Mirth
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [1]
Joy, gaiety, merriment. It is distinguished from cheerfulness thus: Mirth is considered as an act; cheerfulness an habit of the mind. Mirth is short and transient; cheerfulness fixed and permanent. "Those are often raised into the greatest transports of mirth who are subject to the greatest depressions of melancholy; on the contrary, cheerfulness, though it does not give such an exquisite gladness, prevents us from falling into any depths of sorrow. Mirth is like a flash of lightning, that breaks through a gloom of clouds, and glitters for a moment; cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity." Mirth is sinful, 1. When men rejoice in that which is evil. 2. When unreasonable. 3. When tending to commit sin. 4. When a hindrance to duty. 5. When it is blasphemous and profane.
King James Dictionary [2]
MIRTH, n. merth. Social merriment hilarity high excitement of pleasurable feelings in company noisy gayety jollity. Mirth differs from joy and cheerfulness, as always implying noise.
With genial joy to warm the soul,
Bright Helen mixed a mirth-inspiring bowl.
I will cause to cease the voice of mirth from Judah and Jerusalem. Jeremiah 7
Webster's Dictionary [3]
(1): ( n.) Merriment; gayety accompanied with laughter; jollity.
(2): ( n.) That which causes merriment.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [4]
the expression of joy, gayety, merriment, is thus distinguished from its synonym, cheerfulness: Mirth is considered as an act, cheerfulness a habit of the mind. Mirth is short and transient; cheerfulness fixed and permanent. Those are often raised into the greatest transports of mirth who are subject to the greatest depressions of melancholy: on the contrary, cheerfulness, though it does not give such an exquisite gladness, prevents us from falling into any depths of sorrow. Mirth is like a flash of lightning, that breaks through a gloom of clouds, and glitters for a moment; cheerfulness keeps up a kind of daylight in the mind, and fills it with a steady and perpetual serenity.
Mirth is sinful,
1. When men rejoice in that which is evil.
2. When unreasonable.
3. When tending to commit sin.
4. When a hinderance to duty.
5. When it is blasphemous and profane.
