a. Also 4–6 iocounde, 4–7 iocunde, (5 ioycounde), 5–6 iocond(e, 6 iocound, (gioconde), 7–8 jocond. [a. OF. jocond, jocund (also ju-) = Sp. jocunde, It. giocondo, ad. late L. jocund-us, modification (after jocus joke, jest) of L. jūcundus pleasant, agreeable, delightful, f. juv-āre to help, aid, delight, please. Hence the etymological form is JUCUND; the application of jocund to persons has been affected by association with jocus. Now exclusively a literary word.]

1

  Feeling, expressing or communicating mirth or cheerfulness; mirthful, merry, cheerful, blithe, gay, sprightly, light-hearted; pleasant, cheering, delightful. (Of persons, actions, things, etc.)

2

c. 1380[?].  Chaucer, To Rosemounde, 5. Therwith ye ben so mery and so iocounde. Ibid. (c. 1386), Can. Yeom. Prol., 43. He is ful iocunde also, dar I leye.

3

1388.  Wyclif, 1 Sam. xxv. 36. The herte of Nabal was iocounde, for he was drunkun greetli.

4

1509.  Hawes, Past. Pleas., XXVII. (Percy Soc.), 127. An hevy herte it wolde make jocunde.

5

1514.  Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 10. His jocunde jestes made me oftetyme full gladde.

6

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., III. v. 9. Iocond day Stands tipto on the mistie Mountaines tops.

7

1632.  Milton, L’Allegro, 94. And the jocond rebecks sound.

8

1677.  W. Hughes, Man of Sin, III. iii. 94. To avoid more Ink-shed in these Tales of Blood-shed, let’s fall on some that are of a Jocunder Humour.

9

1750.  Gray, Elegy, vii. How jocund did they drive their team afield!

10

1814.  Scott, Ld. of Isles, I. xvii. Be laughter loud and jocund shout, And bards to cheer the wassail rout.

11

1843.  Prescott, Mexico (1850), I. 202. His careless manners and jocund repartees might well seem incompatible with anything serious.

12

  † b.  Feeling pleasure at some particular event or circumstance; joyful, glad, well-pleased. Obs.

13

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 2897. Gerarde es jocunde, and joyes hym þe more!

14

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., I. xx. 69 (Harl. MS.). I am more iocund þen any man may trowe, þat I se the hole.

15

1578.  Florio, 1st Fruites, 52. Gioconde was the Emperor Gratian, when he read the Posies of Ausonius.

16

  c.  Comb.

17

1863.  Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., ii. 45. Rosalind is one of the most enchanting among jocund-spirited heroines.

18

1866.  Carlyle, Remin., II. (1881), I. 131. Irving was very good and jocund-hearted.

19