sanguine

Everyday

1. (formal) Cheerful and hopeful about what will happen, even when things are hard. tree →
2. (old, literary) Of a face: rosy, red. tree →
3. (old, history) In old medicine, a person «ruled» by blood, thought to be cheerful. tree →

In the lessons

Formal and literary. Used in news and grown-up talk: «not very sanguine about our chances». In stories it describes an optimistic character, like Toad, who is always sure the next plan will work. History: old doctors believed in four «humours» — this was wrong.

Examples

• Toad was sanguine about his chances of escape. tree →
• The coach was sanguine about the next match. tree →
• She is not sanguine about the weather for sports day. tree →
• He had a sanguine, rosy face. tree →
• Despite the rain, Dad remained sanguine. tree →
• The doctors were sanguine that she would recover. tree →

Note

Formal; in everyday talk say «hopeful» or «optimistic». Say «SANG-gwin». It comes from Latin «sanguis» (blood). Trap: it does NOT mean bloody or bloodthirsty (that is «sanguinary»).