IT was a sight to gladden the hearts of the standard-bearers of civilized behavior.
British Dictionary definitions for gladden
gladden
/ˈɡlædən/
verb
1.
to make or become glad and joyful
Derived Forms
gladdener, noun
Word Origin and History for gladden
v.
c.1300, "to be glad;" 1550s, "to make glad;" see glad + -en (1). Earlier in both senses was simply glad (v.), from Old English gladian, Mercian gleadian "be glad, make glad."