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san·guine (snggwn)
adj.
1.
a. Of the color of blood; red.
b. Of a healthy reddish color; ruddy: a sanguine complexion.
2. Archaic
a. Having blood as the dominant humor in terms of medieval physiology.
b. Having the temperament and ruddy complexion formerly thought to be characteristic of a person dominated by this humor; passionate.
3. Cheerfully confident; optimistic.



[Middle English, from Old French sanguin, from Latin sanguineus, from sanguis, sanguin-, blood.]


sanguine·ly adv.
sanguine·ness, san·guini·ty n.
Word History: The similarity in form between sanguine, "cheerfully optimistic," and sanguinary, "bloodthirsty," may prompt one to wonder how they have come to have such different meanings. The explanation lies in medieval physiology with its notion of the four humors or bodily fluids (blood, bile, phlegm, and black bile). The relative proportions of these fluids was thought to determine a person's temperament. If blood was the predominant humor, one had a ruddy face and a disposition marked by courage, hope, and a readiness to fall in love. Such a temperament was called sanguine, the Middle English ancestor of our word sanguine. The source of the Middle English word was Old French sanguin, itself from Latin sanguineus. Both the Old French and Latin words meant "bloody," "blood-colored," Old French sanguin having the sense "sanguine in temperament" as well. Latin sanguineus was in turn derived from sanguis, "blood," just as English sanguinary is. The English adjective sanguine, first recorded in Middle English before 1350, continues to refer to the cheerfulness and optimism that accompanied a sanguine temperament but no longer has any direct reference to medieval physiology.

san·gui·nar·y (snggw-nr)
adj.
1. Accompanied by bloodshed.
2. Eager for bloodshed; bloodthirsty.
3. Consisting of blood.



[Latin sanguinrius, from sanguis, sanguin-, blood.]

sangui·nari·ly (-nâr-l) adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words AntonymsAdj. 1. sanguinary - accompanied by bloodshed; "this bitter and sanguinary war"
sanguineous, slaughterous, butcherly, gory
bloody - having or covered with or accompanied by blood; "a bloody nose"; "your scarf is all bloody"; "the effects will be violent and probably bloody"; "a bloody fight"
2. sanguinary - marked by eagerness to resort to violence and bloodshed; "bloody-minded tyrants"; "bloodthirsty yells"; "went after the collaborators with a sanguinary fury that drenched the land with blood"-G.W.Johnson
bloodthirsty, bloody-minded
bloody - having or covered with or accompanied by blood; "a bloody nose"; "your scarf is all bloody"; "the effects will be violent and probably bloody"; "a bloody fight"

The explanation, Katy, is to be found in the theory of the Four Humours, ascribed to Hippokrates and popularised by Galenos. The frightening thing is that it served as the basis for internal medicine until about 150 years ago. Talk about «Intelligent Design» !...

Henri

...

Just makes one wonder what basic error 'we' are laboring beneath at present? ...

The explanation, Katy, is to be found in the theory of the Four Humours, . . .

Henri

Probably quite a few ! Let us hope that none of them prove so dire that our descendants won't be around in 200 years to have a good - if wry - laugh at our expense !...

Henri

...

And here all along I thought the Four Humors were Puns, Spoonerisms, Shaggy-dog stories, and Double-entendres.

A pun can rely on the assumed equivalency of multiple similar horse words (homonymy) ...

The four humours of the apocalypse!

Kt
or four Houyhnhnms of the apocalypse

More likely the Four Yahoos....

Henri

Sorry, Katy ! Can't we blame Swift, who's no longer around to know ?...

Henri

More likely the Four Yahoos....

Henri

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* "Let's go downstairs," said Tom to the robber condescendingly.
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* "It would never do for the credit to go to anyone else," said Tom in Otomí.
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* " ," said Tom blankly.
* "Who discovered radium?" asked Marie curiously.
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* "Don't let me drown in Egypt!" pleaded Tom, deep in denial.
* "Elvis is dead," said Tom expressly.
* "I'll never stick my arm in the lion's mouth again," Tom said offhandedly.
* "I'm wearing my wedding ring," Tom said with abandon.
* "Here I come!" he ejaculated.
* "I've changed my name to Patrick," Tom spat.
* "I know you're bluffing, because I have the other three aces," Tom called high-handedly.