Syn.
— Merriment; mirth; gayety; festivity; hilarity.
JOLLY Jol"ly, a. [Compar. Jollier; superl. Jolliest.] Etym: [OF. joli, jolif, joyful, merry, F. joli pretty; of Scand. origin, akin to E. yule; cf. Icel. j yule, Christmass feast. See Yule.]
1. Full of life and mirth; jovial; joyous; merry; mirthful. Like a jolly troop of huntsmen. Shak. "A jolly place," said he, "in times of old! But something ails it now: the spot is cursed." Wordsworth.
2. Expressing mirth, or inspiring it; exciting mirth and gayety. And with his jolly pipe delights the groves. Prior. Their jolly notes they chanted loud and clear. Fairfax.
3. Of fine appearance; handsome; excellent; lively; agreeable; pleasant. "A jolly cool wind." Sir T. North. [Now mostly colloq.] Full jolly knight he seemed, and fair did sit. Spenser. The coachman is swelled into jolly dimensions. W. Irving.
JOLLY-BOAT Jol"ly-boat`, n. Etym: [A corruption of Dan. jolle yawl, or of D. jol yawl + E. boat. See Yawl the boat.] (Naut.)
Defn: A boat of medium size belonging to a ship.
JOLLYHEAD
Jol"ly*head, n.
Defn: Jollity. [Obs.] Spenser.
JOLT
Jolt, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Jolted; p. pr. & vb. n. Jolting.] Etym:
[Prob. fr. jole, joll, jowl, and orig. meaning, to knock on the head.
See Jowl.]