Forms: 6 geare, gyre, gyere, 6–7 geere, giere, 7 geer, jear(e, jeere, 7– jeer. [Origin unascertained: appears c. 1550.
(Among derivations which have been suggested, are Ger. scheren to shear, fig. to plague, tease, vex (cf. Du. gekscheren ‘to shear the fool,’ to jest, banter); Du. gieren ‘stridere, strepere’ (Kilian), ‘to cry, to roar, or bray’ (Hexham), ‘cum stridore et strepitu alicui illudere’ (Junius); both of these show some similarity of sense, but, phonologically, jeer could only be an illiterate corruption of either. On the French side giries, in Norman patois ‘grimaces, affectations hypocritiques,’ in Rouchi ‘tromperie, mauvaise plaisanterie,’ has been suggested as allied; but it is obvious that this is inadequate to account for the Eng. verb. A suggestion that jeer may have originated in an ironical use of cheer is plausible and phonetically feasible (cf. JASS, JAWN), but lies beyond existing evidence.)]
1. intr. To speak or call out in derision or mockery; to scoff derisively. Const. at.
1553. [implied in JEERER].
1561. [see JEERING vbl. sb.].
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1146/2. Some papists resorted thither to geere at him, some of his friends to mourne for him.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 264 b. There fore this Portingall Pasquill doth giere at Haddon by way of mockage.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. vi. 21. But when he saw her toy, and gibe, and geare, And passe the bonds of modest merimake, Her dalliaunce he despis’d.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 430. Ishmael giereth at Isaac.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. v. 125. Smile good Reader, but doe not jeer at my curiosity herein.
a. 1771. Gray, Char. Christ Cross Row. Here Grub-street Geese presume to joke and jeer.
1887. Spectator, 21 May, 675/1. The meeting only jeered at him, and he was unable to make his voice heard.
2. trans. To address or treat with scornful derision; to deride, flout, openly mock or scoff at.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., II. ii. 22. Yea, dost thou ieere & flowt me in the teeth?
1633. Prynne, Histrio-m., Ep. Ded. Do they not deride and jeare religion?
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. lxx. 108. I am heer for my good qualities as your cosin Fortescue geer’d me not long since.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, III. ii. Some odd humours … for which John would jeer her.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 190. I jeer my weakness, painfully repent.
1852. Miss Yonge, Cameos, I. xli. 351. The mob pelted him and jeered him by his assumed name of King Arthur.
3. quasi-trans. To drive (into, out of, etc., something) by jeering.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Staffordsh. (1662), III. 47. A Fool of Mans making, jeered into it by general Dirision.
1677. Gilpin, Dæmonol. (1867), 5. So far from being jeered out of our religion, that [etc.].
a. 1810. Tannahill, Poet. Wks. (1846), 20. I’ll jeer my ancient wooer hame.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Manch. Strike, viii. 88. They would jeer me off the stand.
