merry

• adj. 愉快的；微醉的；嬉戏作乐的
• n. 甜樱桃
• n. (Merry)人名；(英、法、西)梅里

来自古英语myrge,愉快的，高兴的，来自Proto-Germanic*murgijaz,短暂的，来自PIE*mreghu,短暂的，词源同brief,abbreviate.字母b,m音变。词义由短暂的引申为欢乐的可能是来自心理作用，即欢乐总是短暂的。

merry

merry: [OE] Merry goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *murgjaz, which appears to have been derived from a base meaning ‘short’. By the time it reached Old English, as myrige, it meant ‘pleasant’ – a semantic leap perhaps inspired by the notion of ‘shortening’ time by passing it pleasantly. The modern meaning ‘jolly’ did not emerge until the 14th century. A derivative of *murgjaz was the noun *murgithō, source of English mirth [OE]; Dutch has the related merchte ‘mirth’.
=> mirth

merry (adj.)

Old English myrge "pleasing, agreeable, pleasant, sweet; pleasantly, melodiously," from Proto-Germanic *murgijaz, which probably originally meant "short-lasting," (compare 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" (compare 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.).

Bot vchon enle we wolde were fyf, þe mo þe myryer. [c. 1300]

The word had much wider senses in Middle English, such as "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).

1. I just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas.

我只想祝福你圣诞快乐。

来自柯林斯例句

2. The phantom of the merry-go-round is just a local superstition.

旋转木马的幽灵只不过是当地的迷信说法。

来自柯林斯例句

3. It hasn't stopped the British Navy proceeding on its merry way.

这没有阻止英国海军继续得意扬扬地前进的步伐。

来自柯林斯例句

4. Neighbours approached their boundaries from opposite sides and made merry together.

邻居们从对面来到他们这边，一起尽情欢乐。

来自柯林斯例句

5. Merry Christmas, everyone.

祝大家圣诞快乐！

来自柯林斯例句