cheer

A sputtering noise made by pressing the tongue and lips together, used to express either real or faux contempt, mockery, or displeasure; a raspberry. Primarily heard in US. The fans collectively gave the opposing team a Bronx cheer when their relief pitcher walked onto the field.

to give a shout of encouragement for someone or something. Everyone cheered for the team. I cheered for the winning goal.

to encourage someone or a group to continue to do well, as by cheering. We cheered them on, and they won. We cheered on the team. Sam cheered Jane on.

to make a sad person happy. When Bill was sick, Ann tried to cheer him up by reading to him. Interest rates went up, and that cheered up all the bankers.

[for a sad person] to become happy. After a while, she began to cheer up and smile more. Cheer up! Things could be worse.

to feel happier, or to cause someone to feel happier We've cheered up a lot since we found a great place to swim. Jack stopped at her apartment every day to bring her food and cheer her up.

a rude sound you make by holding your tongue between your lips and blowing Cindy turned around and blew a Bronx cheer at the kids who'd been teasing her.

to shout and clap a lot in order to support someone The team captain was cheered to the echo when he was presented with the cup.

Encourage, as in The crowd was cheering on all the marathon runners. Originating in the 1400s simply as cheer, this usage was augmented by on in the early 1800s.

Become or make happy, raise the spirits of, as in This fine weather should cheer you up. This term may also be used as an imperative, as Shakespeare did ( 2 Henry IV, 4:4): "My sovereign lord, cheer up yourself." [Late 1500s]

A raucous expression of displeasure. The sarcastic reference is to how spectators at sporting events in New York City's borough of the Bronx—at Yankee Stadium, for a notable example—let players on visiting teams, and umpires too, know what was on their mind. The classic “Bronx cheer” sound was produced by compressing the lips and blowing, which replicated the sound of passing wind. That noise was earlier called a raspberry (or raspberry tart, the British rhyming slang for “fart”), from which the word “razz” came.