CHEER

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does cheer mean? 

• CHEER (noun)
  The noun CHEER has 2 senses:

1. a cry or shout of approval

2. the quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom

  Familiarity information: CHEER used as a noun is rare.

• CHEER (verb)
  The verb CHEER has 5 senses:

1. give encouragement to

2. show approval or good wishes by shouting

3. cause (somebody) to feel happier or more cheerful

4. become cheerful

5. spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts

  Familiarity information: CHEER used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CHEER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A cry or shout of approval

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

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

approval; commendation (a message expressing a favorable opinion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cheer"):

banzai (a Japanese cheer of enthusiasm or triumph)

bravo (a cry of approval as from an audience at the end of great performance)

hooray; hurrah (a victory cheer)

salvo (a sudden outburst of cheers)

Derivation:

cheer (show approval or good wishes by shouting)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

cheer; cheerfulness; sunniness; sunshine

Context example:

flowers added a note of cheerfulness to the drab room

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

attribute (an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity)

Attribute:

cheerful (being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits)

cheerless; depressing; uncheerful (causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cheer"):

good-humoredness; good-humouredness; good-naturedness; good-temperedness (a cheerful willingness to be obliging)

Holonyms ("cheer" is a part of...):

disposition; temperament (your usual mood)

Derivation:

cheer (become cheerful)

cheer (cause (somebody) to feel happier or more cheerful)

cheery (bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer)

• CHEER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they cheer    ... he / she / it cheers   
Past simple: cheered   
Past participle: cheered   
-ing form: cheering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give encouragement to

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

cheer; embolden; hearten; recreate

Hypernyms (to "cheer" is one way to...):

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

buck up; take heart (gain courage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The good news will cheer her

Derivation:

cheering (encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Show approval or good wishes by shouting

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

everybody cheered the birthday boy

Hypernyms (to "cheer" is one way to...):

applaud (express approval of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

buoy up; lighten; lighten up (make more cheerful)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

cheer (a cry or shout of approval)

cheerer (a spectator who shouts encouragement)

cheering (encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause (somebody) to feel happier or more cheerful

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

cheer; cheer up; jolly along; jolly up

Context example:

She tried to cheer up the disappointed child when he failed to win the spelling bee

Cause:

cheer; cheer up; chirk up (become cheerful)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

amuse (make (somebody) laugh)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

cheer (the quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Become cheerful

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

cheer; cheer up; chirk up

Hypernyms (to "cheer" is one way to...):

joy; rejoice (feel happiness or joy)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

exuberate; exult; jubilate; rejoice; triumph (to express great joy)

buoy up; lighten; lighten up (become more cheerful)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Antonym:

complain (express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness)

Derivation:

cheer (the quality of being cheerful and dispelling gloom)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

barrack; cheer; exhort; inspire; pep up; root on; urge; urge on

Context example:

The crowd cheered the demonstrating strikers

Hypernyms (to "cheer" is one way to...):

encourage (inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "cheer"):

cheerlead (act as a cheerleader in a sports event)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

cheerer (a spectator who shouts encouragement)

cheering (encouragement in the form of cheers from spectators)

 Context examples 

It was the squire, and we waved a handkerchief and gave him three cheers, in which the voice of Silver joined as heartily as any.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

After which he borrowed a shilling of me for porter, gave me a written order on Mrs. Micawber for the amount, and put away his pocket-handkerchief, and cheered up.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Cheer up, Watson, for I am very sure that our material has not yet all come to hand.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Again the hoarse cheering burst out from below, and he heard the clang of the rising portcullis.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"I never ought to, while I have you to cheer me up, Marmee, and Laurie to take more than half of every burden," replied Amy warmly.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

If your birthday falls on August 26, plus or minus four days, you will receive a double-dip of pleasure from this eclipse, but all Virgos will have something to cheer about.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

But scarcely had the cheer of its light departed, than he went into camp.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The prospect of such delights was very cheering, and they parted in mutual good spirits.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

We both seem in good spirits; I think we make an effort each to cheer the other; in the doing so we cheer ourselves.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Then, being prepared for the journey, they all started for the Emerald City; and the Winkies gave them three cheers and many good wishes to carry with them.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)