Etymology: < Anglo-Norman cheir, cher, chier, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French chiere, Anglo-Norman and Middle French chere, chire (French chère ) face (c1100), facial expression, mien, demeanour (c1155), welcome, reception (1165–70), joy, happiness (c1200 in faire lie chiere ), meal, food and drink (1282), celebration, feast (1413) < post-classical Latin cara head (attested only in an undated glossary), of uncertain origin (see note). Compare Old Occitan cara , chiera (14th cent.; < French), Catalan cara (14th cent.), Spanish cara (a1207), Portuguese cara (13th cent.). In branch II. after cheer v.¹ 5.Further etymology. The origin of post-classical Latin cara is uncertain; it is generally held to be < ancient Greek κάρα head, although this presents a number of difficulties. For further discussion see Französisches etymol. Wörterbuch at cara. Notes on senses. In sense 3 probably influenced by association with chere adj. Notes on phrases. A number of phrases at this entry have parallels and possible models in French. With to make cheer compare Old French faire chiere de to show, reveal, betray an emotion (12th cent.). With to make cheers at Phrases 2a compare faire diverses chieres to pull faces, lit. ‘to make different expressions’ (late 13th cent. in Anglo-Norman). With to make foul cheer at Phrases 2a compare faire mauvese chiere (c1190 in Old French). With to make heavy cheer at Phrases 2a compare faire lurde chere to have a grave expression (c1300 in Anglo-Norman). With to do good cheer and to make good cheer at Phrases 2c, compare faire belle chiere and faire bonne chiere to make welcome, treat well (both 13th cent. in Old French).

Etymology: < Nepali cīr, imitative of the bird's call.

Etymology: < cheer n.¹ Compare earlier cheered adj. and also acheer v.The wide range of senses shown by this word is paralleled by its etymon cheer n.¹; the apparent lack of semantic continuity between some senses suggests conversion of the noun in different senses at different points in time. Middle Eng. Dict. interprets ‘set to chere’ in quot. c1390 at cheer n.¹ 3 as showing the infinitive of the verb, but it seems more likely to show the noun, given the parallel with ‘set from cheere’ in the preceding verse. In the Middle English Dest. Troy the word occurs chiefly in close collocation with the name Achilles , with which it appears to alliterate. In quots. from this work at senses 1b, 4c, and 6a, the poet's choice of the word may have been motivated by stylistic rather than semantic considerations, so that the precise sense intended is often uncertain.

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps imitative of a whistling sound. Perhaps compare chirr v.