Sanguine

/ˈsæŋ.ɡwɪn/ · adjective

Meaning

(literary) Having the colour of blood; blood red..

Definitions by Sense

1. (literary) Having the colour of blood; blood red.
2. (obsolete, physiology) Having a bodily constitution characterised by a preponderance of blood over the other bodily humours, thought to be marked by irresponsible mirth; indulgent in pleasure to the exclusion of important matters.
3. Characterized by abundance and active circulation of blood.
4. Warm; ardent.
5. Anticipating the best; optimistic; confident; full of hope.
6. (archaic) Full of blood; bloody.
7. (archaic) Bloodthirsty.
8. Blood colour; red.

Example Sentences

What, what, ye sanguine, shallow-hearted boys!

I'll be no longer guilty of this sin; this sanguine coward, this bed-presser, this horse-back-breaker, this huge hill of flesh.

a sanguine bodily temperament

Eleonore Lemindre, aged 34, tailoress, of a sanguine lymphatic temperament, having suffered great depression of spirits, experienced, in the course of 1820, symptoms of what is called disease of the heart.

a sanguine temper

I'm sanguine about the eventual success of the project.

Mrs. Weston was exceedingly disappointed—much more disappointed, in fact, than her husband, though her dependence on seeing the young man had been so much more sober: but a sanguine temper, though for ever expecting more good than occurs, does not always pay for its hopes by any proportionate depression. It soon flies over the present failure, and begins to hope again.

It was clear that Dr. Gwynne was not very sanguine as to the effects of his journey to Barchester, and not over anxious to interfere with the bishop.

Synonyms for sanguine

Antonyms for sanguine

Related Words

Word Forms

• more sanguine
• most sanguine
• sanguines
• sanguining
• sanguined

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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