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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