Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A shout of approval, encouragement, or congratulation.
  • noun A short, rehearsed jingle or phrase, shouted in unison by a squad of cheerleaders.
  • noun Comfort or encouragement.
  • noun Lightness of spirits or mood; gaiety or joy.
  • noun Festive food and drink; refreshment.
  • intransitive verb To shout cheers. synonym: applaud.
  • intransitive verb To express praise or approval.
  • intransitive verb To become cheerful.
  • intransitive verb To encourage with cheers: synonym: encourage.
  • intransitive verb To salute or acclaim with cheers; applaud.
  • intransitive verb To express praise or approval for; acclaim.
  • intransitive verb To make happier or more cheerful.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun English dialectal and former literary form of chair.
  • To dispel despondency, sorrow, or apathy from; cause to rejoice; gladden; make cheerful; often with up.
  • To cure; recover.
  • To incite; encourage.
  • To salute with shouts of joy or cheers; applaud: as, to cheer a public speaker.
  • To be in any state or temper of mind; fare.
  • To grow cheerful; cast off gloom or despondency; become glad or joyous: often with up.
  • To utter a cheer or shout of acclamation or joy.
  • To fare; prosper.
  • noun The face; countenance.
  • noun Look; demeanor.
  • noun Expression of countenance, as noting the state of feeling.
  • noun State or temper of the mind as indicated by expression or demeanor; state of feeling or spirits.
  • noun A state of gladness or joy; gaiety; animation.
  • noun That which makes cheerful or promotes good spirits; entertainment; provisions for a feast; viands; fare.
  • noun A shout of joy, encouragement, applause, or acclamation.
  • noun Fortune; luck; also, report; tidings.
  • noun A name of Wallich's pheasant, Phasianus wallichi.
  • Dear; loved.
  • Worthy; fit.
  • noun A dear one; a friend.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete The face; the countenance or its expression.
  • noun Feeling; spirit; state of mind or heart.
  • noun Gayety; mirth; cheerfulness; animation.
  • noun That which promotes good spirits or cheerfulness; provisions prepared for a feast; entertainment.
  • noun A shout, hurrah, or acclamation, expressing joy enthusiasm, applause, favor, etc.
  • noun How do you fare? What is there that is cheering?
  • transitive verb To cause to rejoice; to gladden; to make cheerful; -- often with up.
  • transitive verb To infuse life, courage, animation, or hope, into; to inspirit; to solace or comfort.
  • transitive verb To salute or applaud with cheers; to urge on by cheers.
  • transitive verb to salute a passing ship by cheers of sailors stationed in the rigging.
  • intransitive verb To grow cheerful; to become gladsome or joyous; -- usually with up.
  • intransitive verb obsolete To be in any state or temper of mind.
  • intransitive verb To utter a shout or shouts of applause, triumph, etc.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A chant made in support of a team at a sports event.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English chere, expression, mood, from Old French chiere, face, from Late Latin cara, from Greek kara, head; see ker- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Anglo-Norman chere, from Old French chiere, from Late Latin cara.

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