happy

adj

Etymology: From Middle English happy (“fortunate, happy”), perhaps an alteration of Middle English happyn, happen (“fortunate, happy”), possibly related to or from Old Norse heppinn (“fortunate, happy”); and potentially assimilated to be equivalent to hap (“chance, luck, fortune”) + -y. Compare also Icelandic heppinn (“lucky”), Faroese heppin (“fortunate, lucky, happy”), Norwegian Nynorsk heppen (“lucky”), Scots happin (“fortunate, blessed”). See further at hap.

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.”

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

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

   “[…] 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.”

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

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

   “How fares it with the happy dead?”

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

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

   “Yes, I am happy with the decision.”

5. Bringing or being an instance of favourable fortune; apt, felicitous, fortunate, propitious.

   “happy coincidence”

   “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.”

6. Favoring or inclined to use.

   “slaphappy, trigger-happy”

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

7. Dexterous, ready, skilful.

   “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.”

8. 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!”

   “Happy Fourth of July!”

name

1. A male given name.
2. A surname transferred from the nickname.
3. A place in the United States:
4. A place in the United States:
5. A place in the United States:
6. A place in the United States:

noun

Etymology: From Middle English happy (“fortunate, happy”), perhaps an alteration of Middle English happyn, happen (“fortunate, happy”), possibly related to or from Old Norse heppinn (“fortunate, happy”); and potentially assimilated to be equivalent to hap (“chance, luck, fortune”) + -y. Compare also Icelandic heppinn (“lucky”), Faroese heppin (“fortunate, lucky, happy”), Norwegian Nynorsk heppen (“lucky”), Scots happin (“fortunate, blessed”). See further at hap.

1. A 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. …"”

verb

Etymology: From Middle English happy (“fortunate, happy”), perhaps an alteration of Middle English happyn, happen (“fortunate, happy”), possibly related to or from Old Norse heppinn (“fortunate, happy”); and potentially assimilated to be equivalent to hap (“chance, luck, fortune”) + -y. Compare also Icelandic heppinn (“lucky”), Faroese heppin (“fortunate, lucky, happy”), Norwegian Nynorsk heppen (“lucky”), Scots happin (“fortunate, blessed”). See further at hap.

1. Often 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."”

   “[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.”

2. Often 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.”

   “[…] [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.).”