Choose the right word: rapture, bliss, ecstasy, euphoria, transport

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CHOOSE THE RIGHT WORDrapture, bliss, ecstasy, euphoria, transportHappiness is one thing; bliss is another, suggesting a state of utter joy and contentment (marital bliss). Ecstasy is even more extreme, describing a trancelike state in which one loses consciousness of one's surroundings (the ecstasy of young love). Although rapture originally referred to being raised or lifted out of oneself by divine power, nowadays it is used in much the same sense as ecstasy to describe an elevated sensation of bliss (she listened in speechless rapture to her favorite soprano). Transport (usually in the plural form transports) applies to any powerful emotion by which one is carried away (transports of joy). When happiness is carried to an extreme or crosses over into mania, it is called euphoria. Euphoria may outwardly resemble ecstasy or rapture; but upon closer examination, it is usually found to be exaggerated and out of proportion (the euphoria that came over him whenever he touched alcohol).

rapture |ˈrapCHər|noun1 a feeling of intense pleasure or joy: Leonora listened with rapture.• (raptures) expressions of intense pleasure or enthusiasm about something: the tabloids went into raptures about her.2 (the Rapture) (according to some millenarian teaching) the transporting of believers to heaven at the Second Coming of Christ.verb [ with obj. ] (usu. be raptured)(according to some millenarian teaching) transport (a believer) from earth to heaven at the Second Coming of Christ.ORIGIN late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘seizing and carrying off’): from obsoleteFrench, or from medieval Latin raptura ‘seizing,’ partly influenced by rapt.

bliss |blis|nounperfect happiness; great joy: she gave a sigh of bliss.• a state of spiritual blessedness, typically that reached after death.verb [ no obj. ](bliss out or be blissed out) informal reach a state of perfect happiness, typically so as to be oblivious of everything else: [ as adj. ] : blissed-out hippies.ORIGIN Old English blīths, bliss, of Germanic origin; related to blithe.

ecstasy |ˈekstəsē|noun (pl. ecstasies)1 an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement: there was a look ofecstasy on his face | they went into ecstasies over the view.2 an emotional or religious frenzy or trancelike state, originally one involving an experience of mystic self-transcendence.3 (Ecstasy) an amphetamine-based synthetic drug with euphoric and hallucinatory effects, originally promoted as an adjunct to psychotherapy.(abbr.: MDMA)ORIGIN late Middle English ( sense 2): from Old French extasie, via late Latinfrom Greek ekstasis ‘standing outside oneself,’ based on ek- ‘out’ + histanai‘to place.’

euphoria |yo͞oˈfôrēə|nouna feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness: the euphoria of success will fuel your desire to continue training.ORIGIN late 17th cent. (denoting well-being produced in a sick person by the use of drugs): modern Latin, from Greek, from euphoros ‘borne well, healthy,’from eu ‘well’ + pherein ‘to bear.’

transportverb |transˈpôrt| [ with obj. ]1 take or carry (people or goods) from one place to another by means of a vehicle,aircraft, or ship: the bulk of freight traffic was transported by truck.• cause (someone) to feel that they are in another place or time: for a moment she was transported to a warm summer garden on the night of a ball.• historical send (a convict) to a penal colony.2 overwhelm (someone) with a strong emotion, esp. joy: she was transported with pleasure.noun |ˈtransˌpôrt|1 a system or means of conveying people or goods from place to place by means of a vehicle, aircraft, or ship: many possess their own forms of transport | air transport.• the action of transporting something or the state of being transported: the transport of crude oil.• a large vehicle, ship, or aircraft used to carry troops or stores.• historical a convict who was transported to a penal colony.2 (usu. transports) an overwhelmingly strong emotion: art can send people into transports of delight.ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French transporter or Latintransportare, from trans- ‘across’ + portare ‘carry.’