dishy

English

Etymology

The sense "attractive" is from dish (“attractive person”) +‎ -y; the sense "tending to relay information" is from dish (“to gossip”) +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɪʃ.i/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪʃi

Adjective

dishy (comparative dishier, superlative dishiest)

1. (UK, slang) Attractive; good-looking; sexy.
2. (slang) Tending to relay information and gossip.
   • 2004, Michael Karol, Lucy A to Z: The Lucille Ball Encyclopedia, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 180:

     " […] that transformed her into a shimmering golden redhead." That color became Lucy's trademark hair color for the rest of her career. Guilaroff wrote a dishy memoir in 1996, Crowning Glory […]

   • 2006, Gary M. Kramer, Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews, Psychology Press, →ISBN:

     A reference book that also takes a playful glimpse into the personal lives of some fascinating artists and personalities Kramer peppers this superior tome with the kind of dishy details that will keep readers turning the page.

   • 2013, Elsa Watson, The Love Dog, Tor Books, →ISBN, page 153:

     Without some dishy details, Vern might not pass my name up the ladder. I jumped up, restless.

   • 2016, Hilary Liftin, Movie Star by Lizzie Pepper, Penguin, →ISBN:

     With its sympathetic narrator, suspenseful plot pivots, snappy pace, and dishy details about Hollywood's inner workings, Liftin's compelling, highly readable novel is likely to engage even readers who remain blissfully unaware of the tabloid ...

Noun

dishy (plural dishies)

1. (informal, Australia) A dishwasher (someone who washes dishes).
   • 2005, Susan Griffith, “In Extremis”, in Work Your Way around the World, 12th edition, Oxford, Oxon: Vacation Work, →ISBN, page 564:

     In hostels, everyone is expected to wash and dry his or her own dishes. If you make it known that you are willing to take over this chore in exchange for a small contribution, you may find lots of willing takers. Never underestimate the laziness of travellers. One night Roger Blake made $8 in ‘tips’ by doing this. He then asked the hostel owners whether he could set up as a ‘dishy’ for tips only.

     Roger Blake is Australian.

   • 2010, Jessica Watson, “The Starting Point”, in True Spirit: The Aussie Girl Who Took on the World, Sydney, N.S.W.: Hachette Australia, →ISBN, pages 27 and 31:

     I found a job washing dishes at Fish on Parkyn, one of the Sunshine Coast’s leading restaurants. […] When I got the job as a dishy at Fish on Parkyn I don’t think anyone there expected I would last long.

   • 2014, David Adrian Pierotti, “Importance: Create Your Dream Based On What’s Significant”, in Making a Living vs Making a Dying: How to Do What You Love and Love What You Do, Bloomington, Ind.: Balboa Press, →ISBN, page 34:

     My years as a ‘dishy’ in a commercial kitchen showed me the importance of balancing an element of play while simultaneously managing time and tasks wisely.

     The author is Australian.

   • 2015 October 15, Denise Irvine, “Luke's Kitchen, at Kuaotunu, on the Coromandel”, in Stuff‎^[1], archived from the original on 2022-03-12:

     He began as a dishy at a Whitianga restaurant, he worked at Omara's at nearby Matarangi, he did his formal training at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, and travelled and cooked in Australia and the Pacific.

   • 2017, Adrian Flanagan, “Jessica Watson”, in The Cape Horners’ Club: Tales of Triumph & Disaster at the World’s Most Feared Cape, London: Adlard Coles Nautical, →ISBN, page 274:

     Jessica [Watson] volunteered and flew to Vanuatu to join the boat, paying for the airfare with funds saved from her job as a dishy.

   • 2018 April 9, Portia Conyers-East, “Tonic & Grace Arrives on Glenferrie Road”, in Broadsheet‎^[2], archived from the original on 2024-01-21:

     Leah Blefari has seen it first hand, from working as a dishy and bakery attendant, to crewing for big hospitality companies Red Rock Leisure and Peter Rowland Catering.

   • 2019 April 2, Christopher Sanders, “Mitch Aldawsari and the secret to Real Falafel”, in The Adelaide Review‎^[3], archived from the original on 2020-08-10:

     “I started [to work] as a dishy and went from dishy to kitchen-hand and then I started working in a chicken factory as a cleaner,” he [Mitch Aldawsari] says.

   • 2021 April 19, Emma Macdonald, “Corella alights elegantly on Lonsdale Street.”, in HerCanberra‎^[4], archived from the original on 2021-04-20:

     Nem refers to head chef Nemanja Babic, a Bosnian-born immigrant who came to Australia at age 19 and began his hospitality career as a ‘dishy’ at Courgette before rising through ranks to become sous chef.

   • 2022 February 21, Johnny von Einem, “Andalusian memories with food truck La Flame”, in CityMag‎^[5], Adelaide, S.A.: Solstice Media, archived from the original on 2022-02-22:

     In transitioning into these jobs, Jarrah started at the very bottom, as a dishy.

   • 2022 July 14, Claire Sullivan, “I Went To Pizza Hut’s All You Can Eat Restaurant and Had an Existential Crisis”, in Vice‎^[6], archived from the original on 2022-07-14:

     Will, now a man in his 30s, remembered working as a dishy at Pizza Hut as a teenager.

     The article discusses Australian Pizza Hut restaurants.

   • 2023 February 22, Desiree Savage, “Dapto burger restaurant Culture Sauce is expanding their reach across Wollongong, Shellharbour”, in Illawarra Mercury‎^[7], archived from the original on 2023-03-13:

     The award-winning chef originally studied accounting but found a love for food after working as a "dishy" at Wollongong's Harbourfront to get through university.

   • 2023 July 26, Gabrielle Becerra Mellet, quoting Jess Roe, “Perth chef Jess Roe heads to cook-off, representing WA at 2023 Nestle Golden Chef Hat Awards in Sydney”, in PerthNow‎^[8], archived from the original on 2023-07-26:

     “I started as a dishy, then went behind the bar, worked as a fryer and then they had staffing issues and I ended up running the kitchen.”