It first appeared in Old English as “praettig,” meaning “cunning or crafty,” based on “praett,” meaning “trick.” It soon, in the 1400s, acquired the somewhat less shifty meanings of “clever, skillful and able,” which led to its use meaning “elegantly made or done; ingenious and artful.” Applied to a person, especially ...
What is the difference between pretty and very?
is that very is to a great extent or degree; extremely ; exceedingly while pretty is somewhat, fairly, quite; sometimes also (by meiosis) very.
Does pretty mean very?
When “pretty” is used to mean “very” , this is understatement and must, unfortunately, be inferred from context. Fortunately, when a speaker wants it to be clearly understood that they’re being very positive, they will typically augment an understated phrase with intensifiers...
Why do we say pretty?
From the 1400s onward, “pretty” acquired more and more definitions, soon coming to mean “elegantly made or done” (like a pretty speech). Quickly, this positive connotation comes to describe things, places, and people. When applied to a woman or child, it meant “aesthetically pleasing,” much like it does today.
What is the mean of pretty?
Essential Meaning of pretty. 1 : attractive to look at usually in a simple or delicate way a pretty dress pretty flowers . 2 : pleasant to look at or listen to a pretty sunset/room/voice/name/poem That song is pretty. = That’s a pretty song. 3 : large or impressive He made a pretty profit selling his antique car.
What did pretty mean in Middle English?
Middle English pratie “cunning, crafty, clever” (c. The connection between the Old English and Middle English words “has several points of obscurity” [OED], and except in surnames there is no record of it 13c. ... -14c., but they generally are considered the same. The meaning had expanded by c.
How do you use the word pretty?
We can use pretty as an adverb , before an adjective or another adverb, meaning ‘quite, but not extremely’. It is informal: I’m pretty sure we’ve met before. Were you at Clare Harding’s wedding?
Is pretty better than beautiful?
Pretty is considered to be a weaker term of the adjective as compared to beautiful . Beautiful is considered to be a stronger term of the adjective as compared to pretty. Being pretty means being more general, as their looks can attract many people.
Can pretty be used for a boy?
Normally, yes . However it is still possible to say pretty to boy, but “pretty” has a more female connotation (calling boy pretty would mean he looks feminine). At the same time, you can call a girl handsome (this means she has strong features). These are not normally used this way but it is possible.
Can you call a guy pretty?
Yeah, beautiful is not a good word for a guy . I might joke around with a friend by saying “you are a beautiful man!” but it usually doesn’t come through as a compliment since it’s not very masculine. Attractive, sexy and handsome are all fine. Men definitely like to hear they’re good looking.
What word is better than pretty?
In this page you can discover 83 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for pretty, like: beautiful , lovely, enchanting, attractive, gorgeous, cute, good-looking, stunning, bewitching, dainty and ravishing.
What does you look pretty mean?
It means “ You also look cute ” or “You look cute too” or “You look cute as well”. They are complimenting you as well.
What type of word is pretty?
What type of word is pretty? As detailed above, ‘pretty’ can be an adverb , a noun, a verb or an adjective. Adverb usage: Hey, that’s pretty neat! ... Adverb usage: It’s pretty good, but not outstanding.
What is the opposite pretty?
Opposite of aesthetically pleasing to view or look at. ugly . unattractive . grotesque .
How do I become pretty?
- Make eye contact. ...
- Smile more. ...
- Wear clothes that are comfortable and fit well. ...
- Take good care of your skin. ...
- Exfoliate the right way. ...
- Find a makeup routine that works for you. ...
- Add a little shimmer to your glow. ...
- Gently curl your eyelashes.
