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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.
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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [pretty]

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pretty

PRETTY, a. prit'ty.

1. Having diminutive beauty; of a pleasing form with the strong lines of beauty, or without gratefulness and dignity; as a pretty face; a pretty person; a pretty flower.

The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant creature in the world.

That which is little can be but pretty, and by claiming dignity becomes ridiculous.

2. Neat and appropriate without magnificence or splendor; as a pretty dress.

3. Handsome; neatly arranged or ornamented; as a pretty flower bed.

4. Neat; elegant without elevation or grandeur; as a pretty tale or story; a pretty song or composition.

5. Sly; crafty; as, he has played his friend a pretty trick. This seems to be the sense of the word in this phrase, according with the Saxon proetig. And hence perhaps the phrase, a pretty fellow.

6. Small; diminutive; in contempt. He will make a pretty figure in a triumph.

7. Not very small; moderately large; as a pretty way off.

Cut off the stalks of cucumbers immediately after their bearing,close by the earth, and then cast a pretty quantity of earth upon the plant, and they will bear next year before the ordinary time. [Not in use.]

PRETTY, adv. prit'ty. In some degree; tolerably; moderately; as a farm pretty well stocked; the colors became pretty vivid; I am pretty sure of the fact; the wind is pretty fair. The English farthing is pretty near the value of the American cent. In these and similar phrases, pretty expresses less than very.

The writer pretty plainly professes himself a sincere christian.


Evolution (or devolution) of this word [pretty]

1828 Webster1844 Webster1913 Webster

PRETTY, a. prit'ty.

1. Having diminutive beauty; of a pleasing form with the strong lines of beauty, or without gratefulness and dignity; as a pretty face; a pretty person; a pretty flower.

The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant creature in the world.

That which is little can be but pretty, and by claiming dignity becomes ridiculous.

2. Neat and appropriate without magnificence or splendor; as a pretty dress.

3. Handsome; neatly arranged or ornamented; as a pretty flower bed.

4. Neat; elegant without elevation or grandeur; as a pretty tale or story; a pretty song or composition.

5. Sly; crafty; as, he has played his friend a pretty trick. This seems to be the sense of the word in this phrase, according with the Saxon proetig. And hence perhaps the phrase, a pretty fellow.

6. Small; diminutive; in contempt. He will make a pretty figure in a triumph.

7. Not very small; moderately large; as a pretty way off.

Cut off the stalks of cucumbers immediately after their bearing,close by the earth, and then cast a pretty quantity of earth upon the plant, and they will bear next year before the ordinary time. [Not in use.]

PRETTY, adv. prit'ty. In some degree; tolerably; moderately; as a farm pretty well stocked; the colors became pretty vivid; I am pretty sure of the fact; the wind is pretty fair. The English farthing is pretty near the value of the American cent. In these and similar phrases, pretty expresses less than very.

The writer pretty plainly professes himself a sincere christian.

PRET-TY, a. [prit'ty; Sax. præte, adorned; prætig, sly, crafty; Dan. prydet, adorned; Sw. prydd, id.; W. pryd, comeliness, beauty, also that is present, stated time, hour or season, visage, aspect; prydain, exhibiting presence or an open countenance, beautiful; prydiaw, to represent an object, to record an event, to render seasonable, to set apart a time, to become seasonable. This word seems to be connected with priawd, appropriate, proper, fitting, whence priodi, to render appropriate, to espouse or marry, and priodverç, a bride. Hence it is evident, the radical sense is set, or as we say, set off, implying enlargement.]

  1. Having diminutive beauty; of a pleasing form without the strong lines of beauty, or without gracefulness and dignity; as, a pretty face; a pretty person; a pretty flower. The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant creature in the world. – Spectator. That which is little can be but pretty, and by claiming dignity becomes ridiculous. – Johnson.
  2. Neat and appropriate without magnificence or splendor; as, a pretty dress.
  3. Handsome; neatly arranged or ornamented; as, a pretty flower-bed.
  4. Neat; elegant without elevation or grandeur; as, a pretty tale or story; a pretty song or composition.
  5. Sly; crafty; as, he has played his friend a pretty trick. This seems to be the sense of the word in this phrase, according with the Saxon prætig. And hence perhaps the, phrase, a pretty fellow.
  6. Small; diminutive; in contempt. He will make a pretty figure in a triumph.
  7. Not very small; moderately large; as, a pretty way off. Cut off the stalks of cucumbers immediately after their bearing, close by the earth, and then cast a pretty quantity of earth upon the plant, and they will bear next year before the ordinary time. [Not in use.] – Bacon.

PRET-TY, adv. [prit'ty.]

In some degree; tolerably; moderately; as, a farm pretty well stocked; the colors became pretty vivid; I am pretty sure of the fact; the wind is pretty fair. The English farthing is pretty near the value of the American cent. In these and similar phrases, pretty expresses less than very. The writer pretty plainly professes himself a sincere Christian. – Atterbury.


Pret"ty
  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. 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.

  3. Moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty fortune.

    "Wavering a pretty while." Evelyn.
  4. Affectedly nice; foppish; -- used in an ill sense.

    The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant in the world. Spectator.

  5. Mean; despicable; contemptible; -- used ironically; as, a pretty trick; a pretty fellow.
  6. 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.

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Pretty

PRETTY, adjective prit'ty.

1. Having diminutive beauty; of a pleasing form with the strong lines of beauty, or without gratefulness and dignity; as a pretty face; a pretty person; a pretty flower.

The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant creature in the world.

That which is little can be but pretty and by claiming dignity becomes ridiculous.

2. Neat and appropriate without magnificence or splendor; as a pretty dress.

3. Handsome; neatly arranged or ornamented; as a pretty flower bed.

4. Neat; elegant without elevation or grandeur; as a pretty tale or story; a pretty song or composition.

5. Sly; crafty; as, he has played his friend a pretty trick. This seems to be the sense of the word in this phrase, according with the Saxon proetig. And hence perhaps the phrase, a pretty fellow.

6. Small; diminutive; in contempt. He will make a pretty figure in a triumph.

7. Not very small; moderately large; as a pretty way off.

Cut off the stalks of cucumbers immediately after their bearing, close by the earth, and then cast a pretty quantity of earth upon the plant, and they will bear next year before the ordinary time. [Not in use.]

PRETTY, adverb prit'ty. In some degree; tolerably; moderately; as a farm pretty well stocked; the colors became pretty vivid; I am pretty sure of the fact; the wind is pretty fair. The English farthing is pretty near the value of the American cent. In these and similar phrases, pretty expresses less than very.

The writer pretty plainly professes himself a sincere christian.

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Reader of the KJB

— Laura (Statesboro, GA)

Word of the Day

importance

IMPORT'ANCE, n.

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance.

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

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may-duke

MA'Y-DUKE, n. A variety of the common cherry.

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