"happy-go-lucky" meaning in English

See happy-go-lucky in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Forms: happy-go-luckier [comparative], happy-go-luckiest [superlative]
Head templates: {{en-adj|happy-go-luckier}} happy-go-lucky (comparative happy-go-luckier, superlative happy-go-luckiest)
  1. carefree or untroubled Categories (topical): Emotions, Personality Synonyms: devil-may-care Translations (carefree): onbekommerd (Dutch), onbezorgd (Dutch), zorgeloos (Dutch), insouciant [masculine] (French), sorgenfrei (German), unbekümmert (German), beztroski (Polish), luzacki (Polish), niefrasobliwy (Polish), despreocupado (Portuguese), беззабо́тный (bezzabótnyj) (Russian), беспе́чный (bespéčnyj) (Russian), coma-co-dhiù (Scottish Gaelic), despreocupado (Spanish), bekymmerslös (Swedish), sorgfri (Swedish), sorglös (Swedish), obekymrad (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-happy-go-lucky-en-adj-EUm3fn3T Disambiguation of Emotions: 59 5 27 9 Disambiguation of Personality: 30 10 33 27 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 49 8 27 16 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 61 8 16 16 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 54 5 21 20

Adverb

Forms: more happy-go-lucky [comparative], most happy-go-lucky [superlative]
Head templates: {{en-adv}} happy-go-lucky (comparative more happy-go-lucky, superlative most happy-go-lucky)
  1. (obsolete) As luck will have it. Tags: obsolete
    Sense id: en-happy-go-lucky-en-adv-fa8OlNJZ

Noun

Forms: happy-go-luckies [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun}} happy-go-lucky (plural happy-go-luckies)
  1. One who is happy-go-lucky. Categories (topical): People, Personality
    Sense id: en-happy-go-lucky-en-noun--LJRf9p9 Disambiguation of People: 1 0 52 46 Disambiguation of Personality: 30 10 33 27
  2. (obsolete) A person who does odd jobs. Tags: obsolete Categories (topical): People, Personality Translations (carefree, blithe person): Bruder Leichtfuß [masculine] (German), Susi Sorglos [feminine] (German)
    Sense id: en-happy-go-lucky-en-noun-S5QaajCG Disambiguation of People: 1 0 52 46 Disambiguation of Personality: 30 10 33 27 Disambiguation of 'carefree, blithe person': 23 77

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for happy-go-lucky meaning in English (7.1kB)

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      "form": "happy-go-luckier",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
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    {
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          "ref": "2021 September 15, Laura Martin, “How talent shows became TV's most bizarre programmes”, in BBC",
          "text": "Hill says the shows began to morph from happy-go-lucky, fun series to production-line star-makers, which subconsciously changed the tone of the series: \"Reality talent shows made it easier and quicker for audiences to pay to vote for the winner and loser, and to comment positively and negatively on contestants in social media.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
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        "carefree or untroubled"
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      "id": "en-happy-go-lucky-en-adj-EUm3fn3T",
      "links": [
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          "carefree",
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      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "devil-may-care"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "onbekommerd"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "onbezorgd"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "zorgeloos"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "insouciant"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "sorgenfrei"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "unbekümmert"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "beztroski"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "luzacki"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "niefrasobliwy"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "despreocupado"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "bezzabótnyj",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "беззабо́тный"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "bespéčnyj",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "беспе́чный"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "coma-co-dhiù"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "despreocupado"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "bekymmerslös"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "sorgfri"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "sorglös"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "carefree",
          "word": "obekymrad"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "happy-go-lucky"
}

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          "type": "quotation"
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        {
          "ref": "2010, Viggo P. Hansen, Noah",
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      "id": "en-happy-go-lucky-en-noun--LJRf9p9"
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        }
      ],
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        "A person who does odd jobs."
      ],
      "id": "en-happy-go-lucky-en-noun-S5QaajCG",
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        "(obsolete) A person who does odd jobs."
      ],
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        {
          "_dis1": "23 77",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "carefree, blithe person",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Bruder Leichtfuß"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 77",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "carefree, blithe person",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Susi Sorglos"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "happy-go-lucky"
}

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          "ref": "1731, William Wycherley, Plays Written by Mr. William Wycherley",
          "text": "You have nothing to fear ; you have your twenty guineas in your pocket for helping me into my service, and if I get into Mrs. Martha's quarters, you have a hundred more ; if into the widow's, fifty : — happy go lucky !",
          "type": "quotation"
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        "As luck will have it."
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        "(obsolete) As luck will have it."
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          "ref": "2021 September 15, Laura Martin, “How talent shows became TV's most bizarre programmes”, in BBC",
          "text": "Hill says the shows began to morph from happy-go-lucky, fun series to production-line star-makers, which subconsciously changed the tone of the series: \"Reality talent shows made it easier and quicker for audiences to pay to vote for the winner and loser, and to comment positively and negatively on contestants in social media.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "devil-may-care"
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  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "onbekommerd"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "onbezorgd"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "zorgeloos"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "insouciant"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "sorgenfrei"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "unbekümmert"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "beztroski"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "luzacki"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "niefrasobliwy"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "despreocupado"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "bezzabótnyj",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "беззабо́тный"
    },
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      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "bespéčnyj",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "беспе́чный"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "coma-co-dhiù"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "despreocupado"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "bekymmerslös"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "sorgfri"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "sorglös"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "carefree",
      "word": "obekymrad"
    }
  ],
  "word": "happy-go-lucky"
}

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          "ref": "2010, Viggo P. Hansen, Noah",
          "text": "Suppose our 'happy-go-luckies' get sea sick.",
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        "One who is happy-go-lucky."
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          "ref": "1950, Canada. Parliament. House of Commons, Official Report of Debates",
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        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A person who does odd jobs."
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        "(obsolete) A person who does odd jobs."
      ],
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        "obsolete"
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      "code": "de",
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      "sense": "carefree, blithe person",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Bruder Leichtfuß"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "carefree, blithe person",
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  ],
  "word": "happy-go-lucky"
}

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    "English nouns",
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    "en:People",
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  "forms": [
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      "form": "more happy-go-lucky",
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1731, William Wycherley, Plays Written by Mr. William Wycherley",
          "text": "You have nothing to fear ; you have your twenty guineas in your pocket for helping me into my service, and if I get into Mrs. Martha's quarters, you have a hundred more ; if into the widow's, fifty : — happy go lucky !",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "As luck will have it."
      ],
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        "(obsolete) As luck will have it."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "happy-go-lucky"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.