Forms: 3–6 ioie, ioi, 3–7 ioye, ioy, (3 ioiȝe, 4 ioȝe, ioyȝe, yoi, yoe, goye, 5 yoye, yoy), 7 joye, 7– joy. [ME. a. OF. joie, joye joy, jewel, F. joie (= Pr. joia, Sp. joya, Pg. joia jewel, It. gioja joy, jewel):—pop.L. *gaudia fem. for L. gaudia, pl. of gaudium joy; cf. Pr. joi:—L. gaudium.]
1. A vivid emotion of pleasure arising from a sense of well-being or satisfaction; the feeling or state of being highly pleased or delighted; exultation of spirit; gladness, delight.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 218. Auh efter þe spreoue, on ende,—þeonne is þe muchele ioie.
a. 1240. Lofsong, in Cott. Hom., 213. Al mi woa on eorðe schal turnen me to ioie.
1340. Ayenb., 226. More wes tocne of wepinge and of zorȝe þanne of goye and of ydele blisse. Ibid., 75. Ioye wyþoute ende.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxx. 387. Þi joie is in japes.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. cxxvi. 5. They that sowe in teeres, shal reape in ioye.
1611. Bible, Job xxxviii. 7. When the morning starres sang together, and all the sonnes of God shouted for ioy.
1651. Bp. Hall, Soliloquies (ed. 2), xxvii. 95. There is little difference betwixt joy and happinesse.
1754. Richardson, Grandison, IV. iv. 39. I have joy in the joy of all these good people.
1785. Boswell, Tour Hebr., 30 Oct. Joseph … reported that the earl ‘jumped for joy.’
1802. Wordsw., Resol. Indep. vii. I thought … Of him who walked in glory and in joy Following his plough, along the mountain-side.
1820. Keats, Ode Melancholy, iii. Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips Bidding adieu.
1867. Jean Ingelow, Dominion, 29. It is a comely fashion to be glad—Joy is the grace we say to God.
b. with a and pl.: an instance or kind of this.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23366. Ne hert mai think þaa ioies sere, Þat iesu crist has dight til his.
c. 1450. Cov. Myst., 261. There joye of alle joyis to the is sewre!
c. 1620. Donne, Serm. (ed. Alford), IV. 272. This third Ioy … is not a collateral Ioy … but it is a fundamental Ioy, a radical Ioy.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 749. Averse from Venus, and from nuptial Joys.
1855. Tennyson, Maud, I. v. 3. A joy in which I cannot rejoice, A glory I shall not find.
c. The expression of glad feeling; outward rejoicing; mirth; † jubilant festivity.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3014. Isaac wel es for to sai A man þat takens ioy and plai.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxviii. 286. Whan thei dyen, thei maken gret feste and gret ioye and reuell.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. cxxvi. 2. Then shall oure mouth be fylled with laughter, and oure tonge with ioye.
1552. Huloet, Ioye made for victorie, as bonefyres wyth bankettes, epinicium.
1611. Bible, Isa. lii. 9. Breake foorth into ioy, sing together, yee waste places of Ierusalem.
1800. Wordsw., Idle Shepherd-boys, 1. The valley rings with mirth and joy.
† d. Maiden of joy, a courtesan (F. fille de joie). Obs.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., IV. xxv. 141. The lively drafts … of a mayden of ioy or a common woman.
† e. ellipt. An expression of sympathetic joy, a congratulation. Cf. phr. to give one (the) joy. Obs.
1656. Finett, For. Ambass., 11. In conclusion, a joy pronounced by the King and Queen, and seconded with congratulation of the Lords there present.
f. Used interjectionally, as an expression of joy.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. xv. (1840), 266. Friday … in a kind of surprise falls a-jumping and dancing…. ‘O joy!’ says he.
1803–6. Wordsw., Intimations, ix. O joy! that in our embers Is something that doth live.
1817. Moore, Lalla R., Par. & Peri. Joy, joy for ever! my task is done, The gates are passed, and heaven is won.
2. A pleasurable state or condition; a state of happiness or felicity; esp. the perfect bliss or beatitude of heaven; hence, the place of bliss, paradise, heaven; = BLISS 2 c, GLORY 7. Obs. or arch.
c. 1275. Passion our Lord, 586, in O. E. Misc., 54. Þer is my vader and eke heore, and ioye euer ilyche.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 535. Þer abbeþ kinges & mani oþere ofte ibe in ioie.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1519. Þat he wone wiþ vs wiþ-Inne, And aftur þis lyf to Ioye wende.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxi. 141. Þai go to þe ioy of Paradys [il vait en paradis].
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 150. Therfor Sholde a man lytill cowete … the honnoure, the yoy, or the gladnysse of this worlde.
1552. Bk. Com. Prayer, Morn. Prayer, So that at the last we may come to hys eternall ioye.
c. 1646. Milton, Sonn. Mrs. Thomson. Thy works, and álms … Followed thee up to joy and bliss for ever.
[1870. J. Ellerton, Hymn, ‘When the day of toil is done,’ iv. Bring us, where all tears are dried, Joy for evermore.]
3. A source or object of joy, that which causes joy, or in which delight is taken; a delight.
Joys of Mary (R. C. Ch.), special occasions of joy to the mother of Jesus Christ. The mediæval church reckoned five; lists differ; an early 14th c. poem (Wright, Lyric P. (1842), 95) has the Annunciation, Nativity, Epiphany, Resurrection, and her Assumption; later R. C. writers make seven, adding as second and fifth, the Visitation and Finding in the Temple, and making the seventh the Ascension.
c. 1275. Luve Ron, in O. E. Misc., 97. His sihte is al ioye and gleo, he is day wyþ-ute nyhte.
1382. Wyclif, Phil. iv. 1. My britheren moost dereworthe … my ioye and my crowne.
c. 1430. Hymns Virg., 67. Quod man, y pleie, y wrastile, y sprynge, Þese ioies wolen neuere wende me fro.
1539. Bible (Great), Ps. xlviii. 2. The hyll of Sion is a fayre place, & the ioye of the whole earth.
1611. Bible, Isa. xxxii. 14. The forts and towres shall be for dennes for euer, a ioy of wild asses, a pasture of flockes.
1818. Keats, Endym., I. 1. A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.
1876. ‘Ouida,’ Winter City, vi. 151. You can see no horizon from it; that alone is the joy of the moorland.
1310. in Wright, Lyric P., 89. Al thourh that levedy gent ant smal, heried by hyr joies fyve. Ibid., 96. The thridde joie of that levedy, That men clepeth the Epyphany.
1463. Bury Wills, 17. Oure ladyes fyve joyes.
1674. Brevint, Saul at Endor, 281. They allow but 40 daies Pardon for saying seven Paters and Aves to the honor of the seven Joies.
b. Used (esp. dial.) as a term of endearment for a sweetheart, child, etc.; a darling: cf. JO 2.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., IV. i. 4. While I … kisse thy faire large eares, my gentle ioy. Ibid. (1606), Ant. & Cl., I. v. 58. His remembrance lay In Egypt with his ioy.
1789. Blake, Songs Innoc., Infant Joy, 7. Pretty joy! Sweet joy but two days old.
1875. B. L. Farjeon, Love’s Vict., xxv. She instructed her eldest joy how to behave.
1876. Whitby Gloss., s.v., ‘My bonny joy!’ my pretty dear.
† 4. The quality that causes joy; quality or faculty of delighting; = DELIGHT sb. 3. Obs. rare.
a. 1400. Pistill of Susan, 41. Þus þis dredful demers on dayes þider drewe, Al for gentrise and Ioye of þat Iewesse.
1483. Cath. Angl., 197/2. Ioy,… amenitas.
† 5. Joyful adoring praise and thanksgiving; = GLORY 4. Rendering L. glöria (Gr. δόξα), esp. in the doxologies. Obs.
When OE. wuldor, early ME. wulder, became obs., and L. gloria, OF. glorie, gloire, was not yet adopted, Eng. had no word distinctly representing L. gloria. Hence bliss and joy were used naturally at first of the glory of heaven (see sense 2 above, BLISS 2 c, GLORY 4), and extended to this sense in which gloria, gloire represent Gr. δόξα: cf. BLISS 3.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11260. On hei be ioi, and pes on lagh.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., V. pr. vi. 139 (Camb. MS.). Þe Iuge þat see and demeþ alle þinges. (To whom be goye and worshipe bi Infynyt tymes Amen.)
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 289. Gloria Patri [etc.] þat is, Ioye to þe Fadir.
a. 1400. Prymer (1891), 17. Ioyȝe be to the fadir, and to the sone, and to the holy goost.
1483. Cath. Angl., 197/2. Ioy, adoria … doxa, doxula.
† 6. A jewel. (F. joie, Godef.) Obs.
1599. Breton, Miseries Mauillia, II. Here my sweete Mistresse, take this Pearle Ioye, set it in the Ring that hangeth at mine eare.
1611. Florio, Gioia, a ioy, a gemme, a iewell.
† b. In E. Indian use from Pg. joia. Obs.
1800. Asiat. Ann. Reg., Chron., 17/1. Shaik Ishmail was convicted of breaking into the house of Pittamber Narrain, and stealing from thence a variety of gold and silver joys.
1809. Maria Graham, Jrnl. Resid. India (1813), 3. To murder these helpless creatures for the sake of their ornaments or joys.
1824. Sk. India (ed. 2), 78. Groups of dancing-girls, covered with joys.
7. Astrol. Joys of the Planets: see quots.
[a. 1400–50. Alexander, 704. And how þe mode Marcure makis sa mekill ioy.]
1658. Phillips, Joyes of the Planets, are when they are in those houses where they are most powerful and strong, as Saturn joyeth in Scorpio.
1706. Phillips, Joys of the Planets … are certain Dignities that befall them, either by being in the place of a Planet of like Quality or Condition, or when they are in a House of the Figure agreeable to their own Nature.
1819. Jas. Wilson, Compl. Dict. Astrol., Joys of the Planets … Every planet, according to Ptolemy, is in his joy when another is dignified in any of his dignities…. They are also said in modern astrology to have their joys in certain houses according to their nature, whether good or evil, thus ♄ joys in the 12th, ♃ in the 11th.
† 8. Isolated obsolete uses. a. A stage-play.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 264/1. Ioy, or pley þat begynnythe wythe sorow, and endythe wythe gladnes, comedia. Ioy, or pley þat begynnythe wythe gladnesse, and endythe wythe sorow, tragedia.
b. (See quot.)
1600. Dymmok, Ireland (1843), 9. Joye is when their idle men require meat and drinke out of meale tymes … it is as much to say as a benevolence.
9. In various phrases:
† a. To have joy of, to be highly pleased or delighted with. † b. To make joy, to rejoice. With indirect obj., To give a glad welcome. † c. To take joy, to take pleasure, be glad, rejoice. d. To wish (arch. give) one († the) joy of, to express sympathetic joy or give one’s good wishes to a person on a happy occasion; to congratulate. Often ironical. Cf. JOY v. 5 b. e. God give you joy, Joy go with you, etc., ejaculations expressive of good wishes.
a. 1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 253. Al þe kun þat him iseiȝ adde of him ioye inou.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melib., ¶ 768. They were so … rauysshed and hadden so greet ioye of hire, that wonder was to telle.
c. 1450. Merlin, 184. Whan Gawein vndirstode the speche of his brother, he hadde of hym hertely ioye, and moche he hym preysed.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretary, II. (1625), 60. I trust you shall have joy of me, and … I doubt not but so to behave my selfe, that I shall well deserve this good liking … of my master.
b. c. 1300. Havelok, 1209. Hise children … maden ioie swiþe mikel.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1771, in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. The apostlys and the martiris, The confessors and the virginis, Alle wolle him ioy makyn.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 79/1. Thenne ranne the dogge … and cam home as a messager fawnyng and makyng ioye with hys tail.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iii. 32. Such ioy made Vna when her knight she found.
c. 1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., IV. i. 90. Ros. Am not I your Rosalind? Orl. I take some ioy to say you are. Ibid. (1611), Wint. T., V. i. 80. Such As … it should take ioy To see her in your armes.
d. 1599. Shaks., Much Ado, II. i. 200. I wish him joy of her.
1631. T. Adams, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 147. I wish you much joy in the execution of that hopefull employment.
1638. W. Mountagu, in Buccleuch. MSS., Montagu Ho. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 277. Sir Christ. Yerlverton gave him first joy of his office.
c. 1710. Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 141. Ye Earle having just marry’d his Eldest daughter … there was Company to wishe her joy.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), IV. Introd. I give you joy of having found out that.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ii. Newcome, my boy … I give you joy.
1885. J. Payn, Heir Ages, xlvi. You will even go the length of wishing them joy of their bargain.
e. a. 1440. Sir Eglam., 608. Syr, yf you yoye of yowre chylde.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xiii. 550. So god … gyf me Ioy of my chylde!
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 448. God giue thee ioy of him. Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., III. ii. 190. To cry good ioy, good ioy my Lord and Lady. Ibid. (1603), Meas. for M., V. i. 532. Ioy to you Mariana.
1742. Pope, Dunc., IV. 54. Joy to great Chaos! let Division reign.
1824–46. Landor, Imag. Conv., Wks. I. 171. There we leave her, and joy go with her.
10. Comb. objective and obj. genitive, as joy-killer, -maker; joy-bringing, -dispelling, -inspiring adjs.; instrumental, etc., as joy-bright, -encompassed, -rapt, -resounding, -wrung adjs.; joy-bereft, -mixt adjs.; attrib., of or expressing joy, as joy-gift, -note, -offering, -tear; joy-bells, -fire, -gun, bells rung, a bonfire lighted [F. feu de joie], or a gun fired to celebrate a joyful event; joy-firing (nonce-wd.), lighting of joy-fires † joy-making, merrymaking; † joy-sop, a sop made by dipping cake in wine; joy-weed, a plant of the genus Alternanthera (Miller, Plant-n., 1884).
1836. Mayne, Siller Gun, V. xliv. When now, in tune, The *joy-bells chime.
1894. Mrs. Fr. Elliot, Roman Gossip, i. Every church echoes joy-bells to the deep boom of Saint Peter’s.
1586. Warner, Alb. Eng., I. ii. Cybell, *ioy-bereft, And Vesta … Did both lament.
1744. Akenside, Pleas. Imag., III. 91. Chief the glance Of wishful envy draws their *joy-bright eyes.
c. 1600. Davison, Ps. cxxv. Peace, *joy-bringing peace And plentie shall for euer dwell With God’s owne chosen Israell.
1811. W. R. Spencer, Poems, 54. Through all her *joy-deserted seats.
1871. B. Taylor, Faust (1875), II. III. 169. The *joy-encompassed path of Song.
1845. Carlyle, Cromwell (1871), I. 53. Old London was … in a blaze with *joy-fires. Ibid. (1864), Fredk. Gt., XVII. vii. Such a *‘joy-firing’ for Lobositz.
1851. Mrs. Browning, Casa Guidi Wind., II. 123. And foiled The *joy-guns of their echo.
1819. Shelley, Cyclops, 170. The Bacchic dew Of *joy-inspiring grapes.
1858. Doran, Crt. Fools, 336. It is difficult to place fairly the German fools or *joy-makers before a foreign public.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 56. In alle his *joy makyng … He felle dede doun colde as any stone.
1748. Thomson, Cast. Indol., I. xlvii. Oh … fill with pious awe and *joy-mixt woe the heart.
1898. Athenæum, 27 Aug., 281/3. No *joy-peal was rung.
1648. Herrick, Hesper., Twelfe Night, iii. Let us make *Joy-sops with the cake.
