Cheer even about nothing perhaps (7)

I believe the answer is:

enliven

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'cheer' is the definition.
(I know that cheer is a more specific form of the action encourage)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for enliven that I've seen before include "Make more cheerful" , "Inject vim into, energise" , "Wake" , "Give spirit to, brighten" , "Make more interesting" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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