Definition of "cheer"

cheer¹

/t͡ʃɪə(ɹ)/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural cheers
1. (uncountable) A cheerful attitude; happiness; a good, happy, or positive mood.
  Quotations
  I have not that alacrity of spirit, / Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have.
  c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene iii]
2. (now uncountable) That which promotes good spirits or cheerfulness, especially food and entertainment prepared for a festive occasion.
  Quotations
  "And am I to meet my Mary at Moffat? Come away, little, dear, welcome body, thou blessed of heaven, come away, and taste of an auld shepherd's best cheer, and I'll gang foot for foot with you to Moffat, and my auld wife shall gang foot for foot with us too. I tell you, little, blessed, and welcome crile, come along with me."
  1828, James Hogg, Mary Burnet
  “ […] the awfully hearty sort of Christmas cards that people do send to other people that they don't know at all well. You know. The kind that have mottoes like Here's rattling good luck and roaring good cheer, / With lashings of food and great hogsheads of beer. […].”
  1922, Ben Travers, chapter 1, in A Cuckoo in the Nest
3. (countable) A cry expressing joy, approval or support, such as "hurrah".
  Quotations
  Welcome her, thunders of fort and of fleet! / Welcome her, thundering cheer of the street!
  1864, Alfred Tennyson, “A Welcome to Alexandria. March 7, 1863.”, in Enoch Arden, &c., London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], page 164
4. (countable) A chant made in support of a team at a sports event.
5. (obsolete) One's facial expression or countenance.
  Quotations
  And soo on the morne they were alle accorded that they shold departe eueryche from other / And on the morne they departed with wepynge chere / and euery knyȝt took the way that hym lyked bestAnd so they all agreed that they should depart from each other in the morning / And in the morning they departed with weeping faces / and every knight took the way that pleased him best
  1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “viij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book XIII
  Heraclitus taking pitie and compassion of the very same condition of ours, was continually seene with a sad, mournfull, and heavie cheere [translating visage], and with teares trickling downe his blubbered eyes.
  1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 50, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […]
  ‘thorough evill rest of this last night, / Or ill apayd or much dismayd ye be; / That by your change of cheare is easie for to see.’
  1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie
6. (archaic) One's attitude, mood.
  Quotations
  And anon he talked with them, and sayde unto them: be of good chere, it is I, be not afrayed.
  1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], Mark ]
  The parents […] fled away with heavy cheer.
  1659, T[itus] Livius [i.e., Livy], “(please specify the book number)”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Romane Historie […], London: […] W. Hunt, for George Sawbridge, […]
verb
third-person singular simple present cheers, present participle cheering, simple past and past participle cheered
1. (transitive) To gladden; to make cheerful; often with up.
2. (transitive) To infuse life, courage, animation, or hope, into; to inspirit; to solace or comfort.
  Quotations
  The proud he tam'd, the penitent he cheer'd.
  1700, [John] Dryden, “The Character of a Good Parson; Imitated from Chaucer, and Inlarg’d”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
3. (transitive, obsolete) To encourage to do something.
  Quotations
  Let’s cheere our ſouldiers to incounter him, […] And burne him in the fury of that flame,That none can quench but blood and Empery.
  c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, Act II, scene vi
4. (transitive, intransitive) To applaud or encourage with cheers or shouts.
5. (transitive, figurative) To feel or express enthusiasm for (something).

cheer²

/t͡ʃɪə(ɹ)/

noun
uncountable
1. (chiefly Canada, US) Cheerleading, especially when practiced as a competitive sport.
  Quotations
  ...[P]erspective [sic] gym cheer programs must address how to support a cheer program while maintaining appropriate and safe skill progressions.
  1999, Jim Lord, Chris Calvert., Cheerleading: Where Does Your Gym Fit In?‎
  Last year, more than 75,000 high school participants took part in cheerleading competitions, and the National Federation of State High School Associations says that "competitive cheer" is the fastest growing sport for girls.
  2000, Linda Villarosa. Cheerleading Changes, and Injuries Increase in The New York Times.
  The Iowa Central Community College cheer team has achieved something no other college in Iowa has before.
  2018, Chad Thompson. Iowa Central cheer team is tops at national competition in The Messenger.

Definition of "cheer"

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cheer2

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cheer²