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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Origin: | hap 'chance, luck' (13-20 centuries), from Old Norse happ |
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hap‧py S1 W1
comparative happier, superlative happiest
comparative happier, superlative happiest1 having feelings of pleasure, for example because something good has happened to you or you are very satisfied with your life [≠ sad]: It's a lovely house and we've been very happy here. He was a happy child who rarely cried. the happy faces of the children
It's a lovely house and we've been very happy here.He was a happy child who rarely cried.the happy faces of the children the happy couple (=a couple that have just got married or will soon get married)
2 [usually before noun] a happy time, relationship, event etc is a good one that makes you feel happy : This has been the happiest day of my life. They had a very happy marriage. I have lots of happy memories of the place.
This has been the happiest day of my life.They had a very happy marriage.I have lots of happy memories of the place.3 [not before noun] satisfied or not worried
happy with On the whole, I'm happy with the way I look. People living nearby are not happy with the decision.
On the whole, I'm happy with the way I look.People living nearby are not happy with the decision.4 to be very willing to do something, especially to help someone : Our team will be happy to help. I'd be happy to take you in my car.
be happy to do something
Our team will be happy to help.I'd be happy to take you in my car.5 used to wish someone happiness on a special occasion : Happy Birthday, Michael! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Happy Birthday/New Year/Christmas etc
Happy Birthday, Michael!Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!7 [only before noun] fortunate or lucky :
8 a way of doing something that is not extreme but is somewhere between two possible choices : I always tried to strike a happy medium between having a home that looked like a bomb had hit it and becoming obsessively tidy.
a happy medium (between something and something)
I always tried to strike a happy medium between having a home that looked like a bomb had hit it and becoming obsessively tidy.9 [only before noun] formal suitable : His choice of words was not a very happy one.
His choice of words was not a very happy one.10 if you are in or go to your happy place, you imagine you are in a place that makes you feel calm and happy, because it helps you stop thinking about a bad situation
a/my/your etc happy place
WORD FOCUS: happy WORD FOCUS: happy
cheerful behaving in a way that shows you are happy
in a good mood happy at a particular time, and therefore friendly to other people
pleased/glad happy because something good has happened
delighted/thrilled/overjoyed/ecstatic very happy because something good has happened
contented happy with your life
optimistic/positive believing that good things will happen in the future
gleeful/gloating smug happy because something bad has happened to someone else
WORD FOCUS: happy cheerful behaving in a way that shows you are happy
in a good mood happy at a particular time, and therefore friendly to other people
pleased/glad happy because something good has happened
delighted/thrilled/overjoyed/ecstatic very happy because something good has happened
contented happy with your life
optimistic/positive believing that good things will happen in the future
gleeful/gloating smug happy because something bad has happened to someone else
