Idiom
many happy returns
Meaning
A greeting, usually for birthdays, in reference to the passing year; Happy birthday!
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Many happy returns on your birthday today.”
“I sent a card to my aunt to wish her many happy returns on her birthday.”
“As the family gathered to celebrate her milestone birthday, they raised their glasses and wished her many happy returns.”
Examples
simple
“Many happy returns on your birthday today.”
contextual
“I sent a card to my aunt to wish her many happy returns on her birthday.”
complex
“As the family gathered to celebrate her milestone birthday, they raised their glasses and wished her many happy returns.”
Origin
The earliest attributable use was by Lady Newdigate in a letter written in 1789 (and published in Newdigate-Newdegate Cheverels in 1898): Many happy returns of ye day to us my Dr Love.
Key words
Related idioms
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