Word
jolly
Phoneticsjol·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒɑɫi/
UK/dʒˈɒli/
Definitions
01happy and cheerful
B1 · Intermediate
adj. happy, cheerful, and full of energy.
adj. full of high spirits, merriment, or joviality.
“The jolly shopkeeper always greeted his customers with a big smile and a joke.”
“The host was a jolly man whose infectious laughter and warm hospitality immediately put the nervous guests at ease.”
02a pleasure trip
C1 · Advanced Countable noun British English · Informal · Humorous
n. a fun trip or holiday, especially one paid for by a company or the government.
n. a pleasure trip or excursion, often one perceived as unnecessary or funded by an employer.
“The politicians were criticized for going on a jolly to the coast using public money.”
“While the official purpose was a trade conference, most observers regarded the week-long stay in Hawaii as a corporate jolly.”
Usage
Often used in the plural form 'jollies' in other contexts, but 'a jolly' refers to the trip itself.
Teaching tip
This is very specific to British English and usually carries a slightly critical or mocking tone.
03very or extremely
B2 · Upper Intermediate British English · Informal
adv. used to mean 'very' or 'extremely' to emphasize what you are saying.
adv. used as an intensifier meaning 'very' or 'extremely'.
“You had better be careful, because it is jolly cold outside today.”
“The headmaster made it jolly clear that any further disruptions would result in immediate suspension from the team.”
Usage
Typically placed before an adjective or another adverb.
Teaching tip
This usage sounds somewhat old-fashioned or upper-class to modern ears; it is less common among younger speakers.
04to encourage or cheer up
C2 · Proficiency Informal
v. to try to make someone feel better or do something by being very friendly to them.
v. to encourage or manipulate someone in a friendly, cheerful manner, often to keep them in a good mood.
“We had to jolly him along to get him to finish the project on time.”
“The manager spent the afternoon jollying the staff along, hoping to maintain morale during the stressful office relocation.”
Usage
Commonly used in the phrasal form 'jolly along'.
Teaching tip
This sense implies a level of social management or gentle persuasion.
Real-World Examples
“Rantzen presents her one-month-old daughter, Emily, to Annie Mizen, a ‘perennially jolly East End woman’ who had become famous on That’s Life, February 1978.” “His jolly, self-deprecating, man of the people side – one of his radio series is called Alexei Sayle’s Imaginary Sandwich Bar – has made him almost cosy.” Etymology
From Middle English joli, jolif (“merry, cheerful”), from Old French joli, jolif (“merry, joyful”). For the loss of final -f in English, compare tardy, hasty, hussy, etc. It is uncertain whether the Old French word is from Old Norse jól ("a midwinter feast, Yule", hence "fest-ive"), in which case, equivalent to yule + -ive, compare Dutch jolig (“happy, festive, frolicsome, jolly”), West Frisian joelich, joalich (“merry, jolly”), Middle High German jœlich (“hooting, jubilant”). Alternatively, the Old French adjective has been conjectured to derive from a Vulgar Latin gaudivus (from Latin gaudeō, more at joy), in which case it would require Early Old French ⟨d⟩ /ð/ to irregularly become ⟨l⟩ in jolif rather than being dropped, which is the usual case (alternatively, /l/ may be a hiatus filler inserted into expected joïf). A possible parallel of ⟨d⟩ to ⟨l⟩ can be seen in the French name Valois, according to one hypothesis from Latin Vadensis, though this origin is itself uncertain and disputed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. jolly along
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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