\Jol"ly\ (j[o^]l"l[y^]), a. [Compar. {Jollier}
(-l[i^]*[~e]r); superl. {Jolliest}.] [OF. joli, jolif,
joyful, merry, F. joli pretty; of Scand. origin, akin to E.
yule; cf. Icel. j[=o]l yule, Christmas feast. See {Yule}.]
1. Full of life and mirth; jovial; joyous; merry; mirthful.

         Like a jolly troop of huntsmen.       --Shak.

         ``A jolly place,'' said he, ``in times of old! But
         something ails it now: the spot is cursed.''
                                               --Wordsworth.

2. Expressing mirth, or inspiring it; exciting mirth and
   gayety.

         And with his jolly pipe delights the groves.
                                               --Prior.

         Their jolly notes they chanted loud and clear.
                                               --Fairfax.

3. Of fine appearance; handsome; excellent; lively;
   agreeable; pleasant. ``A jolly cool wind.'' --Sir T.
   North. [Now mostly colloq.]

         Full jolly knight he seemed, and fair did sit.
                                               --Spenser.

         The coachman is swelled into jolly dimensions. --W.
                                               Irving.

\Jol"ly\, v. t.
To cause to be jolly; to make good-natured; to encourage to
feel pleasant or cheerful; -- often implying an insincere or
bantering spirit; hence, to poke fun at. [Colloq.]

      We want you to jolly them up a bit.      --Brander
                                               Matthews.

      At noon we lunched at the tail of the ambulance, and
      gently ``jollied'' the doctor's topography. --F.
                                               Remington.

\Jol"ly\, n.; pl. {Jollies}. [Prob. fr. {Jolly}, a.]
A marine in the English navy. [Sailor's Slang]

      I'm a Jolly -- 'Er Majesty's Jolly -- soldier an'
      sailor too!                              --Kipling.