▪ I. † reˈjoice, n. Obs.
Also 5–6 rejoyse, 6–7 rejoyce.
[f. the vb.]
Joy, rejoicing; a cause of joy. (Common in 16th c.)
| c 1468 in Archaeol. (1846) XXXI. 329 He rejoisid, and in his rejoyse in suche case, me thought, as Troylus was in. c 1530 L. Cox Rhet. (1899) 52, I have thought it a synguler reioyse to me if I myght ones se you gadred to-gyther. 1582 Bentley Mon. Matrones Ep. Ded., To your euerlasting comfort, and the rejoice of christian harts. 1682 Sir T. Browne Chr. Mor. ii. §6 The Angels must not want their charitable Rejoyces for the conversion of lost Sinners. |
▪ II. rejoice, v.
(rɪˈdʒɔɪs)
Forms: α. 4–6 reioyse, (5 reioysse, reyjoysse, resjoysse, reyoyse, 5–6 reioys), reioyes-e, (6 Sc. -ioyis, -ioiyss); 4–6 reioise, (5 -sse, 6 Sc. reiois); 5–7 reioyce, (7–8 rejoyce), 5 rejoice. β. 4 reioische, -sshe, 4–5 reioysche, -sshe; 4–5 reios(c)he. γ. 5–6 reiose, (5 reyose), Sc. reios(s, -iosz, 6 reioce.
[a. OF. rejoiss-, resjoiss-, lengthened stem of rejoir (later rejouir, mod.F. réjouir), f. re- re- + joir to joy v.: cf. rejoy. (See also joise v.)]
† 1. trans. To enjoy by possessing; to have full possession and use of (a thing). Obs.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 2032 Swyche an eyre y vnderstande Shal neuer wel reioshe hys lande. c 1350 Will. Palerne 4102 Þat here sone..miȝt reioische þat reaume as riȝt eir bi kinde. 1424 in T. A. Beck Ann. Furnes (1844) 295 That he have and rejoise iiij.xx cartfulle of Turfes yerly with in the place forsaide. 1494 Fabyan Chron. v. cviii. 82 He reioysed his reygne but shorte whyle. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. cci. [cxcvii.] 615 The duke of Lancastre is gone into Acquytayne, to reioyce the gyfte that the kynge..hath gyuen hym. 1577 Fenton Gold. Epist. 251 Many couetous men do we see..to whom God giues power to get riches..but not libertie to reioyce and vse them. |
† b. To have (a person) as husband or wife; to have for oneself; to enjoy (a woman). Obs.
| 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas iii. xxvi. (1554) 97 b, Dary cast..Her to reioyce agein hys father's wyll. c 1440 Generydes 3696 Sekerly this is the comon voyse, In all the courte that he shall hir reioyse. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. xv. 207 [The damsel said] sythen I maye not reioyce the to haue thy body on lyue. c 1530 Ld. Berners Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814) 417 Who so euer shold haue the chaplet..shoulde in lykewyse reioyse my lady Florence, your doughter. |
† c. To enjoy (a condition or privilege). Obs.
| 1458 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 254 God hold hem longe..That Anglonde may rejoise concord and unite. 1485 Act 1 Hen. VII, c. 11 §1 They have and rejoice such fredomes and liberties as doth denesyns born within this realme. |
2. To gladden, make joyful, exhilarate (a person, his spirits, etc.).
| c 1366 Chaucer A.B.C. 101 We han noon ooþer melodye or glee Vs to reioyse in oure aduersitee. 1375 Barbour Bruce ii. 551 Thar cummyng Reiosyt rycht gretumly the king. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 78 Than I herd a voyce celestialle, Rejoysyng my spirites inwardly. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 1724 All these hystoryes noble and auncyent Reioysynge the audyence he sange with pleasuer. 1578 Lyte Dodoens ii. lxxi. 241 It reioyceth and recreateth the spirites. a 1648 Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 40 This, as it rejoyced the King, so it put him in mind of the Vicissitude of all worldly things. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 269 ¶8, I love to rejoice their poor Hearts at this season. 1774 Kames Sketches ii. viii. (1807) II. 178 It rejoices me, that the same mode is adopted in this island. 1863 Cowden Clarke Shaks. Char. xvii. 431 His body he rejoices with sack-posset. 1885–94 R. Bridges Eros & Psyche May vi, Too fair for human art, so Psyche thought, It might the fancy of some god rejoice. |
b. In passive. Const. at, † in, † of, etc.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xi. 269 To maynteym weill thair franchiss, He wes reiosit on mony wiss. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 3 For Davyd aftyr his victory Reyjoyssed whas alle Jerusalem. c 1470 Henry Wallace iv. 705 Off his presence scho rycht reiosit was. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. 275 Of whose comynge the hole courte was greatly rejoysed. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 58, I am reioysit at my hart, To se his godlie face. 1666 Pepys Diary 6 June, All the Court was in a hubbub, being rejoiced over head and ears in this good news. 1801 Lusignan II. 94 You do not..look half so rejoiced when we meet as I do. 1841 Lane Arab. Nts. I. 105 The King was rejoiced at seeing him. |
† c. Hunting. To reward (a hound). Obs.—1
| c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) x, Þenn þe hunter reioyseth his houndes for þe explette of his houndes and also for it is vermynn þat þei renne too. |
3. refl. To make (oneself) glad or joyful; hence = sense 5. Now rare.
| c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 89, I me reioysid of my liberte. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxxi. 309 Thei rejoyssen hem hugely for to speke there of. 1484 Caxton Fables of Auian xv, None oughte to reioysshe hym self of his worship. 1512 Helyas in Thoms Prose Rom. (1858) III. 91 Every person rejoyced them in theyr degree. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 14 Rejoycing my self on..the hope I have to be returned in safetie. 1876 Ruskin Fors Clav. lxii. 60 Rejoice myself with a glance at the volutes of the Erectheium. |
| transf. 1486 Bk. St. Albans B iv, Whan yowre hawke hath slayne a fowle, and is rewarded as I haue sayde, let hir not flie in no whise tyll y{supt} she haue Reiosed hir. |
† 4. To feel joy on account of (an event). Also it is rejoiced, there is rejoicing. Obs.
| 1468 Paston Lett. II. 325 My Lorde coude nat bileve it but if he harde it, how it is rejoysshid in som place that he is nat Chaunceleer. 1505 in Mem. Hen. VII (Rolls) 256 They that knowe your grace gretely do rejoyse the maryaje. 1534 More Treat. Passion Wks. 1279/1 His visitacion thei reioysed not, but were afeard to come nere him. 1556 J. Heywood Spider & F. Concl. 24 Let vs rather..Lament their false facktes then reioyce their foule falls. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. v. v. 370 Nere Mother Reioyc'd deliuerance more. |
5. intr. To be full of joy; to be glad or greatly delighted; to exult.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus v. 1165 It is not al for nought That in myn herte I now reioyse thus. c 1410 Hoccleve Mother of God 55 His precious deeth made..cristen folk for to reioisen euere. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xlviii. 158 Quhairfoir me thocht all flouris did reioss. 1554–9 in Songs & Ball. Phil. & Mary (1860) 5 Nothyng shall let us nowe to rejoys and be fayne. 1610 Shakes. Temp. v. i. 206 O reioyce Beyond a common ioy. 1650 Jer. Taylor Holy Living iv. §9 (1727) 281 He once suffered, and for that reason he rejoyces for ever. 1718 Free-thinker No. 65. 69 The Nation rejoyces: The Prince is pleased. 1771 Junius Lett. lxvii. (1788) 339 They naturally rejoice when they see a signal instance of tyranny resisted with success. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam viii. xxviii, As if the sea, and sky, And earth, rejoiced with new-born liberty. 1859 Tennyson Geraint 771 Never man rejoiced More than Geraint to greet her thus attired. |
b. Const. at, in, † of, over. Also to rejoice in, to have or possess.
| 1483 Ld. Dynham in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 157 All the comones of the Contre greitly rejoysshe therof. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 41 That other gloryed & reioysed in his power. 1530 Palsgr. 683/2, I have rejoysed..at his prosperyte. 1535 Coverdale Judith x. 9 That Ierusalem maye reioyse ouer the. 1605 Bp. Andrewes Serm. (1841) I. 14 They rejoice of our good. 1628 Gaule Pract. The. (1629) 181, I shall once so reioyce in him, that I cannot more reioyce at my selfe. 1726 Butler Serm. Rolls Chap. v. 80 When we rejoyce in the Prosperity of others. 1784 Cowper Task v. 326 Rejoice in him, and celebrate his sway. 1842 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 163, I have had a parasol of Mrs. Buller's, who rejoices in two. 1864 Tennyson En. Ard. 127 Rejoicing at that answer to his prayer. |
c. Const. with clause, usu. with that.
| 14.. Tundale's Vis., etc. (1843) 112 They in hart rejoysed not a lyte, On hym to loke that they have lybarte. a 1530 Wolsey in G. Cavendish Life (Ellis) 184 Lett us all rejoyse and be glade, that [etc.]. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. v. i. 30 What were more holy, Then to reioyce the former Queene is well? 1667 Milton P.L. xii. 475 Whether I should repent me..or rejoyce..that much more good thereof shall spring. 1784 Cowper Task i. 339 Once more I..rejoice That yet a remnant of your race survives. |
d. Const. with inf.
| 1508 Dunbar Flyting 106 Quhat ferly is thocht thow reioys to flyte? 1561 Winȝet First Tract. Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 8 Vtheris..reioyses to be callit Gospellaris and cunning in Scripture. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 249 Reioycing to see another merry. 1819 Shelley Prometh. Unb. i. 253 Grey mountains, and old woods,..Rejoice to hear what yet ye cannot speak. |
Hence reˈjoiced ppl. a.
| 1801 tr. Gabrielli's Mysterious Husb. IV. 12 Mrs. Horton flung her arms round the neck of her still more rejoiced husband. |