subs. (old).—1. The head: also JOLLY NOB.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
2. (nautical).—A Royal Marine: cf. TAME JOLLY. Fr. un bigorneau.
1833. MARRYAT, Peter Simple, III. iii. I ran down to Plymouth, hoisted my pennant, drew my JOLLIES from the dock-yard.
1883. Graphic, 12 May, p. 487, col. 3. The Marine … not being either a soldier or a sailor, was generally described as a joey, a JOLLY, a shellback, etc.
1884. G. A. SALA, in Illustrated London News, 12 April, p. 339, col. 3. I should be glad to learn … why a militiaman should be a TAME JOLLY (Admiral Smythe, in ‘The Sailor’s Word-Book’ is my authority); and a marine a ‘Royal JOLLY.’
3. (thieves’).—See quots.
1856. H. MAYHEW, The Great World of London, p. 46. The dependents of cheats; as ‘JOLLIES’ and ‘magsmen,’ or the confederates of other cheats.
1867. GREENWOOD, Unsentimental Journeys, xxiv. 190. The ‘wheel of fortune’ keepers, man and woman, attended by their JOLLIES … those wonderfully lucky persons who, coming up quite promiscuously, win and carry away the sets of china and diamond earrings.
4. (thieves’).—A pretence; an excuse.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
1879. J. W. HORSLEY, ‘Autobiography of a Thief,’ in Macmillan’s Magazine, XL., 504. I see a reeler giving me a roasting (watching me), so I began to count my pieces for a JOLLY (pretence).
5. (general).—Praise; recommendation chaff; abuse. TO CHUCK A JOLLY = to set off an address to one or other of these ends. See CHUCK.
c. 1869. VANCE, The Chickaleary Cove. Now join in a chyike, the JOLLY we all like.
1871. Daily Telegraph, 7 March. ‘Winner of the Waterloo Cup.’ The boys all turned out to see ‘the illustrious stranger’; and, on a suggestion to give him a JOLLY, which appears to be the local phrase, they cheered the hero loud and long.
1891. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 9 Feb. The spank, spank, could be heard distinctly all round the ring of spectators, who cheered and JOLLIED both lads vociferously.
Adj. and adv. (colloquial).—1. Fine; excellent; very good: very; exceedingly. Cf. AWFULLY, BLOODY, etc.
1369. CHAUCER, Troilus and Criseyde (SKEAT), ii. 223, line 1105. Tel us your IOLY wo and your penaunce.
d. 1529. SKELTON, The Tunnynge of Elynoure Rummynge, line 51.
| And yet she wyll iet, | |
| Lyke a IOLLY fet. |
1562–3. Jack Juggler [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, ii. 141].
| I would he were now before your gate, | |
| For you would pummel him JOLLILY about the pate. |
1579. SPENSER, The Shepheardes Calender, Sept.
| Indeede thy bull is a bold bigge cur, | |
| And could make a JOLLY hole in their fur. |
1590–6. SPENSER, The Fairie Queene, I. i. 1. Full JOLLY knight he seemd, and faire did sitt.
1592. NASHE, Pierce Penilesse, His Supplication to the Divell [GROSART, ii. 77]. O! it will make them JOLLY long winded, to trot up and downe the dorter staires.
1594. LODGE, The Wounds of Civil War [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, vii. 145]. Aristion is a JOLLY-timber’d man.
1597–8. HAUGHTON, A Woman will have her Will, iii., 3 [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, x. 519]. Pis. To bed? and what hath God sent you? Moore. A JOLLY girl, sir.
1607. MARSTON, What You Will, i., 1.
| With what a JOLLY presence would he pace | |
| Round the Rialto. |
1694. Gentlemen’s Journal, March, p. 57.
| Wine alone can make us JOLLY. | |
| Ibid. | |
| Amidst my cups I sing and roar, | |
| Like JOLLY topers till I snore. |
1747–8. J. TRAPP, Notes upon the Gospels [ed. 1865], p. 25. All was JOLLY quiet at Ephesus before St. Paul came thither.
1750. FIELDING, Tom Jones, II. iii. What they call a JOLLY brisk young man.
1836. H. M. MILNER, Turpin’s Ride to York, ii. 4. That’s a JOLLY lie.
1837. DICKENS, Oliver Twist, ch. ix. ‘He is so JOLLY green!’ said Charley.
1854. Punch, Nov.
| Remember, Remember, | |
| The Fifth of November, | |
| Sebastopol, powder, and shot; | |
| When General Liprandi | |
| Charged John, Pat, and Sandy, | |
| And a JOLLY good licking he got. |
1856. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, ii. 1. What a JOLLY desk!
1869. Daily Telegraph. He is annoyed when young ladies use slang phrases, such as awfully JOLLY! Their fresh lips should drop pearls and diamonds—not snakes and toads.
1891. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 9 Jan. I was JOLLY glad he didn’t die before.
1894. S. R. CROCKETT, The Play-Actress, p. 98. My governor ’ud be JOLLY well left if I did not turn up bright and early.
1883. Daily News, 9 Feb., p. 3, col. 7. The prosecutor came in on Friday night with Mr. S., and had several glasses of lager beer, and all got JOLLY!
3. (racing).—Fat; with too much flesh.
1888. Daily Chronicle, 10 Dec. Mr. Fennick’s mare stripped in JOLLY condition.
Verb. (common).—To joke; to rally; to vituperate.
1610. G. FLETCHER, Christ’s Victory and Triumph, They JOLLY at Hsis grief.
1876. C. HINDLEY, ed. The Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 69. I can’t JOLLY him down, so you must settle and do away with him, or I must ‘dry up,’ for the fellow’s bested me.
1879. Notes and Queries, 5, S. xi. 406. JOLLEYING is a common term among workmen in London, and is used to express nearly every description of verbal ridicule and abuse.
1889. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 8 Feb. Amidst yells, shouts, hisses, and JOLLYINGS.
1892. A. C. GUNTER, Miss Dividends, ch. xv. You’ve left her alone all to-day—you ain’t been near to JOLLY her up.
