\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}.
Usage: 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.