cheerfulnessn.
/ˈtʃɪəf(ᵿ)lnəs/, U.S. /ˈtʃɪrfəlnəs/ 1.
a. Cheerful feeling, mood, or temperament; happiness, good spirits; (also) alacrity, willingness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > cheerfulness > [noun]
blithenessc1000
blithec1400
cheerfulness1435
chertec1449
jocundness1482
hilarity1568
cheerliness1571
good humour1571
exhilaration1626
cheerishness1645
geniality1652
jocundry1655
cheeriness1658
brightness1660
shine1710
flow of spirits1716
sunshine1717
genialness1727
festiveness1777
sunniness1829
riancy1834
gleesomeness1847
Euphrasia1882
hilariousness1885
blithesomeness1886
gayness1896
R. Misyn tr. R. Rolle Fire of Love 21 (MED) Þe holy lufer of god hym-self scheuys nouþer to mery nor full heuy, bot cherefulnes [L. hilaritatem] he has with rypnes.
R. Misyn tr. R. Rolle Fire of Love 83 (MED) It wer meruayl if he to so grete wrongis suld slype, gostly cherefulnes forsakyn.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Macc. iii. 2 They..fought with cherefulnesse for Israel.
1587 R. Hakluyt tr. R. de Laudonnière Notable Hist. Foure Voy. Florida f. 24 We did hasten with such cheerefulnesse that within few dayes the effect of our diligence was apparant.
1643 J. Milton Doctr. Divorce 12 There is no Christian duty that is not to be season'd and set off with cherfulnes.
1681 J. Flavell Method of Grace xxix. 504 He laid down his life with the greatest chearfulness and spontaneity that could be.
1717 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 17 May (1965) I. 356 The Soldeirs [sic] do not begin the Campaign with any great cheerfullness.
1768 W. Donaldson Life Sir Bartholomew Sapskull II. xxii. 168 His temper was a mediocrity of chearfulness and solemnity.
1810 W. Wordsworth Prose Wks. (1876) II. 33 The sensations of pious cheerfulness, which attend the celebration of the sabbath-day in rural places.
1856 J. Ruskin Mod. Painters IV. 343 Cheerfulness is just as natural to the heart of a man in strong health as colour to his cheek.
1916 F. S. Snell Let. in L. Housman War Lett. Fallen Englishmen (2002) 240 Nothing is more remarkable than the absence of hatred or lust of battle in these fellows;..in spite of all they are full of courage and cheerfulness.
1955 Economist 1 Jan. 49/1 The investor..may..add a little caution to his predominant feeling of cheerfulness.
2013 Daily Tel. 18 Oct. 8/2 The participants rated their level of cheerfulness from 0 to 16, attention from 0 to 8 and sluggishness from 0 to 4.
b. Liveliness of behaviour, voice, facial expression, etc.; joviality, jolliness. Cf. cheeriness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > cheerfulness > [noun] > as shown in the countenance
cheerfulness1568
smilingness1816
smilefulness1887
1568 Bible (Bishops') Prov. xv. 30 (margin) The chearfulnesse of the countenaunce gladdeth other men.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) ii. xix. sig. Bb5 Some ill-fauoured cheerefulnesse..began to wrinckle it selfe in his face.
1631 W. Lisle Faire Æthiopian vii. 111 Vnto cheerfulnesse now change your face.
1693 W. Robertson Phraseologia Generalis (new ed.) 666 To show the gladness of the mind, by the chearfulness of the countenance.
1710 R. Steele Tatler No. 198. ⁋2 There appeared in the Face of Cælia a Chearfulness, the constant Companion of unaffected Virtue.
1769 W. Robertson Hist. Charles V III. viii. 96 Encouraged them by the chearfulness of his voice and countenance.
1849 ‘A Lady’ Less. Industr. Educ. 135 Cultivate cheerfulness as well as gentleness in your manner to children.
1876 Chambers's Jrnl. 24 June 407/1 There was something underneath the cheerfulness of her face, and which belied it, that both her daughters read.
1922 E. von Arnim Enchanted April (1989) 199 Mrs Wilkins..would hail her with morning cheerfulness.
1985 I. Murdoch Good Apprentice iii. 461 He..feigned the gentle bracing cheerfulness of one humouring an invalid.
2002 H. Norman Haunting of L. (2003) 178 She'd been biting her lip, wringing her hands, her voice full of forced cheerfulness.
2. The fact or quality of inspiring cheerful feelings; cheering appearance or atmosphere, esp. of a place.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > cheerfulness > [noun] > cheerful appearance
cheerfulness1586
1586 W. Massie Serm. at Trafford sig. B The Oliue is commended for his fatnes, the fig tre for his sweetnes, the vine for cheerfulnes, for wine driues away sorrow.
1612 T. Shelton tr. M. de Cervantes Don-Quixote: Pt. 1 Pref. 8 The Chearfulness of clear Sky.
1638 F. Junius Painting of Ancients 285 Too much cheerefulnesse of gay and flourishing colours.
a1681 R. Allestree 40 Serm. (1684) I. xi. 148 Think you the infant in the womb..can fancy the chearfulness of a lightsom world, which the Sun guilds with comfortable shine?
1750 S. Johnson Rambler No. 74. ⁋10 She cannot bear a place without some cheerfulness and rattle.
1786 Gentleman's Mag. June 479/1 The cheerfulness of a good fire in cold weather.
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth ii, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 48 A good fire, with the assistance of a blazing lamp, spread light and cheerfulness through the apartment.
1841 W. Spalding Italy & Ital. Islands I. 272 The cheerfulness of the village with its cabins and its gardens.
1923 H. A. Smith Bks. Thousand Homes I. 147/2 The fireplace adds much to the cheerfulness of the living room.
2012 Herald (Goa) (Nexis) 7 May Soft lemons and yellows radiate cheerfulness and brightness.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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