hap·py

(hăp′ē)

adj. hap·pi·er, hap·pi·est

1. Enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy. See Synonyms at glad.

2. Cheerful; willing: happy to help.

3. Characterized by good luck. See Synonyms at fortunate.

4. Being especially well-adapted; felicitous: a happy turn of phrase.

a. Characterized by a spontaneous or obsessive inclination to use something. Often used in combination: trigger-happy.

b. Enthusiastic about or involved with to a disproportionate degree. Often used in combination: money-happy; clothes-happy.

[Middle English, from hap, luck; see hap.]

hap′pi·ly adv.

hap′pi·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

happy

(ˈhæpɪ)

adj, -pier or -piest

1. feeling, showing, or expressing joy; pleased

2. willing: I'd be happy to show you around.

3. causing joy or gladness

4. fortunate; lucky: the happy position of not having to work.

5. aptly expressed; appropriate: a happy turn of phrase.

6. (postpositive) informal slightly intoxicated

interj

(in combination): happy birthday; happy Christmas.

[C14: see hap¹, -y¹]

ˈhappily adv

ˈhappiness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hap•py

(ˈhæp i)

adj. -pi•er, -pi•est.

1. delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing.

2. characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy: a happy mood.

3. fortunate or lucky: a happy, fruitful land.

4. apt or felicitous, as actions, utterances, or ideas.

5. obsessed by or quick to use the item indicated (usu. used in combination): a trigger-happy gangster.

[1300–50; see hap¹, -y¹]

glad

– happy – cheerful

1. 'glad'

If you are glad about something, you are pleased about it.

I'm so glad that you passed the exam.

She seemed glad of the chance to leave early.

2. 'happy'

You can also say that you are happy about something when you are pleased about it.

She was happy that his sister was coming.

If someone is contented and enjoys life, you say that they are happy.

She always seemed such a happy woman.

Be Careful!
Don't use 'glad' with this meaning, and don't use 'glad' in front of a noun. Don't say, for example, 'She always seemed such a glad woman'.

3. 'cheerful'

If someone shows that they are happy by smiling and laughing a lot, you say that they are cheerful.

The men stayed cheerful and determined even when things got difficult.

happy

– sad

There are a number of adjectives which are used to indicate how happy or sad someone is. The adjectives in the following list are arranged from 'most happy' to 'least happy':

ecstatic, elated, euphoric
His wife gave birth to their first child, and he was ecstatic about it.
'That was one of the best races of my life,' said an elated Hakkinen.
It had received euphoric support from the public.
joyful, radiant, jubilant
A wedding is a joyful celebration of love.
On her wedding day the bride looked truly radiant.
Hogg was jubilant after winning the men's doubles for the 10th time.
happy, cheerful, jolly
Marina was a confident, happy child.
They are both very cheerful in spite of their colds.
She was a jolly, kindhearted woman.
light-hearted
They were light-hearted and prepared to enjoy life.
contented, fulfilled
She was gazing at him with a soft, contented smile on her face.
I feel more fulfilled doing this than I've ever done.
dissatisfied, moody, discontented
82% of voters are dissatisfied with the way their country is being governed.
David's mother was unstable and moody.
The government tried to appease discontented workers.
sad, unhappy, depressed, gloomy, glum, dejected, despondent, dispirited
I'd grown fond of our little house and felt sad to leave it.
Her marriage is in trouble and she is desperately unhappy.
She's been very depressed and upset about this whole situation.
Do you tend to be over-serious or gloomy?
She was very glum and was obviously missing her children.
Everyone has days when they feel dejected or down.
I feel despondent when my work is rejected.
I left eventually at six o'clock feeling utterly dispirited and depressed.
miserable, wretched
I took a series of badly paid secretarial jobs which made me really miserable.
I feel really confused and wretched.

lucky

– happy

1. 'lucky'

You say that someone is lucky when something nice happens to them, or when they always seem to have good luck.

You're a lucky girl to have so many friends.

The lucky winners were given £5000 each.

2. 'happy'

Don't use 'lucky' to say that someone has feelings of pleasure and contentment. The word you use is happy.

Sarah's such a happy person – she's always laughing.

Barbara felt tremendously happy when she heard the news.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	happy - enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure; "a happy smile"; "spent many happy days on the beach"; "a happy marriage" cheerful - being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits; "her cheerful nature"; "a cheerful greeting"; "a cheerful room"; "as cheerful as anyone confined to a hospital bed could be" content, contented - satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are; "a contented smile" elated - exultantly proud and joyful; in high spirits; "the elated winner"; "felt elated and excited" euphoric - exaggerated feeling of well-being or elation felicitous - exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style; "a felicitous speaker" glad - showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy; "glad you are here"; "glad that they succeeded"; "gave a glad shout"; "a glad smile"; "heard the glad news"; "a glad occasion" joyful - full of or producing joy; "make a joyful noise"; "a joyful occasion" joyous - full of or characterized by joy; "felt a joyous abandon"; "joyous laughter" unhappy - experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent; "unhappy over her departure"; "unhappy with her raise"; "after the argument they lapsed into an unhappy silence"; "had an unhappy time at school"; "the unhappy (or sad) news"; "he looks so sad"
	2.	happy - marked by good fortune; "a felicitous life"; "a happy outcome" felicitous fortunate - having unexpected good fortune; "other, less fortunate, children died"; "a fortunate choice"
	3.	happy - eagerly disposed to act or to be of service; "glad to help" glad willing - disposed or inclined toward; "a willing participant"; "willing helpers"
	4.	happy - well expressed and to the point; "a happy turn of phrase"; "a few well-chosen words" well-chosen felicitous - exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style; "a felicitous speaker"

happy

adjective

1. pleased, delighted, content, contented, thrilled, glad, blessed, blest, sunny, cheerful, jolly, merry, ecstatic, gratified, jubilant, joyous, joyful, elated, over the moon (informal), overjoyed, blissful, rapt, blithe, on cloud nine (informal), cock-a-hoop, walking on air (informal), floating on air I'm just happy to be back running.

2. contented, blessed, blest, joyful, blissful, blithe We have a very happy marriage.
joyful low, sad, depressed, sorry, unhappy, miserable, gloomy, discontented, melancholy, sombre, forlorn, displeased, mournful, despondent, sorrowful, joyless, down in the dumps (informal)

3. willing, ready, glad, contented, inclined, disposed I'm happy to answer any questions.
willing unwilling, loath

4. fortunate, lucky, timely, appropriate, convenient, favourable, auspicious, propitious, apt, befitting, advantageous, well-timed, opportune, felicitous, seasonable a happy coincidence
fortunate unhappy, unfortunate, unlucky, inapt

Quotations
"Happy the man, and happy he alone"
"He who can call today his own;"
"He who, secure within, can say,"
"Tomorrow, do thy worst, for I have lived today" [John Dryden Imitation of Horace]
"The happy man is not he who seems thus to others, but who seems thus to himself" [Publilius Syrus Moral Sayings]
"Call no man happy till he dies, he is at best but fortunate" [Solon]
"Happy men are grave. They carry their happiness cautiously, as they would a glass filled to the brim which the slightest movement could cause to spill over, or break" [Jules Barbey D'Aurevilly Les Diaboliques]

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

happy

adjective

1. Characterized by luck or good fortune:

fortunate, lucky, providential.

2. Being in or showing good spirits:

bright, cheerful, cheery, chipper, lighthearted, sunny.

3. Having achieved satisfaction, as of one's goal:

content, fulfilled, gratified, satisfied.

4. Providing joy and pleasure:

cheerful, cheery, festive, glad, joyful, joyous, pleasing.

5. Marked by festal celebration:

festive, gala, glad, gladsome, joyful, joyous, merry.

6. Suitable for a particular person, condition, occasion, or place:

appropriate, apt, becoming, befitting, correct, felicitous, fit, fitting, meet, proper, right, tailor-made.

7. Eagerly compliant:

delighted, glad, pleased, tickled.

Translations

سَعيدسَعِيدمَحْظوظمُسْتَعِد

feliç

šťastnýrádspokojený

gladheldiglykkeligvillig

glücklich freuen froh

ευτυχισμένος ευχαριστημένος χαρούμενος ευτυχής

feliĉagajakontenta

feliz alegre contento dichoso afortunado

onnellinenaulishyväkäteväonnekas

heureux content contente gaillard heureuse

sretan

boldogszerencsés

senang

heppilegurglaîur, feginnhamingjusamur

felice lieto opportuno alticcio azzeccato

幸福な

행복한

felixlaetus

aukso viduryslaimingaslaimingas galėdamas

laimīgspriecīgsveiksmīgs

gelukkig handig kundig tevreden bedreven

glad heldig lykkelig ville gjerne

szczęśliwy

feliz

bucurosfericit

счастливый удачный радостный

šťastný

srečenzadovoljen

lyckliglyckligtnöjdnöjtglad

เป็นสุข

mutlu şanslı istekli

hạnh phúcmaymay mắnmừngsung sướng

乐意的幸运的快乐的高兴的

happy

[ˈhæpɪ]

A. ADJ (happier (compar) (happiest (superl)))

1. (= contented) → feliz
we've been very happy here → aquí hemos sido muy felices
I don't think they're very happy together → no creo que sean muy felices juntos
to make sb happy → hacer feliz a algn
you've just made me a very happy man! → ¡me acabas de hacer el hombre más feliz del mundo!
to be as happy as Larry or a lark or a sandboy → estar como unas pascuas

2. (= cheerful) → alegre
she has always been a happy little girl → siempre ha sido una niña muy alegre
he has a happy temperament → tiene un temperamento alegre

3. (= satisfied, pleased) → contento
the boss is waiting for you and he isn't very happy → te está esperando el jefe y no parece muy contento
to be happy to do sth: I'm just happy to be back running → sólo estoy contento de poder volver a correr
I am happy to tell you that → tengo mucho gusto en comunicarle que ...
we'll be happy to help → estaremos encantados de ayudar
I'd be happy to check it for you → no me importa nada comprobártelo, con mucho gusto se lo comprobaré (more frm)
yes, I'd be happy to → sí, con mucho gusto
he seems quite happy to let things go on as they are → parece no importarle dejar que las cosas sigan como están
we are not happy about the plan → no estamos contentos con el proyecto
we're very happy for you → nos alegramos mucho por ti
to keep sb happy → tener a algn contento
she wasn't happy with his work → no estaba contenta con su trabajo

4. (= at ease, unworried) → tranquilo
don't worry about keeping him waiting, he seems quite happy → no te preocupes por hacerle esperar, él parece muy tranquilo
I'm quite happy to wait → no me importa esperar

5. (= pleasant, joyful) [childhood, life, marriage, home] → feliz; [place, atmosphere] → alegre
it was the happiest day of my life → fue el día más feliz de mi vida
they were having such a happy time splashing around → se lo estaban pasando tan bien chapoteando en el agua
we spent many happy hours playing on the beach → pasamos muchas horas maravillosas jugando en la playa
happy birthday! → ¡feliz cumpleaños!
happy Christmas! → ¡feliz Navidad!, ¡felices Navidades!
a happy ending → un final feliz
a happy event → un feliz acontecimiento
happy New Year! → ¡feliz Año Nuevo!
see also return A1

6. (= felicitous) [phrase] → afortunado, oportuno; [position, chance] → afortunado; [coincidence, idea] → feliz
a happy medium → un término medio
to strike a happy medium → encontrar un término medio
see also hunting

7. (= tipsy) → contentillo, alegre

B. CPD happy families NSING (Cards) → juego m de las familias
happy hour N → happy hour m (hora durante la cual se paga menos por la bebida en los bares)

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

happy

[ˈhæpi] adj

(= cheerful, contented) [person] → heureux/euse; [mood] → gai(e); [smile] → satisfait(e); [face] → heureux/euse; [day, occasion] → heureux/euse; [memory] → heureux/euse; [childhood, marriage, life] → heureux/euse; [place] → gai(e)
Janet looks happy → Janet a l'air heureuse.
It was the happiest day of my life → C'était le plus beau jour de ma vie.
to put on a happy face → faire bonne figure

(in greetings) happy birthday! → bon anniversaire!, joyeux anniversaire!
happy Christmas! → joyeux Noël!
happy New Year! → bonne année!

(= pleased, satisfied) [person, customer] → satisfait(e)
to keep sb happy → contenter qn
to be happy with sth [+ arrangements, work] → être satisfait(e) de qch
I'm very happy with your work → Je suis très satisfait de ton travail.
to be happy for sb (= delighted) → être content(e) pour qn
to be happy about doing sth → être content(e) de faire qch
to be happy to hear that ... → être heureux/euse d'apprendre que ...
I was happy to hear that you passed your exams → J'ai été heureux d'apprendre que tu as réussi tes examens.

(= willing) yes, I'd be happy to → oui, avec plaisir, oui, (bien) volontiers
to be happy to do sth → bien vouloir faire qch
to be happy for sb to do sth → être d'accord pour que qn fasse qch

(= fortunate) [coincidence] → heureux/eusehappy couple n
the happy couple → les jeunes mariés mplhappy event n (= birth) the happy event → l'heureux événement mhappy-go-lucky [ˌhæpigəʊˈlʌki] adj → insouciant(e)happy hour n → happy hour f dans un bar, heure pendant laquelle les consommations sont à prix réduithappy medium n → juste milieu m

happy

adj (+er)

(= joyful, glad) person, smile, expression, time, life, home, marriage → glücklich; atmosphere → harmonisch; the happy couple (= newlyweds) → das Brautpaar; a happy feeling → ein Glücksgefühl nt; that gives me a happy feeling → das macht mich glücklich; to make somebody happy → jdn glücklich machen; they were having such a happy time → sie hatten so viel Spaß; the school is a happy place, it’s a happy school → an der Schule sind die Kinder glücklich; a happy atmosphere for their children → eine glückliche Umgebung für ihre Kinder; a happy ending → ein guter or glücklicher Ausgang, ein Happy End nt, → ein Happyend nt; happy birthday (to you) → herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag; Happy Easter/Christmas → frohe Ostern/Weihnachten ? return N a

(= content, satisfied) (not) to be happy about or with something → mit etw (nicht) zufrieden sein; to be happy to do something (= willing) → etw gern tun; (= pleased) → sich freuen, etw zu tun; (= relieved) → froh sein, etw zu tun; that’s a risk I’m happy to take → dieses Risiko gehe ich gern ein; I was happy to hear that you passed your exam → es hat mich gefreut zu hören, dass du die Prüfung bestanden hast; I’m just happy to be back → ich bin einfach nur froh, wieder da zu sein; to be happy to let somebody do something → damit einverstanden sein, dass jd etw tut; he’s happy to leave it to me → er überlässt es mir gern

(= fortunate, felicitous) chance, coincidence, solution, choice → glücklich; by happy chance → durch einen glücklichen Zufall

(inf: = tipsy) → angeheitert, beschwipst (inf)

happy

happy camper

n (inf) → zufriedener or glücklicher Mensch; I’m not a happy → ich bin (überhaupt) nicht gut drauf (inf)

happy-clappy

adj (pej inf Rel) service → mit Händeklatschen und moderner Musik

happy event

n (inf) → frohes or freudiges Ereignis

happy families

n sing (Cards) → ˜ Quartett nt

happy-go-lucky

adj → unbekümmert, sorglos; I wish you wouldn’t be so happy about things → ich wollte, du wärest nicht bei allem so sorglos or würdest nicht alles so lässig nehmen (inf)

happy hour

n (in pubs etc) Zeit, in der Getränke zu ermäßigten Preisen angeboten werden

happy hunting ground

(Myth) → ewige Jagdgründe pl

(fig) → Paradies nt

happy medium

n → goldener Mittelweg; to strike a happy → den goldenen Mittelweg finden

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

happy

[ˈhæpɪ] adj (-ier (comp) (-iest (superl)))

a. (pleased, content) → contento/a, felice; (cheerful) → allegro/a; (at ease, unworried) → tranquillo/a
happy with (arrangements) → soddisfatto/a di
we are not entirely happy about the plan → non siamo del tutto contenti del progetto
we're very happy for you → ci rallegriamo per te, siamo molto felici per te
yes, I'd be happy to → (certo,) con piacere, (ben) volentieri
I am happy to tell you that ... → sono felice or ho il piacere di informarti che...
a happy ending → un lieto fine
to be as happy as a lark → essere felice or contento/a come una pasqua
happy birthday! → buon compleanno!
happy Christmas/New Year! → buon Natale/anno!

b. (well-chosen, phrase, idea) → felice, indovinato/a; (lucky, position) → fortunato/a, favorevole
by a happy chance → per fortuna

happy

(ˈhӕpi) adjective

1. having or showing a feeling of pleasure or contentment. a happy smile; I feel happy today.

2. willing. I'd be happy to help you.

3. lucky. By a happy chance I have the key with me.

ˈhappiness noun

ˈhappily adverb

The child smiled happily; Happily, (= Fortunately,) she arrived home safely.

ˌhappy-go-ˈlucky adjective

not worrying about what might happen. cheerful and happy-go-lucky.

happy medium

a sensible middle course between two extreme positions. I need to find the happy medium between starving and over-eating.

happy

→ سَعِيد šťastný glad glücklich ευτυχισμένος feliz onnellinen heureux sretan felice 幸福な 행복한 gelukkig glad szczęśliwy feliz счастливый lycklig เป็นสุข mutlu hạnh phúc 快乐的

happy

a. contento-a, alegre, feliz.

Happy New Year! → Šťastný nový rok! → Godt nytår → Frohes Neues Jahr! → Καλή χρονιά! → ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! → Hyvää uutta vuotta! → Bonne année ! → Sretna Nova godina! → Felice Anno Nuovo! → 明けましておめでとう！ → 새해 복 많이 받으세요! → Gelukkig nieuwjaar! → Godt nytt år! → Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku! → Feliz Ano Novo! → С Новым годом! → Gott nytt år! → Mutlu Yıllar! → Chúc mừng Năm Mới! → 新年好！
Happy birthday! → Vše nejlepší k narozeninám! → Tillykke med fødselsdagen → Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! → ¡Feliz cumpleaños! → Hyvää syntymäpäivää! → Joyeux anniversaire ! → Sretan rođendan! → Buon compleanno! → お誕生日おめでとう！ → 생일 축하해요! → Gefeliciteerd! → Gratulerer med dagen! → Feliz aniversário! → С днем рождения! → Grattis på födelsedagen! → Nice Yıllara! → Chúc mừng sinh nhật! → 生日快乐！

happy

adj feliz, contento