different between jolly vs jollily

English

Etymology

From Middle English joli, jolif (“merry, cheerful”), from Old French joli, jolif (“merry, joyful”)It is uncertain whether the Old French word is from Old Norse jól ("a midwinter feast, Yule", hence "fest-ive") , in which case, equivalent to yule +? -ive; or ultimately from Latin gaude? (see etymology at joy). For the loss of final -f compare tardy, hasty, hussy, etc.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?d??li/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?d??li/
• Rhymes: -?li
• Hyphenation: jol?ly

Adjective

jolly (comparative jollier, superlative jolliest)

1. Full of merriment and high spirits; jovial; joyous; merry.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, "The Faerie Queene", Book I, Canot 2, xi-xii:

     "Full jolly Knight he seemed […] full large of limb and every joint / He was, and cared not for God or man a point."

   • 1815, William Wordsworth, "Hart-Leap Well," Part Second:

     "A jolly place," said he, "in times of old! / But something ails it now: the spot is curst. ..."

   • 1819, Washington Irving, The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., "The Stage Coach":

     […] he is swelled into jolly dimensions by frequent potations of malt liquors […]

2. (colloquial, dated) Splendid, excellent, pleasant.
   • 1853, Charles Dickens, Bleak House, ch. 16:

     Jo silently notices how white and small her hand is and what a jolly servant she must be to wear such sparkling rings.

3. (informal) drunk

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

jolly (plural jollies)

1. (Britain, dated) A pleasure trip or excursion.
2. (slang, dated) A marine in the English navy.

   Synonym: joey

   • 1896, Rudyard Kipling, Soldier an' Sailor Too

     I'm a Jolly — 'Er Majesty's Jolly — soldier an' sailor too!

Adverb

jolly (comparative more jolly, superlative most jolly)

1. (Britain, dated) very, extremely
   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 37:

     Adrian thought it worth while to try out his new slang. ‘I say, you fellows, here's a rum go. Old Biffo was jolly odd this morning. He gave me a lot of pi-jaw about slacking and then invited me to tea. No rotting! He did really.’

Derived terms

• jolly well

Verb

jolly (third-person singular simple present jollies, present participle jollying, simple past and past participle jollied)

1. (transitive) To amuse or divert.

Derived terms

• jolly along

Translations

References

• Jolly in the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 15, p. 495.

Italian

Etymology

From English jolly joker, an older name for the joker card in a deck of cards.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d???l.li/

Noun

jolly m (invariable)

1. (card games) joker
2. wild card

See also

English

Etymology

jolly +? -ly

Adverb

jollily (comparative more jollily, superlative most jollily)

1. In a jolly manner.
   • 14th c., Geoffrey Chaucer (translator), The Romaunt of the Rose, lines 2245-2249,^[1]

     ffor pride is founde, in every part,

     Contrarie unto loves Art.

     And he that loveth, trewly

     Shulde hym contene iolily,

     Without pride in sondry wise,

     And hym disgysen in queyntise.

   • 1782, Laurence Sterne, “Remainder of the Story of Trim’s Brother” in The Beauties of Sterne: including all his pathetic tales, and most distinguished observations on life, London: T. Davies et al., p. 74,^[2]

     Every servant in the family, from high to low, wished Tom success, and I can fancy, an’ please your honour, I see him this moment with his white dimity waistcoat and breeches, and hat a little o’one side, passing jollily along the street, swinging his stick, with a smile and a cheerful word for every body he met.

   • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick, Chapter 99,^[3]

     There’s a sermon now, writ in high heaven, and the sun goes through it every year, and yet comes out of it all alive and hearty. Jollily he, aloft there, wheels through toil and trouble […]

   • 1966, Anthony Burgess, Tremor of Intent: An Eschatological Spy Novel, London: Heinemann, Part III, Chapter 3,

     They stiffened when they saw Hillier, ready to throw him a salute, but he waved at them jollily as he marched through, singing.