Green’s Dictionary of Slang

happy, gay, cheerful.

1837		J. Bates in Martineau Society Amer. III 332: It makes me chirpy to think of Roseland [F&H].
1865		E.K. Wightman letter 1 Jan. in Longacre From Antietam to Fort Fisher (1985) 227: I am well and ‘chirp as a cricket’.
1879		J. McCarthy Donna Quixote Ch. xxxv n.p.: To Carlton this appeared gravely ominous... Paulina, on the other hand, was what she would herself have called chirpy [F&H].
1883		E.J. Milliken Childe Chappie’s Pilgrimage 55: Some other Johnnies – green ones – seem / Chirpy, and more than half awake.
1890		Dead Bird (Sydney) 4 Jan. 5/1: ‘Wot’ll I write about?’ ‘Oh, any thing chirpy, something crisp and fresh and funny’.
1897		W.S. Maugham Liza of Lambeth (1966) 50: I don’t feel too chirpy neither.
1906		A.H. Lewis Confessions of a Detective 184: See how chirpy he is! I’m blessed if he won’t take to whistling in a minute.
1910		Wodehouse Psmith in the City (1993) 108: Mr Waller, still chirpy, had nothing but good news of Edward.
1924		C.J. Dennis ‘The Knight’s Return’ in Chisholm (1951) 84: ‘Too true,’ I sez, reel chirpy. ‘She’ll be proud.’.
1927		(con. WW1) P. MacDonald Patrol 22: ‘You sawn-off, chirpy, slab-sided dumble!’.
1938		J. Curtis They Drive by Night 28: What the hell had he got to be so browned off about? He ought to be feeling proper chirpy.
1946		S. Jackson Indiscreet Guide to Soho 42: The coster is as chirpy as ever.
1956		‘Charles Raven’ Und. Nights 138: You’re looking very chirpy, Charlie.
1963		B. Naughton Alfie I ii: You can’t be feeling all that chirpy on what I’m paying you.
1970		B. Naughton Alfie Darling 167: ‘Look here, darling,’ I said, dead casual and chirpy.
1999		Indep. Information 28 Aug.–3 Sept. 47: ‘How’s it going?’ his chirpy mate asks.
2004		T. Winton ‘Defender’ in Turning (2005) 300: Then somehow, chirpy as you like, they’d con us into walking them back.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 398: It wasn’t actually the chirpy lark Ruders made it out to be. It was deuced serious.