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pretty(adjective)BrE / ˈprɪti / NAmE / ˈprɪti / - attractive without being very beautiful
- a pretty face
- a pretty little girl
- You look so pretty in that dress!
- She looked stunningly beautiful that night.
- She’s got a very pretty face.
- He was described as ‘tall, dark and handsome’.
- She’s a very attractive woman.
- She looked particularly lovely that night.
- She arrived with a very good-looking man.
- You look gorgeous!
- attractive and pleasant to look at or to listen to without being large, beautiful or impressive
- pretty clothes
- a pretty garden
- a pretty name
- very pretty
- She’s as pretty as a picture.
- to reach a sad or difficult state
- I never thought things would come to such a pass as this.
- Things have come to a pretty pass when we can’t afford to pay the heating bills!
- used to emphasize that you have particular skills or qualities
- ‘I didn't know you could play the piano.’ ‘I'm not just a pretty face, you know!’
- not pleasant to look at
- You should have seen him in his swimming trunks—not a pretty sight!
- a lot of money
- I bet that cost you a pretty penny.
Extra Examples- She’s very attractive, though not conventionally pretty.
- ‘I didn’t know you could play the piano.’ ‘I’m not just a pretty face, you know!’
- A pretty little girl was standing in the doorway.
- Lydia—what a pretty name!
- She’s got a very pretty face.
- That’s a pretty flower—what’s it called?
- You should have seen him in his swimming trunks— not a pretty sight!
Word Origin- Old English prættig; related to Middle Dutch pertich ‘brisk, clever’, obsolete Dutch prettig ‘humorous, sporty’, from a West Germanic base meaning ‘trick’. The sense development ‘deceitful, cunning, clever, skilful, admirable, pleasing, nice’ has parallels in adjectives such as canny, fine, nice, etc.
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