1a spiritual being believed to act as an attendant, agent, or messenger of God, conventionally represented in human form with wings and a long robe:God sent an angel to talk to Gideonthe Angel of Death
an attendant spirit, especially a benevolent one:there was an angel watching over meSee also guardian angel.
(in traditional Christian angelology) a being of the lowest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy.
2a person of exemplary conduct or virtue:women were then seen as angels or whoresI know I’m no angel
used in similes or comparisons to refer to a person’s outstanding beauty, qualities, or abilities:you sang like an angel
used in approval to a person who is kind or helpful:be an angel and let us come in
used as a term of endearment:I miss you too, angel
3 informal a financial backer of a theatrical or business enterprise:every year we raise the money for the next season and we are always looking for an angelthanks to the intervention of a financial angel, he was able to make the documentary
4a former English coin minted between the reigns of Edward IV and Charles I and bearing the figure of the archangel Michael killing a dragon.
5 (angels) aviation slang an aircraft’s altitude (often used with a numeral indicating thousands of feet):we rendezvous at angels nine
6 informal an unexplained radar echo.
the angel in the house
chiefly ironic a woman who is completely devoted to her husband and family:it’s a bit late to be coming on like the angel in the house now
[phrase from a poem by Coventry Patmore]
on the side of the angels
on the side of what is right:we’re not in the business of polluting the environment, we’re on the side of the angels