happily
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English happily, happyly, happyliche, happylyche, equivalent to happy + -ly.
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈhæp.ə.li/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈhæp.ə.li/
Audio (US) (file)
- Homophone: aptly (in some h-dropping accents)
Adverb edit
happily (comparative more happily or (rare) happilier, superlative most happily or (rare) happiliest)
- In a happy or cheerful manner; with happiness.
- 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 311:
- And thus I have given the first part of a life of fortune and adventure, a life of Providence's chequer-work, and of a variety which the world will seldom be able to shew the like of: beginning foolishly, but closing much more happily than any part of it ever gave me leave so much as to hope for.
- 2024 February 21, Nick Brodrick, “Inclusion and development for all”, in RAIL, number 1003, page 62:
- Train operating companies get plenty of column inches in the tabloids, usually for negative reasons. Happily, Southeastern is worthy of praise for having made The Sun for something positive.
- By good chance; fortunately, successfully.
- 1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Grove Press, published 1959, →OCLC:
- Watt wore, on his feet, a boot, brown in colour, and a shoe, happily of a brownish colour also.
- With good will; in all happiness; willingly.
- Synonym: gladly
- I will happily help you look for your lost wallet.
- (archaic) By chance; perhaps.
- Synonym: haply
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
- And who knoweth whether a thousand yeares hence a third opinion will rise, which happily shall overthrow these two precedents?
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
by good chance, fortunately
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in a happy manner
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willingly
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