adj., adv., v., & n.
adj. (jollier, jolliest) 1 cheerful and good-humoured; merry. 2 festive, jovial. 3 slightly drunk. 4 colloq. (of a person or thing) very pleasant, delightful (often iron.: a jolly shame).
adv. colloq. very (they were jolly unlucky).
v.tr. (-ies, -ied) 1 (usu. foll. by along) colloq. coax or humour (a person) in a friendly way. 2 chaff, banter.
n. (pl. -ies) colloq. a party or celebration. Jolly Roger a pirates' black flag, usu. with the skull and crossbones. jollily adv. jolliness n.
[ ME f. OF jolif gay, pretty, perh. f. ON jól YULE ]