I. ˈpri]d.]ē, ]t], ]i also ˈpu̇r], - R sometimes ˈpu̇] adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English prety, praty, from Old English prættig tricky, from prætt trick + -ig -y; akin to Middle Dutch perte trick, Old Norse prettr
1.
a. : marked by or calling for skillful dexterity or artful care and ingenuity especially in coping with some difficult or complicated matter
the most consummate of pretty hypocrites — Lafcadio Hearn
keeping up with the elusive dictators of fashion is a pretty game — A.L.Guérard
b. : extremely fitting or suitable : pat , apt
as pretty an example … as one can find — Oliver La Farge
2.
a. : pleasing by delicacy or grace : superficially appealing rather than impressively or strikingly beautiful
pretty verses
pretty little garden
b. : having conventionally accepted elements (as proportion, shape, color) of beauty
her pretty , rather vapid features
c. : enjoyable for melody, lilt, or suggestion, but not intense, grand, or complex
charming to the wise youth her pretty laughter sounded — George Meredith
d. : appearing or sounding pleasant or nice : suggesting charm, grace, or delicacy, but lacking strength, force, manliness, purpose, or intensity
young man with a face that was pretty in a chorus-man way — Dashiell Hammett
stringing pretty words that make no sense — Elizabeth B. Browning
pretty fancies of snow and moonlight — Nathaniel Hawthorne
3.
a.
(1) : fine , good
a pretty bargain on the car being traded in
(2) : poor , miserable , indefensible — used ironically
a pretty state of affairs
pretty mess you've made of it
you're a pretty one to talk about language now — Elinor Wylie
b. archaic Scotland : strong and brave : stout
six to ten pretty men were chosen as town guard — Mairi A. MacDonald
4. : moderately large : considerable
has a pretty collection of books — Tobias Smollett
it may involve a pretty sum — T.B.Costain
a very pretty profit
his house cost him a pretty penny
5. of weather : fair , mild , clement
a pretty day for a picnic
Synonyms: see beautiful
II. ˈpu̇(r)], ˈpri], _pə(r)] sometimes ˈpru̇] or -R ˈpu̇] before ‘near’ often ˈpru̇t or ˈprit adverb
1. : in some degree : moderately , considerably , tolerably , rather
pretty sure of the fact
pretty cold weather
pretty equally matched
left things pretty much as they were
2. chiefly dialect : prettily , finely
sang real pretty
III. pronunc at 1 pretty noun
( -es )
: a pretty person or thing : a pretty one: as
a. chiefly South and Midland : toy
b. pretties plural : dainty clothes ; especially : lingerie
IV. transitive verb
( prettied ; prettied ; prettying ; pretties )
: to make pretty : make attractive or agreeable — usually used with up
curtains to pretty up the room
once carefully tended gardens … have been hurriedly prettied up — Joseph Wechsberg