Definition: merry

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

merry
     adj 1: full of or showing high-spirited merriment; "when hearts
            were young and gay"; "a poet could not but be gay, in
            such a jocund company"- Wordsworth; "the jolly crowd
            at the reunion"; "jolly old Saint Nick"; "a jovial old
            gentleman"; "have a merry Christmas"; "peals of merry
            laughter"; "a mirthful laugh" [syn: gay, jocund, jolly,
             jovial, mirthful]
     2: offering fun and gaiety; "a gala ball after the
        inauguration"; "a festive (or festal) occasion"; "gay and
        exciting night life"; "a merry evening" [syn: gala, gay,
         festal, festive]
     3: quick and energetic; "a brisk walk in the park"; "a lively
        gait"; "a merry chase"; "traveling at a rattling rate"; "a
        snappy pace"; "a spanking breeze" [syn: brisk, lively,
         rattling, snappy, spanking, zippy]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Merry \Mer"ry\, a. [Compar. Merrier; superl. Merriest.] [OE.
   merie, mirie, murie, merry, pleasant, AS. merge, myrige,
   pleasant; cf. murge, adv.; prob. akin to OHG. murg, short,
   Goth. gama['u]rgjan to shorten; cf. L. murcus a coward, who
   cuts off his thumb to escape military service; the
   Anglo-Saxon and English meanings coming from the idea of
   making the time seem short. Cf. Mirth.]
   1. Laughingly gay; overflowing with good humor and good
      spirits; jovial; inclined to laughter or play; sportive.

            They drank, and were merry with him.  --Gen. xliii.
                                                  34.

            I am never merry when I hear sweet music. --Shak.
Merry \Mer"ry\, n. (Bot.)
   A kind of wild red cherry.