■ adjective ( prettier , prettiest )
1》 attractive in a delicate way without being truly beautiful.
2》 informal used ironically to express displeasure: he led me a ~ dance.
■ adverb informal to a moderately high degree; fairly.
■ noun ( plural pretties ) informal a ~ thing; a trinket.
↘(used condescendingly) an attractive person.
■ verb ( pretties , ~ing , prettied ) make ~ or attractive.
Phrases
~ much (or nearly or well ) informal very nearly.
a ~ penny informal a large sum of money.
be sitting ~ informal be in an advantageous position or situation.
Derivatives
prettily adverb
prettiness noun
~ish adjective
Word History
In Old English ~ (spelled prættig ) meant 'cunning or crafty', coming as it did from a West Germanic base meaning 'trick'. By the Middle Ages ~ had come to mean 'clever, skilful, or ingenious'. The sense development 'deceitful, cunning, clever, skilful, admirable, pleasing, attractive' has parallels in adjectives such as nice .