Forms: (5 chyer), 5–6 cher(e, (6 chyr, chire), 6–7 cheere, 6–8 chear(e, 5– cheer. [f. CHEER sb., in various senses related to each other only through the sb.]
† 1. a. refl. To give oneself or assume a disposition or state of mind of some sort, as in They cheered them ill, they became of evil cheer. Obs.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXVI. 10570. For the choise kyng Achilles þai cherit hom euill, With mych dole for his dethe.
b. intr. (for refl.) in same sense, as in How cheer you? of what cheer are you? Obs.
1586. T. Bright, A Treatise of Melancholie, xviii. 107. This sort [vnnaturall melancholie] … destroyeth the braine … & maketh both it, & the hart cheere more vncomfortably.
1594. Greene, Looking Glasse (1861), 126. How cheer you gentlemen?
1596. Drayton, Legends, iv. 606. Aske Him how He cheeres.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., III. v. 75. How cheer’st thou Jessica?
1725. Bailey, Erasm. Colloq., 94. The Landlord himself … asks how cheer you?
2. trans. To make of good cheer; to comfort, console, solace.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 240. Be glad, Sir … We shul you chere in that we mown.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., v. 13 (Harl. MS.). Make me solas and comfort, and chere me.
1568. Knt. Curtesy, 80, in Ritson, Metr. Rom., III. 197. To hym comforte anone he toke, And began the lady for to chere.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., V. ii. 184. Therefore be cheer’d, Make not your thoughts your prisons.
1614. Markham, Cheap Husb., I. i. (1668), 8. Much rubbing is comfortable, and cheareth every member.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 129. So cheard he his fair Spouse, and she was cheered.
1758. S. Hayward, Serm., iv. 118. He chears the souls of his people.
1830. D’Israeli, Chas. I., III. xvii. 378. The poor being cheered by these feasts of religion and charity.
b. refl. To comfort oneself; to take heart or pluck up courage. Mostly in imperative.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 8643. Achilles for the chop cherit hym not litle. Ibid., 9303. Achilles was choise fayne, cherit hym the bettur, And now hatnis his hert all in hote loue.
1598. Greene, Fr. Bacon, xiii. Yet, Bacon, cheere thee, drowne not in despaire.
1599. George a Gr., in Dodsley (1780), III. 19. Cheer thee, my boy.
1846. Keble, Lyra Innoc., V. 8. O cheer thee, maiden! In His Name Who still’d Jairus’ wail!
† c. intr. with refl. sense. Obs.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. x. 2. She cast to bring him where he chearen might, Till he recovered had his late decayed plight.
† 3. trans. ? To cure or recover. Obs. rare.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 10416. Achilles þurgh chaunse was cherit of his wond.
4. To make cheerful or joyous; to gladden, enliven.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 72. Cheryn, or make good chere, hillaro, exhillaro, letifico.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Jas. I. Scotl., xx. With the Quene my wife and children me to chere.
1611. Bible, Eccl. xi. 9. Let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth.
1785. Cowper, Task, I. 200. Ten thousand warblers chear the day, and one The live-long night.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, xxxviii. 5. One whisper of happy thought to cheer me.
† b. intr. To grow cheerful, be cheerful; to rejoice, enjoy oneself, make merry. Obs.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 61. Who hath wherewithall, may chéere when he shall: But charged man, must chéere as he can.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VIII. xxxviii. (1612), 189. He chats, she cheers, he courts, she coyes.
a. 1619. Fotherby, Atheom., II. xii. (1622), 338. All, which come to heare it, doe reioyce, and cheere at it.
5. † a. trans. To entertain with feasting and ‘good cheer’; to feast. Obs.
a. 1400[?]. Arthur, 276. Arthour ȝaf ham ȝyftez grete, And chered ham wyþ drynk and Mete.
c. 1489. Caxton, Four Sonnes Aymon, iii. 115. Their moder … fested and chered theym gretly.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 205. Into the Abbey, where they were feasted and cheered.
1597. Bp. Hall, Sat., V. ii. 113. What tho he chires on purer manchets crowne.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Eclog., v. 107. I myself the Guests with friendly Bowls will chear.
† b. To comfort with warmth; to warm. Obs.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 1088. So that the flamme upbende The celles forto chere and chaufe olofte.
c. To solace or comfort as food does.
1548. Forrest, Pleas. Poesye, 95. Beif, Mutton, Veale to cheare their courage.
1611. Bible, Judg. ix. 13. Wine, which cheareth God and man.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 584. Their cold Stomachs with crown’d Goblets cheer.
1784. T. Tyers in Gentl. Mag., Dec., 907/1. With tea he [Johnson] cheered himself in the morning.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 68. Wine is to cheer them now that their limbs are old and their blood runs cold.
Berkeley’s expression to cheer but not inebriate has been popularized by Cowper’s application of it to tea, and has often been the subject of sportive allusions.
1744. Berkeley, Siris, § 217. The luminous spirit lodged in the native balsam of pines … is of a nature so mild … as to warm without heating, to cheer but not inebriate.
1784. Cowper, Task, IV. 39. The cups, That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each.
1858. O. W. Holmes, Aut. Breakf.-t., 123. A youth who had freely partaken of the cup which cheers and likewise inebriates.
1858. Russell, Diary India (1860), I. 290 (Hoppe). A cup … which to my mind neither cheers nor inebriates.
6. To brighten up externally (the face, etc.).
1611. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. Decay, 110. With her best Complexions Shee mends her Faces wrinkle-full defections, Her Cheek shee cherries, and her Ey shee cheers.
1662. Prayer Bk., Veni Creator Sp., Anoint and cheer our soiled face With the abundance of thy grace.
7. To encourage, inspirit, animate, or incite, by word or deed; now, esp. by cries or shouts. Also to cheer on.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 3781. Among his ost ful fast he rode, And chered his knightes.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., IV. i. 130. A cry more tuneable Was neuer hallowed to, nor cheer’d with horne.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. iii. 34. His Lady did so well him cheare, That hope of new good hap he gan to feele.
1597. Daniel, Civ. Wars, III. lxxii. As to some great advent’rous fight This bravo cheers these dastards all he can.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., xv. Men as plants decrease, Cheered and check’d even by the self-same sky.
1699. Dryden, Theodore & Honoria, 123. He cheer’d the dogs to follow her who fled.
1794. in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1846), I. 426. Captain Walter Serocold was killed by a grape-shot … as he cheered the people who were dragging the gun.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., I. ix. Close on the hounds the hunter came, To cheer them on the vanished game.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, VI. 221. Cheering his troops by his presence and his words.
b. The following perhaps lead the way to 8.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, V. O j. The Troians them did chere, and did receyue with wondrous ioye.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Mowbray’s Ban., xx. And whan our frendes on eche parte had vs chearde, And that the Harolds bad vs do our lust.
8. To salute with ‘cheers’ or shouts of applause; to applaud.
Not in Johnson, and app. modern.
1798. Coleridge, Anc. Mar., I. vii. The ship was cheer’d, the harbour cleared.
1815. W. Burney, Falconer’s Marine Dict., To cheer, to salute a ship en passant, by the people all coming upon deck and huzzaing three times, called three cheers.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Hill & Valley, iv. 54. A crowd of little children … had gathered together, to cheer the carriage.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 154. Many of the audience cheered and applauded this.
b. intr. To shout applause.
1804. G. Rose, Diaries (1860), II. 146. The boys of the school cheered as he passed.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Manch. Strike, iv. 42. A signal whether to groan or cheer.
1879. McCarthy, Own Times, II. xix. 59. The House cheered more tumultuously than ever.
† 9. To blow (a whistle). Obs. [of doubtful position.]
c. 1600. Montgomerie, Navigation, 135. Our Maister soon his lyttil vhissell cheir[d;] His mariners incontinent compeird.
10. Cheer up. a. trans. To raise the spirits of (anyone) by cheering words; to brighten up.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. iv. 113. My Soueraigne Lord, cheare vp your selfe, looke vp. Ibid. (1605), Macb., IV. i. 127. Come Sisters, cheere we vp his sprights.
1725. Bailey, Erasm. Colloq., 537. The Seraphick Fraternity … chear’d up his countenance with ointment.
1883. Froude, Short Stud., IV. 63. The abbot cheered him up, laughed at his dejection.
b. intr. (for refl.) To pluck up heart, take courage.
1676. D’Urfey, Mad. Fickle, II. i. Brother come, cheer up.
1759. Garrick, Heart of Oak. Come, cheer up, my lads! ’tis to glory we steer.
1840–5. Barham, Ingol. Leg. ‘Misadv. Margate.’ Cheer up! cheer up! my little man.
Cheere, var. of CHERE a. Obs. dear.
