gaudy 1
— gaudily , adv. — gaudiness , n.
/gaw"dee/ , adj., gaudier, gaudiest .
1. brilliantly or excessively showy: gaudy plumage.
2. cheaply showy in a tasteless way; flashy.
3. ostentatiously ornamented; garish.
[ 1520-30; orig. attributive use of GAUDY 2 ; later taken as a deriv. of GAUD ]
Syn. 2. tawdry, loud; conspicuous, obvious. GAUDY, FLASHY, GARISH, SHOWY agree in the idea of conspicuousness and, often, bad taste. That which is GAUDY challenges the eye, as by brilliant colors or evident cost, and is not in good taste: a gaudy hat. FLASHY suggests insistent and vulgar display, in rather a sporty manner: a flashy necktie. GARISH suggests a glaring brightness, or crude vividness of color, and too much ornamentation: garish decorations. SHOWY applies to that which is strikingly conspicuous, but not necessarily offensive to good taste: a garden of showy flowers; a showy dress.
Ant. 2. modest, sober.
gaudy 2
/gaw"dee/ , n. , pl. gaudies . Brit.
a festival or celebration, esp. an annual college feast.
[ 1400-50; late ME gaudium joy, delight ]