Mer"ry (?), a. [Compar. Merrier (?); superl. Merriest.] [OE. merie, mirie, murie, merry, pleasant, AS. merge, myrige, pleasant; cf. murge, adv.; prob. akin to OHG. murg, short, Goth. gamaxa3;rgjan to shorten; cf. L. murcus a coward, who cuts off his thumb to escape military service; the Anglo-Saxon and English meanings coming from the idea of making the time seem short. Cf. Mirth.]
1.
Laughingly gay; overflowing with good humor and good spirits; jovial; inclined to laughter or play ; sportive.
They drank, and were merry with him.
Gen. xliii. 34.
I am never merry when I hear sweet music.
Shak.
2.
Cheerful; joyous; not sad; happy.
Is any merry let him sing psalms.
Jas. v. 13.
3.
Causing laughter, mirth, gladness, or delight; as, merry jest.
"
Merry wind and weather."
Spenser.
Merry dancers. See under Dancer. -- Merry men, followers; retainers. [Obs.]
His merie men commanded he
To make him bothe game and glee.
Chaucer.
-- To make merry, to be jovial; to indulge in hilarity; to feast with mirth. Judg. ix. 27.
Syn. -- Cheerful; blithe; lively; sprightly; vivacious; gleeful; joyous; mirthful; jocund; sportive; hilarious.
© Webster 1913.
Mer"ry (?), n. Bot.
A kind of wild red cherry.
© Webster 1913.