😄 Cheerful and lively 🎉 Fun or enjoyment 🚤 A small boat 😄 To cheer playfully

to jolly

1 7.0

To act in a playful way to make someone laugh

verb
/ˈdʒɑːli/

Informal

: animar a

You were the one who always jollied me along when I was down.
try to jolly someone

And then and then be met with you're pretty like, that's going to jolly me out of being frustrated.

Autoplay Next

Examples

Even Jesus saw a need to jolly his audiences along with signs and parables.

Blog text (29)
Mostly she was left alone, except by the counselors, who were prodigious in trying to jolly her up.

Fiction book (2001)
And I've got to jolly the young ones along for nine months or so before they're useful.

Blog text (24)
So she just smiles at them and jollies them along and splits before it gets serious.

Fiction book (2001)
He couldn't even waste any more time cursing his older self, not when he was trying to jolly Megan back into a good mood.

Fiction book (1999)
She always jollies her friends along during tough times with her funny jokes.
To lift his spirits, she decided to jolly him with some playful teasing.
He tried to jolly everyone at the party with his silly dance moves.

Synonyms

to kid

vsto jolly

Informal

∞ 3.5

To tease someone in a friendly, playful way

aims to make others happier by playful behaviour rather than plain teasing

to cheer

vsto jolly

392 1.0

To make someone feel happier

tends to use playful teasing or amusing behaviour rather than direct mood change

to banter

vsto jolly

Informal

9 4.6

To tease someone in a friendly, playful way

is more about acting to amuse others rather than mutual witty exchange

to josh

vsto jolly

Informal

7 6.5

Make fun of someone in a friendly, playful way

can aim more to amuse or lift mood rather than only playful teasing

to fun

vsto jolly

Informal

4 7.5

To tease someone in a playful way

tends to aim to amuse and lift others rather than only light teasing

to lark

vsto jolly

2 7.4

To play in a lively, carefree way

is more about amusing others by teasing and light play rather than pure liveliness

to chaff

vsto jolly

1 7.5

To joke or tease someone in a friendly way

often aims to amuse or lift spirits rather than only casual friendliness

to lark about

vsto jolly

1 8.1

To play and joke in a silly way and sometimes cause trouble

focuses more on amusing others through playful teasing rather than random mischief

to jolly up

vsto jolly

8.2

To try to make someone feel happier when they are sad

prefers playful teasing or amusing behaviour rather than direct comforting actions

to jolly along

vsto jolly

8.4

Help someone feel happier by being cheerful and friendly

often uses playful teasing or fun behaviour rather than steady support

Antonyms

to sadden

76 2.3

To make someone feel sad

to dishearten

8 5.3

To make someone lose hope or confidence

Idioms

in a jolly mood

2.8

Feeling happy and cheerful

jolly well

9.1

Makes what someone says sound stronger to show anger or determination

Phrasal Verbs

to jolly along

8.4

Help someone feel happier by being cheerful and friendly

to jolly up

8.2

To try to make someone feel happier when they are sad

Compounds

Jolly Roger

2 8.1

A black flag with a white skull and crossbones flown by pirates to show they will attack

jolly atmosphere

3.7

A cheerful, lively feeling that makes people enjoy themselves

jolly boat

Specialized

8.2

A small boat that a sailing ship keeps for the crew to move people or supplies

How Playful

to tease

245 1.9

to jolly

Informal

1 7.0

to rib

Informal

2 3.8

to joke

476 1.0

to amuse

153 1.4

Surface Forms

jolly infinitive

jollied past

jollied past participle

jollying present participle

jollies third person singular

Etymology

Jolly (verb) comes from the same idea as the adjective jolly, from old jolif, and it means 'to make merry' or cheer someone up. So when you jolly someone along you try to make them feel happier.