WordWeb Online

1. A cry or shout of approval
    
2. The quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom
   "flowers added a note of cheer to the drab room";
   - cheerfulness, sunniness, sunshine

1. Give encouragement to
   "If we do indulge in peace discussion, they tell us, we shall merely cheer the enemy";
   - hearten, recreate, embolden
    
2. Show approval or good wishes by shouting
   "everybody cheered the birthday boy"
    
3. Cause (somebody) to feel happier or more cheerful
   "She tried to cheer up the disappointed child when he failed to win the spelling bee";
   - cheer up, jolly along [informal], jolly up [informal], buck up [informal], jolly [informal]
    
4. Become cheerful
   - cheer up, buck up [informal], jolly [informal]
    
5. Spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts
   "The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers";
   - root on [N. Amer, informal], inspire, urge, barrack [Austral, NZ], urge on, exhort

Derived forms: cheered, cheering, cheers

See also: cheerful, cheerless, depressing, uncheerful

Type of: applaud, approval, attribute, commendation, encourage, joy, rejoice

Antonym: plain [archaic]

Part of: disposition, temperament

Encyclopedia: Cheer, Dorothy, Cheer!