Third person singular present tense of 'gladden'; makes someone happy, cheerful, or pleased.
From Old English 'gladdian,' derived from 'glad' (happy, bright). The verb form has been used since at least the 9th century in English.
The word 'glad' originally meant 'shining' or 'bright' in Old English—happiness and light are metaphorically linked in our language because emotions and illumination feel intertwined to humans.
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