Con*grat"u*late (?), v. t.
[imp. & p. p. Congratulated; p.
pr. & vb. n. Congratulating.] [L.
congratulatus, p. p. of congratulari to wish joy
abundantly; con- + gratulari to wish joy, from
gratus pleasing. See Grateful.] To address
with expressions of sympathetic pleasure on account of some happy
event affecting the person addressed; to wish joy to.
It is the king's most sweet pleasure and affection
to congratulate the princess at her pavilion.
Shak.
To congratulate one's self, to rejoice;
to feel satisfaction; to consider one's self happy or
fortunate.
Syn. -- To Congratulate, Felicitate. To
felicitate is simply to wish a person joy. To
congratulate has the additional signification of uniting
in the joy of him whom we congratulate. Hence they are by no
means synonymous. One who has lost the object of his affections
by her marriage to a rival, might perhaps felicitate that
rival on his success, but could never be expected to
congratulate him on such an event.
Felicitations are little better than
compliments; congratulations are the expression of a
genuine sympathy and joy.
Trench.
Con*grat"u*late, v. i. To
express of feel sympathetic joy; as, to congratulate with
one's country. [R.] Swift.
The subjects of England may congratulate to
themselves.
Dryden.
