on cloud nine
idiom

- to be extremely happy and excited

The Cambridge Dictionary

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ORIGIN

A common explanation for this American idiom, which appeared in the 1930s, is that it stems from a cloud classification system developed by the US Weather Bureau.

The system relied on a numerical sequence in which nine was the highest. At this level - 30,000 to 40,000 feet - cumulonimbus clouds appear as glorious white mountains in the sky. So being on cloud nine would be like experiencing georgous euphoria.

Another explanation relates to alcohol or drug-induced euphoria and floating around in a dreamy “cloud-like” state.

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THE HAPPY NUMBER 9

Mathematically, 9 has a reputation like no other. Multiply it by any number, and its digits always add back to nine. For example, 9 x 5 = 45 (4 + 5 = 9), or 9 x 43 = 387 (3 + 8 + 7 = 18, 18 = 1 + 8, 1 + 8 = 9). This unique trait gives nine a magical aura in mathematics, symbolizing cycles, completion, and the return to origins.

The 9 Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court: The U.S. Supreme Court has nine justices, a number chosen to ensure a definitive majority decision in cases. Unfortunately, the appointment of 3 pro-Trump judges has now seriously compromised the ability of the court to operate impartially.

Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, composed between 1822 and 1824, is celebrated as a masterpiece of Western classical music. Its final movement, "Ode to Joy," incorporates Friedrich Schiller's poem, symbolizing universal brotherhood and joy. This symphony is often regarded as a culmination of Beethoven's symphonic work, representing a pinnacle of musical achievement.

Apple's decision to skip the iPhone 9 and proceed directly from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone X (pronounced "ten") in 2017 was a strategic move marking the 10th anniversary of the iPhone. The iPhone X introduced significant design and functionality changes, such as an edge-to-edge display and the removal of the home button.

Another reason for 9's mystique comes from the belief that cats have "nine lives",... a seemingly miraculous ability to survive dangerous situations. So just as a cat's nine lives represent survival and persistence, the happy number 9 reminds us that endings always circle back to new beginnings,... that every ending holds the seeds of a new start. Isn’t it nice that a single number can trigger a positive thought?

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

beaming with delight, bubbling with joy, blissed out, dancing on rainbows, ecstatic, elated, euphoric, exhilarated, flying high, grinning from ear to ear, in Nirvana (high spirits), happy as a clam (a lark), jumping for joy, over the moon, in paradise, in seventh heaven, ON CLOUD NINE, on a high, on top of the world, overjoyed, pleased as punch, purring with contentment, tickled pink (to death), thrilled (to bits), walking on air

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“We’ve been ON CLOUD NINE ever since the birth of our first grandchild.”

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