Hap·py a. [Compar. Happier superl. Happiest.]
1. Favored by hap, luck, or fortune; lucky; fortunate; successful; prosperous; satisfying desire; as, a happy expedient; a happy effort; a happy venture; a happy omen.
Chymists have been more happy in finding experiments than the causes of them. --Boyle.
2. Experiencing the effect of favorable fortune; having the feeling arising from the consciousness of well-being or of enjoyment; enjoying good of any kind, as peace, tranquillity, comfort; contented; joyous; as, happy hours, happy thoughts.
Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. --Ps. cxliv. 15.
The learned is happy Nature to explore,
The fool is happy that he knows no more. --Pope.
3. Dexterous; ready; apt; felicitous.
One gentleman is happy at a reply, another excels in a in a rejoinder. --Swift.
Happy family, a collection of animals of different and hostile propensities living peaceably together in one cage. Used ironically of conventional alliances of persons who are in fact mutually repugnant.
Happy-go-lucky, trusting to hap or luck; improvident; easy-going. “Happy-go-lucky carelessness.”
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happy
adj 1: enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure or good
fortune; "a happy smile"; "spent many happy days on
the beach"; "a happy marriage" [ant: unhappy]
2: experiencing pleasure or joy; "happy you are here"; "pleased
with the good news" [syn: pleased]
3: marked by good fortune; "a felicitous life"; "a happy
outcome" [syn: felicitous]
4: satisfied; enjoying well-being and contentment; "felt
content with her lot"; "quite happy to let things go on as
they are"
5: exaggerated feeling of well-being or elation [syn: euphoric]
[ant: dysphoric]
6: well expressed and to the point; "a happy turn of phrase";
"a few well-chosen words"; "a felicitous comment" [syn: well-chosen]
[also: happiest, happier]