Jolly sb up Meaning, Examples & How to Use in Everyday English

What Does “Jolly sb up” Mean?

“Jolly sb up” means to cheer someone up or make them feel happier, usually by encouraging or entertaining them.

Introduction

The phrase “Jolly sb up” is a friendly and informal way to describe cheering someone up when they feel sad, tired, or down. The “sb” stands for “somebody,” meaning it is used to talk about cheering up a person. Understanding the Jolly sb up meaning helps learners express kindness and support in everyday English. This phrase is often used in casual conversations and can bring warmth and positivity to interactions. It’s a great way to describe actions like making jokes, offering compliments, or simply spending time with someone to lift their spirits.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: Jolly somebody up
• Type: Transitive
• Level: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)
• Short meaning: To cheer someone up or make them feel happier

Structure (Grammar Rules)

“Jolly sb up” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object (somebody) between “jolly” and “up” or after the whole phrase:

• Jolly somebody up
• Jolly up somebody

Examples of patterns:

• Jolly + somebody + up
• Jolly + up + somebody

How to Use “Jolly sb up”?

You use “Jolly sb up” when you want to describe cheering someone up. It is often used in informal conversations. For example, if a friend is feeling sad, you might tell a story or make a joke to jolly them up. It can also describe actions that improve someone’s mood or energy.

Examples

Imagine your friend is feeling down after a tough day. You might try to jolly them up by talking about fun plans or sharing a funny video.

• She tried to jolly him up with a cup of tea and some kind words.
• His jokes really jollied up the whole room.
• We went out to jolly her up after the disappointing news.
• Nothing could jolly him up after he lost the match.
• He jollied up his coworkers during the long meeting.

These examples show how the phrase fits naturally in sentences.

Common Mistakes

People sometimes confuse “jolly sb up” with other similar phrases or use it incorrectly in formal writing. Here are some common mistakes:

• Incorrect: I jolly up my brother yesterday. (Missing object position)
• Correct: I jollied my brother up yesterday.
• Incorrect: She jolly up alone. (Needs an object)
• Correct: She jollied up her friend.

Remember, “jolly sb up” always needs a person as the object.

Differences / Synonyms

“Jolly sb up” is similar to phrases like “cheer up,” “brighten up,” and “lift someone’s spirits.” However, “jolly up” is more informal and often implies active effort like joking or entertaining.

• Cheer up: More general, can be used formally or informally.
• Brighten up: Can refer to mood or environment.
• Lift someone’s spirits: More formal and emotional.

For example, you might say, “I told a joke to jolly her up,” but “I tried to cheer her up” works in both formal and informal settings.

Common Collocations

People often use “jolly sb up” with words related to people and mood. Common collocations include:

• Jolly a friend up – to cheer a friend
• Jolly a colleague up – to cheer a coworker
• Jolly someone up with jokes – using humor
• Jolly someone up after bad news – improving mood after sadness
• Jolly children up – making kids happy

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of jolly sb up:

• Jolly Sth Up
• Jolly Sb Along

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “Jolly sb up”:

Anna: You look tired today. What’s wrong?

Ben: I’m just feeling a bit down.

Anna: Let me jolly you up with a funny story!

Ben: Thanks, I really need that.

Practice

Try to fill in the blanks with the correct form of “jolly sb up”:

• She ______ her friend ______ after the exam results.
• We need to ______ the kids ______ before the party.
• He always knows how to ______ me ______ when I’m sad.

FAQs

• What does “jolly sb up” mean? It means to cheer someone up or make them feel happier.
• Is “jolly sb up” formal? No, it is an informal phrase used in casual conversations.
• Can I use “jolly sb up” in writing? Yes, but it is best for informal contexts like emails or stories.
• Is “jolly sb up” separable? Yes, you can say “jolly somebody up” or “jolly up somebody.”
• What are similar phrases to “jolly sb up”? “Cheer up,” “brighten up,” and “lift someone’s spirits” are similar.