ALACRITY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does alacrity mean? 

• ALACRITY (noun)
  The noun ALACRITY has 1 sense:

1. liveliness and eagerness

  Familiarity information: ALACRITY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ALACRITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Liveliness and eagerness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

alacrity; briskness; smartness

Context example:

the smartness of the pace soon exhausted him

Hypernyms ("alacrity" is a kind of...):

life; liveliness; spirit; sprightliness (animation and energy in action or expression)

Derivation:

alacritous (quick and eager)

 Context examples 

"Won't I!" said Laurie, with alacrity.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

There could be only the most proper alacrity, a most obliging compliance for public view; and smiles reined in and spirits dancing in private rapture.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

Miss Bingley moved with some alacrity to the pianoforte; and, after a polite request that Elizabeth would lead the way which the other as politely and more earnestly negatived, she seated herself.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

Betsey went with alacrity, proud to shew her abilities before her fine new sister.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

"All right," Beauty Smith spoke up with the alacrity of fear.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Some of the boys about me put in their claim not to be forgotten in the distribution of the good things, as I got out of my seat with great alacrity.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

All feuds and grudges were forgotten, and I was surprised at the alacrity with which the men who had so long endured his brutality sprang to execute his orders.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

"Certainly," he replied with alacrity, and stood up to put it in train for speaking.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

After a couple of minutes' unbroken silence, Henry, turning to Catherine for the first time since her mother's entrance, asked her, with sudden alacrity, if Mr. and Mrs. Allen were now at Fullerton?

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

This conviction, though not entirely satisfactory, gave her pleasure, and she continued her letter with greater alacrity.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)