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adjective
1.
pleasing or attractive to the eye, as by delicacy or gracefulness: a pretty face.
2.
(of things, places, etc.) pleasing to the eye, especially without grandeur.
3.
pleasing to the ear: a pretty tune.
4.
pleasing to the mind or aesthetic taste: He writes pretty little stories.
5.
EXPAND(often used ironically) fine; grand: This is a pretty mess!
noun
8.
Usually, pretties. pretty ornaments, clothes, etc.
9.
a pretty person: Sit down, my pretty.
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Prettiness
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
adverb
10.
fairly or moderately: Her work was pretty good.
11.
quite; very: The wind blew pretty hard.
12.
Informal. prettily.
verb (used with object)
Idiom13.
to make pretty; improve the appearance of (sometimes followed by up): to pretty oneself for a party; to pretty up a room.
14.
sitting pretty, Informal.
a.
in an advantageous position.
b.
well-to-do; successful.
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English prati(e), pratte, prettie cunning, gallant, fine, handsome, pretty; Old English prættig, prettī cunning, derivative of prǣtt a trick, wile (cognate with Dutch part, pret trick, prank, Old Norse prettr trick, prettugr tricky)
before 1000; Middle English prati(e), pratte, prettie cunning, gallant, fine, handsome, pretty; Old English prættig, prettī cunning, derivative of prǣtt a trick, wile (cognate with Dutch part, pret trick, prank, Old Norse prettr trick, prettugr tricky)
Related forms
pret·ti·ly, adverb
pret·ti·ness, noun
pret·ty·ish, adjective
un·pret·ti·ly, adverb
un·pret·ti·ness, noun
EXPANDun·pret·ty, adjective
COLLAPSEAntonyms
1. ugly.
1. ugly.
Usage note
The qualifying adverb pretty, meaning “fairly or moderately” has been in general use since the late 16th century. Although most common in informal speech and writing, it is far from restricted to them, and often is less stilted than alternatives such as relatively, moderately, and quite.
The qualifying adverb pretty, meaning “fairly or moderately” has been in general use since the late 16th century. Although most common in informal speech and writing, it is far from restricted to them, and often is less stilted than alternatives such as relatively, moderately, and quite.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To Prettiness
Collins
World English Dictionary
| pretty (ˈprɪtɪ) | |
| —adj , -tier, -tiest | |
| 1. | pleasing or appealing in a delicate or graceful way |
| 2. | dainty, neat, or charming |
| 3. | commendable; good of its kind: he replied with a pretty wit |
| 4. | informal, ironic often excellent, grand, or fine: here's a pretty mess! |
| 5. | informal lacking in masculinity; effeminate; foppish |
| 6. | (Scot) vigorous or brave |
| 7. | an archaic word for elegant |
| 8. | informal a pretty penny a large sum of money |
| 9. | informal sitting pretty well placed or established financially, socially, etc |
| —n , -tier, -tiest, -ties | |
| 10. | a pretty person or thing |
| —adv | |
| 11. | informal fairly or moderately; somewhat |
| 12. | informal quite or very |
| —vb (often foll by up) , -tier, -tiest, -ties, -ties, -tying, -tied | |
| 13. | to make pretty; adorn |
| [Old English prættig clever; related to Middle Low German prattich obstinate, Dutch prettig glad, Old Norse prettugr cunning] | |
| 'prettily | |
| —adv | |
| 'prettiness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
pretty
O.E. prættig (W.Saxon), *prettig (Mercian) "cunning, skillful, artful," from prætt, *prett "a trick, wile, craft," from W.Gmc. *pratt- (cf. O.N. prettr "a trick," prettugr "tricky;" Fris. pret, M.Du. perte, Du. pret "trick, joke," Du. prettig "sportive, funny," Flem. pertig "brisk, clever").
EXPANDConnection between O.E. and M.E. words is uncertain, but if they are the same, meaning had shifted by c.1400 to "manly, gallant," and later moved via "attractive, skillfully made," to "fine," to "beautiful in a slight way" (1440). For sense evolution, compare nice, silly. Used to qualify adjectives and adverbs ("moderately") since 1565. As a verb (usually with up) it is attested from 1916. Prettily is from c.1400; prettify first recorded 1850. Pretty-boy is attested from 1885. A pretty penny "lot of money" is first recorded 1768.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
pretty definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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