What is "merriest"

Merry \Mer"ry\, a. [Compar. Merrier; superl. Merriest.] [OE. merie, mirie, murie, merry, pleasant, AS. merge, myrige, pleasant; cf. murge, adv.; prob. akin to OHG. murg, short, Goth. gama['u]rgjan to shorten; cf. L. murcus a coward, who cuts off his thumb to escape military service; the Anglo-Saxon and English meanings coming from the idea of making the time seem short. Cf. Mirth.]

1. Laughingly gay; overflowing with good humor and good spirits; jovial; inclined to laughter or play; sportive.

   They drank, and were merry with him.
   --Gen. xliii. 34.

   I am never merry when I hear sweet music.
   --Shak.

2. Cheerful; joyous; not sad; happy.

   Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
   --Jas. v. 1

3. 3. Causing laughter, mirth, gladness, or delight; as, a merry jest. ``Merry wind and weather.''
   --Spenser.

   Merry dancers. See under Dancer.

   Merry men, followers; retainers. [Obs.]

   His merie men commanded he To make him bothe game and glee.
   --Chaucer.

   To make merry, to be jovial; to indulge in hilarity; to feast with mirth.
   --Judg. ix. 27.

   Syn: Cheerful; blithe; lively; sprightly; vivacious; gleeful; joyous; mirthful; jocund; sportive; hilarious.

a. (en-superlativemerry)

1. adj. full of or showing high-spirited merriment; "when hearts were young and gay"; "a poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company"- Wordsworth; "the jolly crowd at the reunion"; "jolly old Saint Nick"; "a jovial old gentleman"; "have a merry Christmas"; "peals of merry laughter"; "a mirthful laugh" [syn: gay, jocund, jolly, jovial, mirthful]

2. offering fun and gaiety; "a gala ball after the inauguration"; "a festive (or festal) occasion"; "gay and exciting night life"; "a merry evening" [syn: gala(a), gay, festal, festive]

3. quick and energetic; "a brisk walk in the park"; "a lively gait"; "a merry chase"; "traveling at a rattling rate"; "a snappy pace"; "a spanking breeze" [syn: brisk, lively, rattling, snappy, spanking, zippy]

4. [also: merriest, merrier]

See merry