jolly up
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb: * To cause someone to feel happier, more cheerful, or more lively; to improve someone's mood or spirits.
Usage
This verb is transitive and requires an object (the person being cheered). It is an informal, slightly old-fashioned phrasal verb. It describes an active attempt to lift someone's spirits, often through encouragement, distraction, or positive action.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- The particle "up" can sometimes be separated from "jolly," placing the object in the middle (e.g., ). This is common with pronoun objects.
- He looked so sad; we had to jolly him up.
Variants and Related Words
- Jolly (verb): The base verb "to jolly" can be used similarly, meaning to encourage or coax someone in a cheerful, light-hearted manner, often followed by "along."
- They tried to jolly him along until his mood improved.
Synonyms
- Cheer up: The most common and direct synonym.
- Perk up: Often used when someone's energy or alertness improves.
- Brighten: To make more cheerful or lively.
- Buck up: An informal synonym meaning to encourage or make more cheerful.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Jolly along: To keep someone in a cooperative or cheerful state, often through encouragement or gentle persuasion.
- The manager had to jolly the team along to meet the tight deadline.
Verb
- cause (somebody) to feel happier or more cheerful
- She tried to cheer up the disappointed child when he failed to win the spelling bee