The Collaborative International Dictionary
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.]
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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. -
Cheerful; joyous; not sad; happy.
Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
--Jas. v. 1 -
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.
Wiktionary
n. beam of the northern lights when they rise and fall alternately without any considerable change of length.