HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
n. 1. a. A shout of approval, encouragement, or congratulation: a remark that drew cheers from the crowd. b. A short, rehearsed jingle or phrase, shouted in unison by a squad of cheerleaders. 2. Comfort or encouragement: a message of cheer. 3. Lightness of spirits or mood; gaiety or joy: a happy tune, full of cheer. 4. Festive food and drink; refreshment: did not refrain from sampling their holiday cheer. v. cheered, cheer·ing, cheers v.intr. 1. a. To shout cheers. See Synonyms at applaud. b. To express praise or approval: Bloggers cheered when the favorable decision was announced. 2. To become cheerful: had lunch and soon cheered up. v.tr. 1. b. To salute or acclaim with cheers; applaud. c. To express praise or approval for; acclaim: cheered the results of the election. 2. To make happier or more cheerful: a warm fire that cheered us. [Middle English chere, expression, mood, from Old French chiere, face, from Late Latin cara, from Greek kara, head; see ker-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] cheerer n. cheering·ly adv. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
