Jingle bells

AnonymousIs "jingle" a noun in the "Jingle Bells" or is it a verb?

Verb. Imperative form. It's urging the bells to make a jingling sound, I suppose.

CJ

CalifJimVerb

Thanks.rn

That's interesting, Jim. I've always parsed it as a noun (acting as an adjective) in "jingle bells" but as a verb in "jingle all the way."

I've also heard that interpretation.

I suppose, though, that you also think there are "merry gentlemen" in the song *** Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.

There aren't.

CalifJimI suppose, though, that you also think there are "merry gentlemen" in the song *** Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.

Of course not. That would be absurd.

CalifJimYe Merry, Gentlemen

Are they dead?

AnonymousAre they dead?

No, but they're not necessarily merry. The speaker is telling the gentlemen — in a very old style of English — to be merry; or rather, May *** make you merry.

CJ

CalifJim AnonymousAre they dead?No, but they're not necessarily merry. The speaker is telling the gentlemen — in a very old style of English — to be merry; or rather, May *** make you merry.CJ

I see. I haven't got a clue. Thanks.

AnonymousI haven't got a clue.

Sorry. I was assuming my readers knew that "*** Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" was a Christmas carol.

CalifJim AnonymousI haven't got a clue.Sorry. I was assuming my readers knew that "*** Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" was a Christmas carol.CJ

Not at all.

I'm non-native, so I had an opportunity to do some research which didn't enlightened me at all. First, I've thought that the " *** Rest Ye Merry" means "May *** rest [sort of R.I.P.] the Merry (a noun ph