congratulating

adj

1. Congratulatory; that is giving congratulations.

   “Mrs. Buckle was delivered of twins. "A pair of Buckles!" "Boys or girls?" inquired a congratulating friend the answer may be supposed.”

   “His face grew sadder as the ceremony proceeded, and at last when the bride left the church, surrounded by a congratulating crowd, his eyes assumed the fixed look of a doomed man.”

   “His great cause had been won; his client had been honorably acquitted; and there gathered around Mr. Storrs at the Lindell Hotel a congratulating circle, including many eminent members of the St. Louis bar.”

2. Gratifying; pleasing.

   “Bells, as they are kind of musical instruments, spread (upon occasion) a congratulating joy in those towns, cities, and places, whre they are rung; so the gospel sound spreads a congratulating joy in the assemblies of Zion, the cities of our GOD;”

   “The experimental evidence which is daily being received, showing the efficacy and economy of this now justly celebrated Cattle Food Condiment, is very congratulating and encouraging, especially as it is voluntarily given along with orders for fresh supplies; for practical testimony thus given must always be received as satisfactory evidence in favour of the article — a justification, as it were, for continuing its use.”

   “While the above was the tone of all I talked with, every one of them was prepared to purchase supers of from 3 to 6 lbs. in weight, because many people by these for presents that would not otherwise purchase honeycomb—very congratulating to the ears of the introducer of small supers, and ought to be welcomed by all those who find a difficulty in bees entering sections and finding a market for the same.”

   “As far as I am aware of, no epidemic diseases exist, which is congratulating to this place.”

noun

1. The act by which someone is congratulated; congratulation.

   “As, when speaking familiarly we say of a new-married couple, they are gone to pass the honey-moon together; seems, te pas, de hou-inne hije muê hun: q. e. it is quite right, the visiting and receiving troubles tires them; it is as it ought to be, for the congratulatings and ceremonial visits molests and fatigues them; […]”

   “It will be a mighty host, that company of the Redeemed! To say nothing of the babes who have died in infancy, untasted by them the cup of sin which the world administers to its votaries—not counting those cherubs numerous as the stars of the milky way, what crowds shall be there of those who had repented them of their sins before their day of grace was past and gone; and Oh, what greetings and congratulatings of long separated friends!”

   “The basic illocutionary acts are assertions (describing, stating, concluding), directives (orders, requests, suggestions, questions), commissives (threats, promises), expressives (apologies, thankings, congratulatings), and declarations (baptisms, marriage pronouncements).”

verb

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present)present participle and gerund of congratulate