Hypertext Webster Gateway: "pretty"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
Pretty plainly professes himself a sincere Christian.
--Atterbury.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
This is the prettiest lowborn lass that ever Ran on
the greensward. --Shak.
2. Moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty
fortune. ``Wavering a pretty while.'' --Evelyn.
3. Affectedly nice; foppish; -- used in an ill sense.
The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant in the
world. --Spectator.
4. Mean; despicable; contemptible; -- used ironically; as, a
pretty trick; a pretty fellow.
5. Stout; strong and brave; intrepid; valiant. [Scot.]
[He] observed they were pretty men, meaning not
handsome. --Sir W.
Scott.
Syn: Elegant; neat; fine. See {Handsome}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
pretty
adj 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"
adv : intensifier, as in "pretty big"; "pretty bad"; (`jolly' is
used informally in Britain as in "jolly decent of him")
[syn: {jolly}]
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