cheer
cheer
Pronunciation
cheers: /tʃɪər/.
/tʃ/ - "ch" sound
/ɪər/ - "eer" sound
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: cheer
Plural Noun: cheers
Present Tense Verb (base form): cheer
Present Tense Verb (third person singular): cheers
Present Participle/Gerund: cheering
Past Tense Verb: cheered
Past Participle: cheered
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A shout of encouragement, approval, or joy.
Synonyms: applause, acclamation, hurrah, ovation
Antonyms: boo, jeer, hiss, catcall
Definition 2: A feeling or state of happiness, good spirits, or optimism.
Synonyms: joy, merriment, gladness, gaiety, cheerfulness
Antonyms: sadness, gloom, despondency, sorrow, melancholy
Verb
Definition 1: To shout words of encouragement, approval, or joy to someone or something.
Synonyms: applaud, acclaim, root (for), encourage, hurrah
Antonyms: boo, jeer, hiss, heckle
Definition 2: To make someone feel happier or more optimistic.
Synonyms: brighten, hearten, uplift, gladden, encourage
Antonyms: dishearten, discourage, sadden, depress, dismay
Definition 3 (often with "up"): To become happier or more optimistic.
Synonyms: brighten up, perk up, liven up, lighten up
Antonyms: get down, mope, despair
Examples of Use
Books: "A good book, and a warm fire, and a cup of tea – what more could one ask for to cheer a winter's evening?" (From The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, 1908)
Newspapers: "The crowd let out a collective cheer as the home team scored in the final minute of the game." (The Daily Herald, January 2024)
Online Publications: "How to Cheer Up a Friend Who's Going Through a Tough Time" (From a wellness blog, Psychology Today)
Entertainment Mediums (Film): In the movie Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams' character, John Keating, often tries to cheer his students on to think differently.
Entertainment Platforms (Music): "Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see, our troubles are all the same. You wanna be where everybody knows your name." (From the theme song to Cheers, 1982)
General Public Discourse: "Let's all give a cheer for the volunteers who made this event possible!" (Heard at a community fair)
General Public Discourse: "I sent her some flowers to try and cheer her up after her difficult week." (Common conversation)
10 Quotes Using Cheer
"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." (Mark Twain)
"Let us be of good cheer, however, remembering that the misfortunes hardest to bear are those which never come." (James Russell Lowell)
"The unselfish effort to bring cheer to others will be the beginning of a happier life for ourselves." (Helen Keller)
"At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year." (Thomas Tusser)
"A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds." (Percy Bysshe Shelley)
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." (J. R. R. Tolkien)
"I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left." (Margaret Thatcher)
"Every woman's success should be an inspiration to another. We're strongest when we cheer each other on." (Serena Williams)
"Whenever I'm sad, I just put on 'SpongeBob' and I cheer up." (Richard Harmon)
"There will be days when I walk in an arena and people will cheer and then there might be days when I walk in an arena and people might boo, but it all sounds the same to me because it's all just noise that lets me know that I'm relevant." (Drake)
Etymology
The word "cheer" has a pretty interesting journey through language! It actually started out meaning something quite different from what we typically use it for today.
The very first known use of "cheer" in English dates back to around the 13th century, in the Middle English period. At that time, its original meaning was "the face" or "countenance," especially as it showed emotion. Think of it like someone's facial expression.
This meaning came from Anglo-French chere, which itself came from Medieval Latin cara, and probably even further back from the Greek word kara, all meaning "head" or "face."
So, initially, if someone had "good cheer," it meant they had a happy or pleasant look on their face. Over time, the meaning evolved from just the physical expression to also include the feeling behind it – so "cheer" began to refer to a person's state of mind, their mood, or their spirit, whether that was happy or sad (though the happy sense became much more common).
Later, in the 14th century, it expanded to include anything that makes someone happy or promotes good spirits, like food and entertainment (hence "good cheer" in the sense of a feast).
The sense of "cheer" as a loud shout of encouragement or applause is actually a much later development, recorded around the early 18th century, possibly from nautical slang. So, when you hear someone shout "cheer!" today, it's a relatively modern use of a very old word!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cheer
Be of good cheer: To be in good spirits; to remain hopeful or optimistic.
Cheer up: To become or make someone happier.
Cheer on: To encourage someone with shouts or applause.
Three cheers for...: An expression of applause and support for someone or something.
Christmas cheer: The festive and joyful atmosphere associated with Christmas.
Good cheer: A state of happiness, good spirits, or a pleasant atmosphere (often associated with food and drink).
New Year's cheer: The celebratory mood and festivities of the New Year.
Bring cheer: To cause happiness or a feeling of well-being.
Cheer from the sidelines: To offer encouragement without actively participating.
Spread cheer: To share happiness and good spirits with others.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cheer from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
