Library / English Dictionary

CHEER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom

Example:

flowers added a note of cheerfulness to the drab room

Synonyms:

cheer; cheerfulness; sunniness; sunshine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("cheer" is a kind of...):

attribute (an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity)

Attribute:

cheerful (being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits)

cheerless; depressing; uncheerful (causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cheer"):

good-humoredness; good-humouredness; good-naturedness; good-temperedness (a cheerful willingness to be obliging)

Holonyms ("cheer" is a part of...):

disposition; temperament (your usual mood)

Derivation:

cheer (become cheerful)

cheer (cause (somebody) to feel happier or more cheerful)

cheery (bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A cry or shout of approval

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("cheer" is a kind of...):

approval; commendation (a message expressing a favorable opinion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cheer"):

banzai (a Japanese cheer of enthusiasm or triumph)

bravo (a cry of approval as from an audience at the end of great performance)

hooray; hurrah (a victory cheer)

salvo (a sudden outburst of cheers)

Derivation:

cheer (show approval or good wishes by shouting)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Show approval or good wishes by shouting

Example:

everybody cheered the birthday boy

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "cheer" is one way to...):

applaud (express approval of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

buoy up; lighten; lighten up (make more cheerful)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

cheer (a cry or shout of approval)

cheerer (a spectator who shouts encouragement)

cheering (encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts

Example:

The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers

Synonyms:

barrack; cheer; exhort; inspire; pep up; root on; urge; urge on

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "cheer" is one way to...):

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

cheerlead (act as a cheerleader in a sports event)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

cheerer (a spectator who shouts encouragement)

cheering (encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become cheerful

Synonyms:

cheer; cheer up; chirk up

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "cheer" is one way to...):

joy; rejoice (feel happiness or joy)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

exuberate; exult; jubilate; rejoice; triumph (to express great joy)

buoy up; lighten; lighten up (become more cheerful)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Antonym:

complain (express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness)

Derivation:

cheer (the quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cause (somebody) to feel happier or more cheerful

Example:

She tried to cheer up the disappointed child when he failed to win the spelling bee

Synonyms:

cheer; cheer up; jolly along; jolly up

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Cause:

cheer; cheer up; chirk up (become cheerful)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

amuse (make (somebody) laugh)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

cheer (the quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Give encouragement to

Synonyms:

cheer; embolden; hearten; recreate

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "cheer" is one way to...):

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

buck up; take heart (gain courage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The good news will cheer her

Derivation:

cheering (encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators)

Credits

 Context examples: 

I tried to cheer him up by wire, and he sent me one in reply, imploring me to do all I could.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But cheer up, Martin, my boy.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He never forgot a kindly greeting or a cheering word, and to sit down for a long talk with them (“gas” he called it) was as much his delight as theirs.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

A question about whether an individual feels or felt so down in the dumps that nothing could cheer them up.

(Have You Felt So Down in the Dumps That Nothing Could Cheer You Up, NCI Thesaurus)

The giant was pleased with the good cheer, and ate and drank to his heart’s content.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Besides, I wished to touch no deep-thrilling chord—to open no fresh well of emotion in his heart: my sole present aim was to cheer him.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Mrs. Weston and Emma tried earnestly to cheer him and turn his attention from his son-in-law, who was pursuing his triumph rather unfeelingly.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

The cheering died away, and there was such a hush that I could hear the crackle of the paper in his hand.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Mr. Summerlee: "Yes, I will." (Great cheering.)

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They were cheered by the joy of the servants on their arrival, and each for the sake of the others resolved to appear happy.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)