cheer

noun

1. (uncountable)A cheerful attitude; happiness; a good, happy, or positive mood.

   “I have not that alacrity of spirit, / Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have.”

2. (uncountable)That which promotes good spirits or cheerfulness, especially food and entertainment prepared for a festive occasion.

   “a table loaded with good cheer”

   “"And am I to meet my Mary at Moffat? Come away, little, dear, welcome body, thou blessed of heaven, come away, and taste of an auld shepherd's best cheer, and I'll gang foot for foot with you to Moffat, and my auld wife shall gang foot for foot with us too. I tell you, little, blessed, and welcome crile, come along with me."”

   ““[…]the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes like Here's rattling good luck and roaring good cheer, / With lashings of food and great hogsheads of beer.[…].””

3. (countable)A cry expressing joy, approval or support, such as "hurrah".

   “Three cheers for the birthday boy!”

   “A cheer rose from the crowd.”

   “Welcome her, thunders of fort and of fleet! / Welcome her, thundering cheer of the street!”

4. (countable)A chant made in support of a team at a sports event.
5. (countable, obsolete, uncountable)One's facial expression or countenance.

   “And soo on the morne they were alle accorded that they shold departe eueryche from other / And on the morne they departed with wepynge chere / and euery knyȝt took the way that hym lyked best”

   “Heraclitus taking pitie and compassion of the very same condition of ours, was continually seene with a sad, mournfull, and heavie cheere [translating visage], and with teares trickling downe his blubbered eyes.”

   “‘thorough evill rest of this last night, / Or ill apayd or much dismayd ye be; / That by your change of cheare is easie for to see.’”

6. (archaic, countable, uncountable)One's attitude, mood.

   “And anon he talked with them, and sayde unto them: be of good chere, it is I, be not afrayed.”

   “The parents […] fled away with heavy cheer.”

7. (Canada, US, uncountable)Cheerleading, especially when practiced as a competitive sport.

   “Alex participated in cheer all four years of college.”

   “I'm going to wear my new cheer shoes at cheer today.”

   “...[P]erspective [sic] gym cheer programs must address how to support a cheer program while maintaining appropriate and safe skill progressions.”

   “2000, Linda Villarosa. Cheerleading Changes, and Injuries Increase in The New York Times. Last year, more than 75,000 high school participants took part in cheerleading competitions, and the National Federation of State High School Associations says that "competitive cheer" is the fastest growing sport for girls.”

   “2018, Chad Thompson. Iowa Central cheer team is tops at national competition in The Messenger. The Iowa Central Community College cheer team has achieved something no other college in Iowa has before.”

8. (alt-of, pronunciation-spelling)Pronunciation spelling of chair.

   “Well then, I seed a little junewile get on a cheer and smash—”

   ““I’ll just take that there soup-bowl,” he remarked. “Mount up on a cheer, little gal, an’ hand it down to me.””

   “‘Stand on a cheer, Gooerge, ye’ll have moor might,’ said an old father, when his son was trying to pull a nail out of a beam at arm’s length.”

verb

1. (transitive)To gladden; to make cheerful; often with up.

   “We were cheered by the offer of a cup of tea.”

   “⁠How often shall her old fireside ⁠Be cheer’d with tidings of the bride, How often she herself return, […]”

2. (transitive)To infuse life, courage, animation, or hope, into; to inspirit; to solace or comfort.

   “The proud he tam'd, the penitent he cheer'd.”

3. (obsolete, transitive)To encourage to do something.

   “Let’s cheere our ſouldiers to incounter him, […] And burne him in the fury of that flame, That none can quench but blood and Empery.”

4. (ambitransitive)To applaud or encourage with cheers or shouts.

   “The crowd cheered in support of the athletes.”

   “The crowd cheered the athletes.”

5. (figuratively, transitive)To feel or express enthusiasm for (something).

   “The finance sector will cheer this decision.”