Jolly \Jol"ly\ (j[o^]l"l[y^]), a. [Compar. Jollier (-l[i^]*[~e]r); superl. Jolliest.]

[OF. joli, jolif, joyful, merry, F. joli pretty; of Scand. origin, akin to E. yule; cf. Icel. j[=o]l yule, Christmas feast. See Yule.]

1. Full of life and mirth; jovial; joyous; merry; mirthful.

Like a jolly troop of huntsmen. --Shak.

``A jolly place,'' said he, ``in times of old! But something ails it now: the spot is cursed.'' --Wordsworth.

2. Expressing mirth, or inspiring it; exciting mirth and gayety.

And with his jolly pipe delights the groves. --Prior.

Their jolly notes they chanted loud and clear. --Fairfax.

3. Of fine appearance; handsome; excellent; lively; agreeable; pleasant. ``A jolly cool wind.'' --Sir T. North. [Now mostly colloq.]

Full jolly knight he seemed, and fair did sit. --Spenser.

The coachman is swelled into jolly dimensions. --W. Irving.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Jolly \Jol"ly\, v. t. To cause to be jolly; to make good-natured; to encourage to feel pleasant or cheerful; -- often implying an insincere or bantering spirit; hence, to poke fun at. [Colloq.]

We want you to jolly them up a bit. --Brander Matthews.

At noon we lunched at the tail of the ambulance, and gently ``jollied'' the doctor's topography. --F. Remington.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Jolly \Jol"ly\, n.; pl. Jollies. [Prob. fr. Jolly, a.]

A marine in the English navy. [Sailor's Slang]

I'm a Jolly -- 'Er Majesty's Jolly -- soldier an' sailor too! --Kipling.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)