halcyon


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Related to halcyon: Halcyon Days

hal·cy·on

 (hăl′sē-ən)
adj.
1. Calm and peaceful; tranquil.
2. Prosperous; golden: halcyon years.
n.
1. A fabled bird, identified with the kingfisher, that was supposed to have had the power to calm the wind and the waves while it nested on the sea during the winter solstice.
2. A kingfisher, especially one of the genus Halcyon.

[Middle English alcioun, mythical halcyon bird, from Latin alcyōn, halcyōn, from Greek halkuōn, alteration (influenced by hals, salt, sea, and kuōn, conceiving) of alkuōn, probably from a pre-Greek Mediterranean language .]
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.

halcyon

(ˈhælsɪən)
adj
1. peaceful, gentle, and calm
2. happy and carefree
n
3. (Classical Myth & Legend) Greek myth a fabulous bird associated with the winter solstice
4. (Animals) a poetic name for the kingfisher
5. halcyon days
a. a fortnight of calm weather during the winter solstice
b. a period of peace and happiness
[C14: from Latin alcyon, from Greek alkuōn kingfisher, of uncertain origin]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

hal•cy•on

(ˈhæl si ən)

adj.
1. calm; peaceful; tranquil: halcyon weather.
2. prosperous: halcyon years.
3. happy; joyful; carefree: halcyon days of youth.
4. of or pertaining to the halcyon or kingfisher.
n.
5. a bird of classical legend, identified with the kingfisher, that was said to magically calm the waves when it nested on the surface of the sea.
6. any of various kingfishers, esp. of the genus Halcyon.
[1350–1400; Middle English alceon, alicion < Latin (h)alcyōn < Greek halkyṓn]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.Halcyon - (Greek mythology) a woman who was turned into a kingfisher
Greek mythology - the mythology of the ancient Greeks
2.Halcyon - a large kingfisher widely distributed in warmer parts of the Old World
bird genus - a genus of birds
3.halcyon - a mythical bird said to breed at the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea and to have the power of calming the winds and waves
mythical being - an imaginary being of myth or fable
Adj.1.halcyon - idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity; "a halcyon atmosphere"
peaceful, peaceable - not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war; "a peaceful nation"; "peaceful times"; "a far from peaceful Christmas"; "peaceful sleep"
2.halcyon - marked by peace and prosperity; "a golden era"; "the halcyon days of the clipper trade"
happy - enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure; "a happy smile"; "spent many happy days on the beach"; "a happy marriage"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

halcyon

adjective
1. happy, golden, flourishing, prosperous, carefree, palmy It was all a far cry from those halcyon days in 1990.
2. peaceful, still, quiet, calm, gentle, mild, serene, tranquil, placid, pacific, undisturbed, unruffled The next day dawned sunny with a halcyon blue sky.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

halcyon

adjective
Motionless and undisturbed:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations

halcyon

[ˈhælsɪən] ADJ halcyon daysdías mpl felices
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

halcyon

[ˈhælsiən] adjmerveilleux/euse
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

halcyon

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

halcyon

[ˈhælsɪən] adjsereno/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
Anne spent a fortnight of halcyon days at Echo Lodge in the golden prime of August.
As for Owen Ford, the "Margaret" of his book, although she had the soft brown hair and elfin face of the real girl who had vanished so long ago, "pillowed where lost Atlantis sleeps," had the personality of Leslie Moore, as it was revealed to him in those halcyon days at Four Winds Harbor.
"D'you know the legend of the halcyon?" said Athelny: Philip was growing used to his rapid leaping from one subject to another.
Reflections of this kind may have trifling weight with men who hope to see realized in America the halcyon scenes of the poetic or fabulous age; but to those who believe we are likely to experience a common portion of the vicissitudes and calamities which have fallen to the lot of other nations, they must appear entitled to serious attention.
Even a tramp, in those halcyon days, could get most frequently drunk.
From such halcyon dreams, they were startled one morning, at daybreak, by a savage yell.
He had been a pioneer in California, and could narrate many a strange tale of fortunes made and fortunes lost in those wild, halcyon days.
He had been a member of the crew of the smuggling schooner Halcyon when she was captured by a revenue cutter.
"In the winter, beneath the halcyon sky of Nice, which then looked down upon me for the first time in my life, I found the third 'Zarathustra'--and came to the end of my task; the whole having occupied me scarcely a year.
'Not that at any time,' she proceeded, 'its worst enemy could have said it was a cheerful house for that it was never made to be but always highly impressive, fond memory recalls an occasion in youth ere yet the judgment was mature when Arthur--confirmed habit--Mr Clennam--took me down into an unused kitchen eminent for mouldiness and proposed to secrete me there for life and feed me on what he could hide from his meals when he was not at home for the holidays and on dry bread in disgrace which at that halcyon period too frequently occurred, would it be inconvenient or asking too much to beg to be permitted to revive those scenes and walk through the house?'
The kitchen, the butler's pantry, the servants' hall, the entrance hall, were equally alive; and the saloons were only left void and still when the blue sky and halcyon sunshine of the genial spring weather called their occupants out into the grounds.
would she sit at my side when I dictate or correct, with such a still, contented, halcyon mien?" for I had ever remarked, that however sad or harassed her countenance might be when I entered a room, yet after I had been near her, spoken to her a few words, given her some directions, uttered perhaps some reproofs, she would, all at once, nestle into a nook of happiness, and look up serene and revived.