Search the Dictionary

A horizontal wheel or frame, commonly with wooden horses, etc., on which children ride; a merry-go-round. Smart.

Of unrestrained and intemperate jollity; riotously merry; dissolute. "Saturnalian amusement." Burke.

. & Scot.] Burns. Gaillard he was as goldfinch in the shaw. Chaucer. The green shaws, the merry green woods. Howitt.

To join in the festivities of Shrovetide; hence, to make merry. [Obs.] J. Fletcher.

ent is as certainly delivered to us as the symbols themselves. Brerewood. Saint George of Merry England, the sign of victory. Spenser.

by the features of the face; to laugh silently. He doth nothing but frown . . . He hears merry tales and smiles not. Shak. She led to see the doughty hero slain. Pope. When last I saw thy young blue eyes, they smiled. Byron.

Relaxed; hence; merry; cheerful. [R.] A brow solute, and ever-laughing eye. Young.

To divert; to amuse; to make merry; -- used with the reciprocal pronoun. Against whom do ye sport yourselves Isa. lvii. 4.

Full of sport; merry; frolicsome; full of jesting; indulging in mirth or play; playful; wanton; as, a sportful companion. Down he alights among the sportful herd. Milton.

Tending to, engaged in, or provocate of, sport; gay; froliscome; playful; merry. Is it I That drive thee from the sportive court Shak. -- Sport"ive*ly, adv. -- Sport"ive*ness, n.

A merry frolic; especially, a drinking frolic; a carousal. [Colloq.]

Voice; speech; language. [Obs. or Scot.] Ye have as merry a steven As any angel hath that is in heaven. Chaucer.

Of or pertaining to compotations and merrymaking; happening where company is drinking together; as, symposiac meetings. Symposiac disputations amongst my acquaintance. Arbuthnot.

One engaged with others at a banquet or merrymaking. Sydney Smith.

A drinking together; a merry feast. T. Warton.

s in unison, or two or more such series forming parts in harmony; a melody; an air; as, a merry tune; a mournful tune; a slow tune; a psalm tune. See Air.

Sprightly in temper or conduct; lively; merry; as, a vivacious poet. "Vivacious nonsense." V. Knox.

To make a bet; to lay a wager. 'T was merry when You wagered on your angling. Shak.

es played at new returning light. Dryden. The wood nymphs, decked with daises trim, Their merry wakes and pastimes keep. Milton.

"In woods and wanton wilderness." Spenser. "A wild and wanton herd." Shak. A wanton and a merry [friar]. Chaucer. [She] her unadorned golden tresses wore Disheveled, but in wanton ringlets waved. Milton. How does your tongue grow wanton in her praise! Addison.