HAPPILY

happily

(adverb) in an unexpectedly lucky way; “happily he was not injured”

happily, merrily, mirthfully, gayly, blithely, jubilantly

(adverb) in a joyous manner; “they shouted happily”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adverb

happily (comparative more happily, superlative most happily)

(archaic) By chance; perhaps.

Synonym: haply

By good chance; fortunately, successfully.

In a happy or cheerful manner; with happiness.

With good will; in all happiness; willingly.

Source: Wiktionary

Hap"pi*ly, adv. Etym: [From Happy.]

1. By chance; peradventure; haply. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

2. By good fortune; fortunately; luckily. Preferred by conquest, happily o'erthrown. Waller.

3. In a happy manner or state; in happy circumstances; as, he lived happily with his wife.

4. With address or dexterity; gracefully; felicitously; in a manner to success; with success. Formed by thy converse, happily to steer From grave to gay, from lively to severe. Pope.

Syn.

– Fortunately; luckily; successfully; prosperously; contentedly; dexterously; felicitously.

HAPPY

Hap"py, a. [Compar. Happier; superl. Happiest.] Etym: [From Hap chance.]

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." W. Black.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition