pretty

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[edit] English

[edit] Alternative forms

[edit] Etymology

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Old English prættiġ (“cunning, crafty”), corresponding to prat (“trick”) +‎ -y. Cognate with Dutch prettig (“pleasant”), dialectal German (East Friesland) prettig (“funny”). The development of the first vowel is not fully explained. For the sense-development, compare canny, clever.

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Adjective

pretty (comparative prettier, superlative prettiest)

  1. Cunning; clever, skilful. [from 9th c.]
    • 1877, George Hesekiel and Bayard Taylor, Bismarck his Authentic Biography, p. 380:
      In the end, however, it was a very pretty shot, right across the chasm; killed first fire, and the brute fell headlong into the brook [...].
  2. Pleasant in sight or other senses; attractive, especially of women or children. [from 15th c.]
    • 2010, Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 4 Feb 2010:
      To escape a violent beating from sailors to whom he has sold a non-­functioning car, Jerry takes his stepfamily for a holiday in a trailer park miles away, where, miraculously, young Nick meets a very pretty young woman called Sheeni, played by Portia Doubleday.
  3. Of objects or things: nice-looking, appealing. [from 15th c.]
    • 2010, Lia Leendertz, The Guardian, 13 Feb 2010:
      'Petit Posy' brassicas [...] are a cross between kale and brussels sprouts, and are really very pretty with a mild, sweet taste.
  4. (often pejorative) Fine-looking; only superficially attractive; initially appealing but having little substance. [from 15th c.]
    • 1962, "New Life for the Liberals", Time, 28 Sep 1962:
      Damned by the Socialists as "traitors to the working class," its leaders were decried by Tories as "faceless peddlers of politics with a pretty little trinket for every taste."
  5. (dated) Moderately large; considerable. [from 15th c.]
    • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, I.2.4.vii:
      they flung all the goods in the house out at the windows into the street, or into the sea, as they supposed; thus they continued mad a pretty season [...].
    • 2004, "Because They're Worth it", Time, 26 Jan 04:
      "What did you do to your hair?" The answer could be worth a pretty penny for L'Oreal.
  6. (dated) Excellent, commendable, pleasing; fitting or proper (of actions, thoughts etc.). [from 16th c.]
    • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Boston 1867, p. 75:
      Some people are surprised, I believe, that that the eldest was not [named after his father], but Isabella would have him named Henry, which I thought very pretty of her.
    • 1926, Ernest Hemingway, The sun also rises‎‎, page 251:
      "Oh, Jake." Brett said, "we could have had such a damned good time together." Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me. "Yes", I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so?"
  7. (sarcastic) Awkward, unpleasant. [from 16th c.]
    • 1931, "Done to a Turn", Time, 26 Jan 1931:
      His sadistic self-torturings finally landed him in a pretty mess: still completely married, practically sure he was in love with Tillie, he made dishonorable proposals of marriage to two other women.

[edit] Quotations

  • (ironic use:)
  • 1995, Les Standiford, Deal to die for, page 123:
    "[...] you can still see where the kid's face is swollen up from this talk: couple of black eyes, lip all busted up, nose over sideways," Driscoll shook his head again, "just a real pretty picture."

[edit] Antonyms

[edit] Derived terms

Derived terms

[edit] Translations

cunning, clever, skilful
especially of women and children: pleasant, attractive
of objects: nice-looking
only superficially attractive
dated: moderately large
dated: excellent, pleasing
ironic: awkward, unpleasant

[edit] Adverb

pretty (not comparable)

  1. Somewhat, fairly, quite; used as a mild intensifier of adjectives and adverbs.
    • 1859, Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species, I:
      It seems pretty clear that organic beings must be exposed during several generations to the new conditions of life to cause any appreciable amount of variation [...].
  2. somewhat, fairly; contrasted with greater intensifiers.
    It's pretty good, but not outstanding.

[edit] Usage notes

  • When particularly stressed, the adverb pretty serves almost to diminish the adjective or adverb that it modifies, by emphasizing that there are greater levels of intensity.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

somewhat; used as a mild intensifier
somewhat; contrasted with greater intensifiers
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

[edit] Noun

pretty (plural pretties)

  1. Something that is pretty.
    "We'll stop at the knife store a look at the sharp pretties.
    • 1939, Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf, The Wizard of Oz
      I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!

[edit] Verb

pretty (third-person singular simple present pretties, present participle prettying, simple past and past participle prettied)

  1. To make pretty; to beautify
    • 2007, Eric Knight, Lassie Come-Home[1], ISBN 0312371314, page 29:
      He sat on the hearth rug and began prettying the dog's coat.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Statistics

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