I. noun
or dan·di ˈdändē, ˈdan-
( plural dandies or dandis )
Etymology: Hindi ḍā̃ḍī, from ḍā̃ḍ oar, pole, staff, from Sanskrit daṇḍa stick
1. : a boatman on the Ganges river
2. : a palanquin used in India and made with a pole projecting at each end
II. ˈdandē, ˈdaan-, -ndi noun
( -es )
Etymology: probably short for jack-a-dandy
1. : a man who gives fastidious and exaggerated attention to dress or personal appearance (as by always dressing in the height of fashion or by adopting carefully affected styles of dress)
he became a dandy given to lavender-colored suits with long jackets and brief double-breasted waistcoats — Walter Marsden
2. : something especially excellent in its class
a dandy — good-natured, willing and awfully good at his job — D.B.Putnam
a little dandy of a tent — New Yorker
this novel is a dandy
— not often in formal use
3.
[by shortening]
: dandy roll
4. : a small 2-masted sailboat with a modified ketch rig
5. : a device resembling a small capstan used to hoist the trawl in fishing
6. : a large pail or can usually mounted on wheels and used for pouring tar or asphalt in road building
III. adjective
( usually -er/-est )
1. : of, relating to, or suggestive of a dandy : foppish
gave himself dandy airs
a dandy sort of fellow
2. : very good : first-rate , fine
a dandy new bicycle
a dandy place for a picnic
dandy weather
— not often in formal use