jolly

Happy, cheerful, and full of fun.

• He is a jolly man.
• Everyone was in a jolly mood.
• We heard her jolly laugh from the kitchen.

Similar words: cheerful, merry, happy

Opposites: gloomy, miserable

Common phrases: jolly person, jolly mood, jolly laugh

Very; used to make a description stronger.

• That was jolly good.
• It's jolly cold outside today.
• You know jolly well what I mean.

Similar words: very, extremely, really

Common phrases: jolly good, jolly well, jolly nice

A trip taken for enjoyment, especially one paid for by an employer and involving little real work.

• They went on a jolly.
• The conference seemed like an expensive jolly.
• Who paid for all those overseas jollies?

How to use it: on a jolly (The managers are on a jolly in Spain.)

Similar words: pleasure trip, junket, outing

Common phrases: go on a jolly, a corporate jolly, another expensive jolly

The extra playing card that shows a funny character and is outside the four usual card groups.

• This pack includes a jolly.
• She drew the jolly from the deck.
• Remove both jollies before dealing the cards.

Similar words: joker

Common phrases: draw a jolly, the jolly card, deal a jolly

A playing card that can take the place of any other card in a game.

• Use the jolly as an ace.
• In this game, every two is a jolly.
• She completed her winning hand with two jollies.

Similar words: wild card

Common phrases: use a jolly, play a jolly, jolly in something

To make someone feel happier by joking or being friendly.

• His jokes jollied us up.
• She jollied the children along during the wait.
• We spent the afternoon jollying him out of his gloomy mood.

How to use it: jolly someone along (She jollied him along with stories about their friends.); jolly someone up (We tried to jolly him up after the disappointing news.)

Similar words: cheer up, amuse, entertain

Common phrases: jolly someone along, jolly someone up