pretty

pretty

I

pret‧ty¹ S1 W3 /ˈprɪti/ adverb [+ adjective/adverb] spoken
1. fairly or more than a little:
    I’m pretty sure he’ll say yes.
    She still looks pretty miserable.
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    In written English, people usually avoid pretty and use fairly instead:
   ▪ The consequences of this are fairly obvious.
2. very:
    Dinner at Luigi’s sounds pretty good to me.
3. pretty well/much almost completely:
    He hit the ball pretty well exactly where he wanted it.
    The guard left us pretty much alone.
    They’re all pretty much the same.
4. pretty nearly (also pretty near American English) almost:
    The shock of Pat’s death pretty near killed Roy.
⇨ be sitting pretty at sit(9)
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ rather/quite especially British English more than a little, but less than very. British people often use these words before adjectives in conversation. In many cases they do not intend to change the meaning – it is just something that people say: She seemed rather unhappy. | It's rather a difficult question. | It’s getting quite late. | Malaria is rather common in this area.
   ▪ fairly rather. Fairly is used in both British and American English: The test was fairly easy. | It’s a fairly long way to the next town.
   ▪ pretty spoken rather. Pretty is more informal than the other words and is used in spoken English: Her French is pretty good. | We’re in a pretty strong position.
   ▪ reasonably to a satisfactory level or degree: He plays reasonably well. | Let's just say that I am reasonably confident we'll win.
   ▪ moderately formal more than a little, but not very: Her family was moderately wealthy. | The food was moderately good, but not as good as the food in the other restaurants. | Use a moderately high heat. | a moderately difficult climb
   ▪ somewhat formal fairly or to a small degree. Somewhat is used especially when talking about the size or degree of something. It is often used in comparatives: The celebrations were somewhat larger than last year’s. | He looked somewhat irritated. | a somewhat surprising decision

II

pretty² S2 W3 adjective (comparative prettier, superlative prettiest)1. a woman or child who is pretty has a nice attractive face:
    a pretty little girl
    Maria looks much prettier with her hair cut short.
2. something that is pretty is pleasant to look at or listen to but is not impressive:
    a pretty dress
    The tune is pretty.
    What a pretty little garden__
3. not a pretty sight very unpleasant to look at – sometimes used humorously:
    After a night’s drinking, Al was not a pretty sight.
4. not just a pretty face spoken used humorously to say that someone is intelligent, when people think this is surprising:
    I’m not just a pretty face, you know__
5. come to a pretty pass old-fashioned used to say that a very bad situation has developed:
    Things have come to a pretty pass, if you can’t say what you think without causing a fight.
6. cost a pretty penny old-fashioned to cost a lot of money
7. pretty as a picture old-fashioned very pretty
—prettily adverb:
    Charlotte sang very prettily.
—prettiness noun [uncountable]