make merry

as injoke
as inplay
as inrejoice
as inrevel
as inromp
as insatisfy
as inwassail
as incelebrate
as inroister
as inentertain
as inexult
as inhave a ball

Synonyms for make merry

verb kid, tease

Antonyms for make merry

Word Origin & History

Old English myrge "pleasing, agreeable, pleasant, sweet; pleasantly, melodiously," from Proto-Germanic *murgijaz, which probably originally meant "short-lasting," (cf. Old High German murg "short," Gothic gamaurgjan "to shorten"), from PIE *mreghu- "short" (see brief (adj.)). The only exact cognate for meaning outside English was Middle Dutch mergelijc "joyful."

Connection to "pleasure" is likely via notion of "making time fly, that which makes the time seem to pass quickly" (cf. German Kurzweil "pastime," literally "a short time;" Old Norse skemta "to amuse, entertain, amuse oneself," from skamt, neuter of skammr "short"). There also was a verbal form in Old English, myrgan "be merry, rejoice." For vowel evolution, see bury (v.).

The word had much wider senses in Middle English, e.g. "pleasant-sounding" (of animal voices), "fine" (of weather), "handsome" (of dress), "pleasant-tasting" (of herbs). Merry-bout "an incident of sexual intercourse" was low slang from 1780. Merry-begot "illegitimate" (adj.), "bastard" (n.) is from 1785. Merrie England (now frequently satirical or ironic) is 14c. meri ingland, originally in a broader sense of "bountiful, prosperous." Merry Monday was a 16c. term for "the Monday before Shrove Tuesday" (Mardi Gras).

Example Sentences for make merry

They were all to come in and make merry, he said, but the prince he took to his own house.

No, or she had not gathered Wimbledon about her to make merry the midnight hour.

Hereupon they sat down and began to eat and drink and make merry.

Make merry who might, Aucassin had no taste for it; since he saw nothing there of that he loved.

The spit must be turning, and we can make merry with you, heart and belly.

Gamesters and lookers on alike smoke, drink, and make merry.

We will allow him to make merry at our next feast, eh, comrades?

A clubhouse is fitted up for the mill hands to make merry in.

I would not allow him companions to make merry with, so as to make a pleasure of intoxication.

I could dance and be merry too Arsinoe, dance and make merry with you like a madman!

make merry

Synonyms for make merry

Antonyms for make merry

celebrates

celebrating

entertain

exult

exulted

make merry

Synonyms for make merry

Antonyms for make merry

More words related to make merry

celebrate

celebrates

celebrating

entertain

exult

exulted