Forms: 3–6 ioyen, 4–5 ioie(n, 4–7 ioye, ioy, (5 ioi), 7 joye, 7– joy. [ME. a. OF. joir to rejoice, enjoy, welcome, etc., F. jouir = Pr. gaudir, gauzir, jauzir:—pop.L. *gaudīre = L. gaudēre to rejoice.]
† 1. refl. To experience joy; to find or take pleasure; to enjoy oneself; to rejoice. Obs.
c. 1260. Somer is comen, in Rel. Ant., I. 100. This day beginniz to longe, And this foules everichon, joye hem wit songe!
1614. Meriton, Christian Mans Assuring-house, 13. To joy our selves in things uncertaine is but an induction of griefe.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 517, ¶ 2. He has never joyed himself since.
2. intr. To feel or manifest joy; to be glad; to rejoice, exult. Occas. with it or cognate obj.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 17976. Wiþ cry þei ioyeden euerychone.
a. 1325. Prose Psalter xl[i]. 12. Myn enemy ne shal nouȝt ioien up me.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 387/1. Al the celestyal courte ioyed and songen thys verce.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, xliv. 147. I shall neuer ioy in my herte vnto the tyme I haue slayne the.
1602. Narcissus (1893), 422. Ah, the poore rascall, never ioyd it since.
1605. Chapman, All Fooles, I. i. To ioy one ioy, and thinke both one thought, Liue both one life.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, III. 37. So joys a lion, if the branching deer Or mountain-goat, his bulky prize, appear.
1885. Miss Braddon, Wyllard’s Weird, xxiv. She had … sympathised and sorrowed and joyed with them.
b. To rejoice or delight: const. in († of, at, with), to do something, or with clause.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 1990. Makayre ioyede þat þey were so stable.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter v. 14. Ioy sall all in þe þat lufis þi name.
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, III. iii. 66. Þei ioy more at vanyte þan þou at trouþe.
c. 1470. Henryson, Mor. Fab., iii. (Cock & Fox), 537. Prydfull he was, and joyit of his sin.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XVIII. lxxxii. (W. de W.), Ff ij b/2. Some bestys Ioye of theyr owne colours.
1549. Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 1 Pet. iv. 11. If they do repent, it is to be ioyed at.
1590. Marlowe, 2nd Pt. Tamburl., V. iii. I joy, my lord, your highness is so strong.
1690. Child, Disc. Trade (1694), 255. This is sufficient to make us little to joy in foreigners money.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, II. 345. O my good old Acquaintances, said I, I joy to see you.
1837. Howitt, Rur. Life, III. vi. (1862), 274. Back to the scenes in which he early joyed.
c. Astrol. Of a planet: see JOY sb. 7.
1658, 1819. [see JOY sb. 7].
1855. Smedley, Occult Sci., 311. Cogent reasons are given why the planets should joy in these houses rather than others.
† d. trans. To rejoice at. Obs.
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., IX. xlv. Edward Duke of Buckingham, whose end That Prelate ioyde, the people moend.
1607. Tourneur, Rev. Trag., IV. ii. Wks. 1878, II. 105. Thou shalt not joy his death.
1647. R. Stapylton, Juvenal, xv. 86. I joy it, and I thinke it self does so.
3. trans. To fill with joy; to gladden, delight.
† a. quasi-impers.: with of or clause. Obs.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 12110. The syxte grace of shryfte to neuene Hyt ioyeth alle þe court of heuene.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 214. It Ioyes me, Iason, of þi just werkes.
c. 1590. Greene, Fr. Bacon, x. 20. It joys me that such men … should lay their liking on this base estate.
1651. Cromwell, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. III. 366. It joyes mee to heere thy soule prospereth.
1703. Rowe, Fair Penit., I. i. 320. It joys my heart that I have found you.
b. With ordinary subject. arch.
c. 1450. Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 68. God wol be man, Mankend to save, and that joyth me.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 68. For his sake that ioyed vs all with his birth.
1667. Pepys, Diary, 2 Sept. Which did mightily joy me.
1807–8. W. Irving, Salmag., ix. (1860), 209. O, how these strangers joy’d my sight.
1845. Mrs. S. C. Hall, Whiteboy, ix. 76. The barrel was … smooth enough to joy the heart of a Red Indian.
† c. passive. To be joyed, to be rejoiced or delighted, to find joy or delight. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxv. 10. A man that is ioȝid [L. jucundatur, 1388 is myrie] in sones lyuende.
1486. Surtees Misc. (1888), 53. Gretely gladdit and joyed of the commyng of his moost riall persone.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 273. How joied we are that so good event hath followed.
1676. Hobbes, Iliad, XIX. 165. I am joy’d The counsel you have given us to hear.
1725. Pope, Odyss., VII. 355. My soul was joy’d in vain; For angry Neptune rouz’d the raging main.
4. To derive enjoyment from; to possess or use with enjoyment; to enjoy. † Formerly, also, in weaker sense, To have the use or benefit of: = ENJOY 4, JOISE 2. a. trans. arch.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 47. A forward fast þai bond Þat ich a man schul ioien his.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 77. He schal ioi it as his oune.
1515. Barclay, Egloges, iv. (1570), C iv/2. I graunt thee Codrus to ioy my armony.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 53. Him succeded Marius, Who ioyd his dayes in great tranquillity.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 1166. Who might have liv’d and joy’d immortal bliss.
1700. Dryden, Cymon & Iphig., 544. I will be there, And join’d by thee intend to joy the fair.
1866. Alger, Solit. Nat. & Man, IV. 282. He was at home, with the things he joyed.
† b. intr. with of. (F. jouir de.) Obs.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), IV. viii. 189. Who useth, or ioyeth wyttyngely of lettres or of graces so graunted.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), B iv b. Yf that age was glorious in ioyeng of his persone, no lesse it is to vs to ioye of his doctrines.
1564. Brief Exam., *iv b. Howe lytle we shall ioy of them, and vse them.
† 5. trans. To salute or greet with expressions of joy, welcome or honor; in early use, to give glory to, glorify, extol. Obs.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. x. (Skeat), l. 76. If thou laudest and ioyest any wight, for he is stuffed with soche maner richesse.
c. 1450. Merlin, 579. ‘Sir,’ seide Merlin, ‘I wolde ye dide ioy and honour these lordes that here be assembled to diffende youre reame.’
1693. Dryden, Persius, i. (1697), 412. Met by his trembling Wife, returning home, And Rustically Joy’d, as Chief of Rome.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIV. 489. The faithful servant joy’d his unknown lord.
† b. To give or wish (a person) joy of something; to congratulate. Const. of (in). Obs.
1483. Cath. Angl., 197/2. To Ioy,… coletari … congaudere, gratari.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 885. Embassadours from their neighbour princes, came to ioy them of this victorie.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 22 Aug. In the House … I met with Mr. G. Montagu, and joyed him in his entrance [as M.P.] for Dover.
1701. Rowe, Amb. Step-Moth., IV. i. 1578. I come to joy you of a Crown.
† c. intr. To offer honor or salutation to. Obs.
1482. Monk of Evesham (Arb.), 47. Then this goldsmyth … wyth an enarrabulle gestur and behauing of gladnes ioyde to my leder and … ofte bowde done al hys body worshippyng and greting hym with innumerable thankys.
† 6. trans. To convert into joy. Obs. nonce-use.
1645. Rutherford, Tryal & Tri. Faith, ix. (1845), 105. To the saints … hell (to speak so), is heavened, sorrow joyed.
Hence Joyed ppl. a. (cf. OF. joï rejoiced, delighted), rejoiced, delighted; † taking delight in.
1491. Act 7 Hen. VII., c. 15. Persones of evyll riotous and sedicious dispositions joyed in rumor and rebellious novelries.
1640. Lady Goring, in Lismore Papers, Ser. II. (1888), IV. 150. Truly hee waes the Most Ioyed man in the World.
1655. H. Vaughan, Silex Scint., II. Palm-Sunday, ii. Put on your best array; Let the joy’d road make holy-day.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 9. Each varied charm how joy’d would he pursue.
