pretty

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   unexpectedly bad, used in an ironic manner

   That is a pretty mess.

2. 2
   adv

   to a moderately sufficient extent or degree

   pretty big

3. 3
   adj

   Pleasant to the sight or other senses; attractive, especially of women or children.

   Having brought it to a close, he took his way to the Kursaal. The great German watering-place is one of the prettiest nooks in Europe, and of a summer evening in the gaming days, five-and-twenty years ago, it was one of the most brilliant scenes.

4. 4
   adj

   Of objects or things: nice-looking, appealing.

   Some fans may have mistaken the album’s floatiness for aimlessness, but Mr. Mercer’s songs have never been sneakier, or prettier.

5. 5
   adj

   Fine-looking; only superficially attractive; initially appealing but having little substance; see petty.

   Damned by the Socialists as "traitors to the working class," its leaders were decried by Tories as "faceless peddlers of politics with a pretty little trinket for every taste."

6. 6
   adj

   Cunning; clever, skilful.

   In the end, however, it was a very pretty shot, right across the chasm; killed first fire, and the brute fell headlong into the brook […].

7. 7
   adj

   Moderately large; considerable.

   they flung all the goods in the house out at the windows into the street, or into the sea, as they supposed; thus they continued mad a pretty season […].

8. 8
   adj

   Excellent, commendable, pleasing; fitting or proper (of actions, thoughts etc.).

   Some people are surprised, I believe, that that the eldest was not [named after his father], but Isabella would have him named Henry, which I thought very pretty of her.

Etymology

From Middle English prety, preti, praty, prati, from Old English prættiġ (“tricky, crafty, sly, cunning, wily, astute”), from Proto-West Germanic *prattug, from Proto-Germanic *prattugaz (“boastful, sly, slick, deceitful, tricky, cunning”), corresponding to prat (“trick”) + -y. Doublet of pratty. Cognate with Dutch prettig (“nice, pleasant”), Low German prettig (“funny”), Icelandic prettugur (“deceitful, tricky”). For the semantic development, compare canny, clever, cute.