happy

comparative happier · comparative more happy · superlative happiest · superlative most happy · alternative obsolete happie

1. Having a feeling arising from a consciousness of well-being or of enjoyment; enjoying good of any kind, such as comfort, peace, or tranquillity; blissful, contented, joyous.

   Music makes me feel happy.

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   Happye are thy men, and happie are these thy seruantes[…]

   1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, II. Cronicles ix:[7], folio xcv, recto, column 1

   Happy is that people that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 144:15

   For the moſt happy univerſe is not one that conſiſts of the greateſt poſſible number of the moſt happy beings only ;[…]

   1731, Thomas Bayes, Divine Benevolence, London, page 73

   Whate’er the Paſſion, Knowledge, Fame, or Pelf, Not one will change his Neighbour with himſelf. The Learn’d are happy, Nature to explore ; The Fool is happy, that he knows no more ; The Rich are happy in the plenty given ; The Poor contents him with the Care of Heaven.

   1733, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Man. […], epistle II, London: […] J[ohn] Wilford, […], →OCLC, page 17

   But since the happy are sufficient to themselves they have no need of friends; and hence it is said,

   1807, “That the Happy Man has Need of Worthy Friends”, in William Bridgman, transl., The Paraphrase of an Anonymous Greek Writer, (hitherto Published Under the Name of Andronicus Rhodius) on the Nicomachean Ethics of Aristotle, London: Charles Whittingham, →OCLC, book IX, page 415

   Synonyms: cheerful, content, delighted, elated, exultant, glad, joyful, jubilant · Antonyms: blue, depressed, down, miserable, moody, morose, sad, unhappy

2. Experiencing the effect of favourable fortune; favored by fortune or luck; fortunate, lucky.

   "Historians, you think," said Miss Tilney, "are not happy in their flights of fancy. They display imagination without raising interest. […]"

   1803 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter XIV, in Northanger Abbey; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC, page 256

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   […] I think I may presume that what I have hitherto Diſcourſed will induce you to think, that Chymists have been much more happy in finding Experiments than the Cauſes of them; or in aſſigning the Principles by which they may beſt be explain’d.

   1661, Robert Boyle, “The Conclusion”, in The Sceptical Chymist, London: J. Cadwell, →OCLC, page 429

   Synonyms: fortunate, lucky, charmed, fortuitous, fortunate, freak, lucky, providential · Antonyms: unfortunate, unlucky

   1. archaicElect or saved after death, blessed.

      How fares it with the happy dead?

      1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 66

      Synonyms: fortunate, lucky, charmed, fortuitous, fortunate, freak, lucky, providential · Antonyms: unfortunate, unlucky

3. Content, willing, satisfied (with or to do something); having no objection (to something).

   Yes, I am happy with the decision.

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   Are you happy to pay me back by the end of the week?

   A Christian may be happier in low circumstances, than in high ones. He may be happier without rich friends, than with them. He may be happier in loneliness, than in a crowd of flatterers. He may be happier under reproach, than when riding on the spring-tide of popularity. He may be happier with hard work, than in a life of ease. He may be happier with coarse and scanty food, than with tables of luxury. He may be happier in sickness and persecution, than in health and quietness.

   1844, “Patience and Perseverance”, in Joseph Barker, editor, The Christian, volume 1, number 14, London: Chapman, →OCLC, page 314

   A strong acid is also a substance whose conjugate base (obviously a weak base) is quite happy with the excess electrons it got from that bond.

   2007, Iver David Reingold, “Substitution Reactions”, in Organic Chemistry, or, “The Happy Carbon”: An Introduction Emphasizing Biological Connections, Delhi: Indo American Books, →ISBN, page 308

   This wave of "financial innovation" led to rapid growth in subprime lending, which was enhanced on the demand side by the housing boom and general asset price bubble. While the party lasted everyone was happy. Mortgage lenders were happy to lend and keep subprime loans off their books via securitization. Issuers of ABSs were happy to get their commissions. Borrowers were happy to get loans without scrutiny. Investors were happy to acquire assets that were "risk-free" and offered a return of hundreds of basis points over that offered by US Treasuries.

   2016, Imad A. Moosa, “The Post-crisis Regulatory Landscape: An Overview”, in Contemporary Issues in the Post-crisis Regulatory Landscape, Singapore: World Scientific, →ISBN, page 8

   Synonyms: pleased · Antonyms: disenchanted, dissatisfied

4. usuallyevents; speech; events; speechBringing or being an instance of favourable fortune; apt, felicitous, fortunate, propitious.

   happy coincidence

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   The common privilege of your ſex affords you the happy opportunity of alleviating your ſorrows by communicating your ſentiments and feelings to some faithful friend; but to women, even this relief is rigidly denied, and, bound by the harſh reſtraints which the delicacy and reſerve of female natures have impoſed, I muſt bear the ſecret of my ſorrows with painful ſilence.

   1792, James Thomson, “Letter XXXI. From the Hon. Miss Wilton to Mr. Benfield.”, in The Denial; or, The Happy Retreat, 2nd corr. edition, volume 1, London, →OCLC, page 185

   You would, even by this most favourable result, be at best only replaced in the situation, and restored to the happy opportunity which you at present possess:[…]

   1804, [James Stephen], The Opportunity; or, Reasons for an Immediate Alliance with St. Domingo, London: Charles Whittingham, →OCLC, page 101

   When happy events coincide, that is a happy coincidence. But the coincidence of baneful events is a happy coincidence too.

   1990, Jean Baudrillard, translated by Chris Turner, Cool Memories, London; New York, N.Y.: Verso Books, →ISBN, page 138

   ‘I had the happy notion of adding an egg,’ Williams shouted back. ‘It poaches in the soup. Not unlike an Italian stracciatella. Singularly toothsome.[…]’

   1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section I, page 41

   The UK’s earliest reactors – a type called Magnox – were set up to harvest plutonium for bombs; the electricity was a happy byproduct.

   2022 December 15, Samanth Subramanian, “Dismantling Sellafield: the epic task of shutting down a nuclear site”, in The Guardian

   Antonyms: inapt, unfelicitous, unfortunate, unpropitious

5. in compoundsFavoring or inclined to use.

   slaphappy, trigger-happy

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   We live in a sue-happy society. If Santa slides off your roof and busts his tailbone, he could sue you, and probably will.

   2002, Dan Benson, “Stupid Mistake #9: Following Fads vs. Staying the Course”, in 12 Stupid Mistakes People Make with Their Money, Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 128

   “Baby, I was a loser / Several years on the dole / An Englishman with a very high voice / Doing rock ’n’ roll,” sings falsetto-happy frontman Justin Hawkins at the start of “Every Inch Of You,” Hot Cakes’ opener.

   2012 August 21, Jason Heller, “The Darkness: Hot Cakes [music review]”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 24 Aug 2012

6. oftenrareDexterous, ready, skilful.

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   For inſtance, one lady can give an anſwer better than aſk a queſtion: one gentleman is happy at a reply; another excels in a rejoinder: one can revive a languiſhing converſation by a ſudden ſurpriſing ſentence; another is more dextrous in ſeconding; a third can fill the gap with laughing, or commending what has been ſaid.

   1761, Simon Wagstaff [pseudonym; Jonathan Swift], A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, Edinburgh, introduction, page iii

7. Implying “May you have a happy ⁓” or similar; used in phrases to wish someone happiness or good fortune at the time of a festival, celebration, or other event or activity.

   Happy birthday!

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   Happy Fourth of July!

   Happy anniversary!

   Happy job-hunting!

plural happies

1. informalrareA happy event, thing, person, etc.

   The strike split the Chicano community. Many workers at Farah crossed picket lines and continued to keep the plant operating. They were known as the "happies" because they wore buttons which featured a smiling face and the slogan, "I'm happy at Farah. …"

   1994, Lauri Coyle, Gail Hershatter, Emily Honig, “‘Why Did I Put Up With It All These Years’: The Farah Strike”, in Maxine Schwartz Seller, editor, Immigrant Women (SUNY Series in Ethnicity and Race in American Life), 2nd rev. edition, Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, →ISBN, page 290

present singular third person happies · participle present happying · participle past happied · past happied

1. informalintransitiveOften followed by up: to become happy; to brighten up, to cheer up.

   Whenever I started drinking again after abstaining for any period of time, it usually was an effort to relieve stress and to "happy up."

   2001, John L. Bullion, “Jokes”, in In the Boat with LBJ, Plano, Tex.: Republic of Texas Press, →ISBN, page 294

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   [H]e smiled […] then asked my name. He checked it against his clipboard then sadly shook his head as if he'd been rejected himself. Told him I was looking for employment and he happied up again, able to help by directing me to apply at the front office, that the doors were on the Gower Street side.

   2016 July 18, Wayne Kaatz, chapter 11, in Stuck on Earth, Bloomington, Ind.: Archway Publishing, →ISBN

   Synonyms: blithen, cheer up, chirk, liven up, perk up

2. informaltransitiveOften followed by up: to make happy; to brighten, to cheer, to enliven.

   People really didn't want their Party Motivators in their photos, anonymous dancers, happying up the place. It spooked them.

   2007, Mireille Juchau, “Sanctuary”, in Burning In, Artarmon, N.S.W.: Giramondo Publishing for the Writing & Society Research Group, University of Western Sydney, →ISBN, page 201

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   […] [William] Glasser would probably say that happy people are "happying" themselves by choosing behaviors that help them to feel happy (working at their relationships, engaging in productive work activities, participating in desired recreational activities, etc.).

   2015 October 26, Nickolas Martin, Ego Therapy: A Method for Healing Your Whole Self, Bloomington, Ind.: Balboa Press, Hay House, →ISBN

   Synonyms: bright, cheer up, happify, perk up, beatify, enrapture, begladden, blissen

plural Happys

1. countableuncountableA male given name.
2. countableuncountableA surname transferred from the nickname.
3. A place in the United States:
   1. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in White County, Arkansas.
   2. countableuncountableA township in Graham County, Kansas.
   3. countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Perry County, Kentucky.
   4. countableuncountableA town in Randall County and Swisher County, Texas.