various senses related to each other only through the n.]
† 1. a. refl. To give oneself or assume a disposition or state of mind of some sort, as in they cheered them ill, they became of evil cheer. Obs.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy xxvi. 10570 For the choise kyng Achilles þai cherit hom euill, With mych dole for his dethe. |
† b. intr. (for refl.) in same sense, as in how cheer you? of what cheer are you? Obs.
| 1586 Bright Melanch. xviii. 107 This sort [vnnaturall melancholie]..destroyeth the braine..& maketh both it, & the hart cheere more vncomfortably. 1594 Greene Looking Glasse (1861) 126 How cheer you gentlemen? 1596 Drayton Legends iv. 606 Aske Him how He cheeres. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. v. 75 How cheer'st thou Jessica? 1725 Bailey Erasm. Colloq. 94 The Landlord himself..asks how cheer you? |
2. trans. To make of good cheer; to comfort, console, solace.
| c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 240 Be glad, Sir..We shul you chere in that we mown. c 1440 Gesta Rom. v. 13 (Harl. MS.) Make me solas and comfort, and chere me. 1568 Knt. Curtesy 80 in Ritson Metr. Rom. III. 197 To hym comforte anone he toke, And began the lady for to chere. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. v. ii. 184 Therefore be cheer'd, Make not your thoughts your prisons. 1614 Markham Cheap, Husb. i. i. (1668) 8 Much rubbing is comfortable, and cheareth every member. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 129 So cheard he his fair Spouse, and she was cheered. 1758 S. Hayward Serm. iv. 118 He chears the souls of his people. 1830 D'Israeli Chas. I, III. xvii. 378 The poor being cheered by these feasts of religion and charity. |
b. refl. To comfort oneself; to take heart or pluck up courage. Mostly in imperative.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 8643 Achilles for the chop cherit hym not litle. Ibid. 9303 Achilles was choise fayne, cherit hym the bettur, And now hatnis his hert all in hote loue. 1598 Greene Fr. Bacon xiii, Yet, Bacon, cheere thee, drowne not in despaire. 1599 George a Gr. in Dodsley (1780) III. 19 Cheer thee, my boy. 1846 Keble Lyra Innoc. v. 8 O cheer thee, maiden! In His Name Who still'd Jairus' wail! |
† c. intr. with refl. sense. Obs.
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. x. 2 She cast to bring him where he chearen might, Till he recovered had his late decayed plight. |
† 3. trans. ? To cure or recover. Obs. rare.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 10416 Achilles þurgh chaunse was cherit of his wond. |
4. To make cheerful or joyous; to gladden, enliven.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 72 Cheryn, or make good chere, hillaro, exhillaro, letifico. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Jas. I. Scotl. xx, With the Quene my wife and children me to chere. 1611 Bible Eccl. xi. 9 Let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth. 1785 Cowper Task i. 200 Ten thousand warblers chear the day, and one The live-long night. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus xxxviii. 5 One whisper of happy thought to cheer me. |
† b. intr. To grow cheerful, be cheerful; to rejoice, enjoy oneself, make merry. Obs.
| 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 61 Who hath wherewithall, may chéere when he shall: But charged man, must chéere as he can. 1592 Warner Alb. Eng. viii. xxxviii. (1612) 189 He chats, she cheers, he courts, she coyes. a 1619 M. Fotherby Atheom. ii. xii. (1622) 338 All, which come to heare it, doe reioyce, and cheere at it. |
5. † a. trans. To entertain with feasting and ‘good cheer’; to feast. Obs.
| ? a 1400 Arthur 276 Arthour ȝaf ham ȝyftez grete, And chered ham wyþ drynk and Mete. c 1489 Caxton Four Sonnes Aymon iii. 115 Their moder..fested and chered theym gretly. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 205 Into the Abbey, where they were feasted and cheered. 1597 Bp. Hall Sat. v. ii. 113 What tho he chires on purer manchets crowne. 1697 Dryden Virg. Eclog. v. 107, I myself the Guests with friendly Bowls will chear. |
† b. To comfort with warmth; to warm. Obs.
| c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 1088 So that the flamme upbende The celles forto chere and chaufe olofte. |
c. To solace or comfort as food does.
| 1548 Forrest Pleas. Poesye 95 Beif, Mutton, Veale to cheare their courage. 1611 Bible Judg. ix. 13 Wine, which cheareth God and man. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 584 Their cold Stomachs with crown'd Goblets cheer. 1784 T. Tyers in Gentl. Mag. Dec., With tea he [Johnson] cheered himself in the morning. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 68 Wine is to cheer them now that their limbs are old. |
Berkeley's expression to cheer but not inebriate has been popularized by Cowper's application of it to tea, and has often been the subject of sportive allusions.
| 1744 Berkeley Siris §217 The luminous spirit lodged in the native balsam of pines..is of a nature so mild..as to warm without heating, to cheer but not inebriate. 1784 Cowper Task iv. 39 The cups, That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each. 1858 O. W. Holmes Aut. Breakf. (1865) 109 Had freely partaken of the cup which cheers and likewise inebriates. 1858 Russell Diary Ind. (1860) I. 290 (Hoppe) A cup..which to my mind neither cheers nor inebriates. |
6. To brighten up externally (the face, etc.).
| 1611 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. Decay 110 With her best Complexions Shee mends her Faces wrinkle-full defections, Her Cheek shee cherries, and her Ey shee cheers. 1662 Prayer Bk., Veni Creator Sp., Anoint and cheer our soiled face With the abundance of thy grace. |
7. To encourage, inspirit, animate, or incite, by word or deed; now, esp. by cries or shouts. Also to cheer on.
| c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 3781 Among his ost ful fast he rode, And chered his knightes. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iv. i. 130 A cry more tuneable Was neuer hallowed to, nor cheer'd with horne. 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. iii. 34 His Lady did so well him cheare, That hope of new good hap he gan to feele. 1597 Daniel Civ. Wars iii. lxxii, As to some great advent'rous fight This bravo cheers these dastards all he can. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xv, Men as plants decrease, Cheered and check'd even by the self-same sky. 1699 Dryden Theodore & Hon. 123 He cheer'd the dogs to follow her who fled. 1794 in Nicolas Disp. Nelson (1846) I. 426 Captain Walter Serocold was killed by a grape-shot..as he cheered the people who were dragging the gun. 1810 Scott Lady of L. i. ix, Close on the hounds the hunter came, To cheer them on the vanished game. 1839 Thirlwall Greece VI. 221 Cheering his troops by his presence and his words. |
b. The following perhaps lead the way to 8.
| 1558 Phaër æneid v. O j, The Troians them did chere, and did receyue with wondrous ioye. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Mowbray's Ban. xx, And whan our frendes on eche parte had vs chearde, And that the Harolds bad vs do our lust. |
8. To salute with ‘cheers’ or shouts of applause; to applaud.
Not in Johnson, and app. modern.
| 1798 Coleridge Anc. Mar. i. vii, The ship was cheer'd, the harbour cleared. 1815 W. Burney Falconer's Marine Dict., To cheer, to salute a ship en passant, by the people all coming upon deck and huzzaing three times, called three cheers. 1832 H. Martineau Hill & Vall. iv. 54 A crowd of little children..had gathered together, to cheer the carriage. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 154 Many of the audience cheered and applauded this. |
b. intr. To shout applause.
| 1804 G. Rose Diaries (1860) II. 146 The boys of the school cheered as he passed. 1833 H. Martineau Manch. Strike iv. 42 A signal whether to groan or cheer. 1879 M{supc}Carthy Own Times II. xix. 59 The House cheered more tumultuously than ever. |
† 9. To blow (a whistle). Obs. [of doubtful position.]
| c 1600 Montgomerie Navigatioun 135 Our Maister soon his lyttil vhissell cheir[d;] His mariners incontinent compeird. |
10. cheer up. a. trans. To raise the spirits of (anyone) by cheering words; to brighten up.
| 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. iv. 113 My Soueraigne Lord, cheare vp your selfe, looke vp. 1605 ― Macb. iv. i. 127 Come Sisters, cheere we vp his sprights. 1725 Bailey Erasm. Colloq. 537 The Seraphick Fraternity..chear'd up his countenance with ointment. 1883 Froude Short. Stud. IV. 72 The abbot cheered him up, laughed at his dejection. |
b. intr. (for refl.) To pluck up heart, take courage.
| 1676 D'Urfey Mad. Fickle ii. i. Brother come, cheer up. 1759 Garrick Heart of Oak, Come, cheer up, my lads! 'tis to glory we steer. 1840–5 Barham Ingol. Leg. ‘Misadv. Margate’, Cheer up! cheer up! my little man. |