happy-clappy

happy-clappy
 adj.— «There again, his departure may not have been quite so abrupt as it at first appears. Of the eight top executives—nine if you include Mickey Mouse—photographed in the company’s happy-clappy annual report, he’s the only one who can’t raise a smile.» —“Unhappy Grumpy” Financial Times (United Kingdom) Feb. 6, 1997. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

Join the discussion

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Further reading

Punny Names From 1916

In 1916, a small-town newspaper in Pennsylvania printed a fanciful item about a local gathering with a guest list that included, among others, Miss Ella Vader, Mr. Ray Zor, and other punny names. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...

Finding Out About Happy and Happiness

A listener in Lorain, Ohio, wonders about the origin of the terms happy and happiness. Both come from an older word hap, meaning “chance” or “luck,” also the source of happen, mishap, hapless, happenstance, happy-go-lucky, and perhaps. Language...