pretty

Adjective · Adverb
Synonyms: reasonablymoderatelyjollysomewhatfairlymiddlingpassably

WordNet 3.0

Adjective (2)

  1. pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing“pretty girl”“pretty song”“pretty room”
  2. (used ironically) unexpectedly bad“a pretty mess”“a pretty kettle of fish”

Adverb (1)

  1. to a moderately sufficient extent or degree“pretty big”“pretty bad”“jolly decent of him”“the shoes are priced reasonably”“he is fairly clever with computers”Synonyms: reasonablymoderatelyjollysomewhatfairlymiddlingpassably
Advertisement

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Pretty \Pret"ty\, adv. In some degree; moderately; considerably; rather; almost; -- less emphatic than very; as, I am pretty sure of the fact; pretty cold weather. [1913 Webster]

Pretty plainly professes himself a sincere Christian. --Atterbury. [1913 Webster]

Pretty \Pret"ty\, a. [Compar. Prettier; superl. Prettiest.] [OE. prati, AS. pr[ae]ttig, pr[ae]tig, crafty, sly, akin to pr[ae]t, pr[ae]tt, deceit, trickery, Icel. prettugr tricky, prettr a trick; probably fr. Latin, perhaps through Celtic; cf. W. praith act, deed, practice, LL. practica execution, practice, plot. See Practice.]

1.Pleasing by delicacy or grace; attracting, but not striking or impressing; of a pleasing and attractive form a color; having slight or diminutive beauty; neat or elegant without elevation or grandeur; pleasingly, but not grandly, conceived or expressed; as, a pretty face; a pretty flower; a pretty poem. [1913 Webster]

This is the prettiest lowborn lass that ever Ran on the greensward.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.Moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty fortune. "Wavering a pretty while." --Evelyn. [1913 Webster]

3.Affectedly nice; foppish; -- used in an ill sense. [1913 Webster]

The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant in the world.— Spectator.[1913 Webster]

4.Mean; despicable; contemptible; -- used ironically; as, a pretty trick; a pretty fellow. [1913 Webster]

5.Stout; strong and brave; intrepid; valiant. [Scot.] [1913 Webster]

[He] observed they were pretty men, meaning not handsome.— Sir W. Scott.[1913 Webster]

Syn: Elegant; neat; fine. See Handsome. [1913 Webster]

Advertisement