rejoice

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To be very happy, be delighted, exult; to feel joy.

   Obscurity, indeed, is painful to the mind as well as to the eye ; but to bring light from obscurity, by whatever labour, must needs to be delightful and rejoicing.

2. 2
   verb

   To have (someone) as a lover or spouse; to enjoy sexually.

   Ye that are a knyghte wyueles that ye wyl not loue some mayden or gentylwoman /[…]/ but hit is noysed that ye loue quene Gueneuer / and that she hath ordeyned by enchauntement that ye shal neuer loue none other / but her / ne none other damoysel ne lady shall reioyse you.

3. 3
   verb

   To make happy, exhilarate.

   Were he [Cain] alive, it would rejoice his soul to see what mischief it had made.

4. 4
   verb

   To enjoy.

   C. 1449–1455, Reginald Peacock, Represser of over-much weeting [blaming] of the Clergie his brother Constans next aftir him rejoiced the same west-parti.

Simplified etymology

Rejoice entered English in the Middle English period and belongs to the family of joy, which comes through Old French joie from Latin gaudium, based on gaudere, “to rejoice.” Its prefix re- intensifies the meaning.

From Middle English rejoicen, rejoisen, from Old French resjoir. Doublet of rejoy. Compare French réjouir; Spanish regocijar; Portuguese regozijar; Italian gioire

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary