| 释义 |
dressy, a.|ˈdrɛsɪ|
[f. dress n. + -y1.]
1. a. Fond of or attentive to dress; given to elaborate or showy dressing.
1768Goldsm. Good-n. Man i. i, One of those fine old dressy things, who thinks to conceal her age, by everywhere exposing her person. 1834Lady Granville Lett. 31 Oct. (1894) II. 173, I am growing dressy..and am learning how to unite smartness and economy. 1848Thackeray Van. Fair lix, I am a dressy man.
b. transf. and fig. Excessively elaborate.
1864Bagehot Coll. Works (1965) II. 366 A dressy literature, an exaggerated literature, seem to be fated to us. 1941Blunden T. Hardy iii. 40 Hardy..was always oddly fond of heavy, dressy expressions.
2. Of garments: Having an air of dress; stylish. Now usu., formal; (of an occasion) requiring full dress.
1785E. Sheridan Let. 5 July in Jrnl. (1960) 59, I have got a Celbridge for the Honour of Ireland, these are for walks or Church, as a more dressy one I brought from London a white Persian Hat. 1818S. E. Ferrier Marriage I. 206 (Jam.) Black velvet gowns..they were dressy, and not too dressy. 1845Blackw. Mag. LVII. 735 Such a truly elegant boot, so gentlemanly, so dressy. 1902in C. W. Cunnington Eng. Women's Clothes (1952) ii. 52 Shoes are more worn than boots for dressy occasions. 1945‘L. Lewis’ Birthday Murder (1951) ii. 30 Victoria had planned to put on a red dress, but..chose a short, dressy black one instead.
transf.1882Garden 28 Jan. 63/3 Anemones..are not only very dressy, but last a long time in water. 1887F. B. Zincke Materials for Hist. Wherstead 148 The less dressy parts of a garden.
Hence ˈdressiness.
1806W. Taylor in Ann. Rev. IV. 249 Habits of dressiness..are adopted. 1877Spurgeon Lect. to Students Ser. ii. viii. 131 A hundred years ago the dressiness of the clergy was about as conspicuous as it is now. |