posh

posh — adjective

1. describing a place or object that looks very elegant and costs far more than ord

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a place or object that looks very elegant and costs far more than ordinary things of its kind.

例句

Charlotte booked a table at the most posh hotel in Bath for her anniversary dinner.

collocation: posh hotel / posh restaurant

The boutique on King's Road sells posh handbags that cost more than a month's rent.

同義詞
  • fancy

    more informal; can be used for any attractive or decorative thing, not necessarily very expensive

  • luxurious

    stronger emphasis on comfort and richness; less social-class connotation than posh

  • classy

    focuses on style and taste rather than pure expense; often approving

反義詞
  • cheap

    suggests low cost and often low quality

  • shabby

    suggests worn, untidy, or in poor condition

用法筆記

Commonly used to describe restaurants, hotels, shops, apartments, and neighbourhoods. Carries a slightly admiring tone, though it can also imply disapproval if the speaker thinks the thing is too expensive for what it offers.

常見錯誤

❌This is a posh-made bag.
✅This is a posh bag.
💡'posh' is not used with a hyphen before the past participle of a verb; it directly modifies the noun.
❌She wore a posh dress to the party.' (when you mean 'formal' or 'fancy')
✅She wore an elegant evening gown to the party.
💡'posh' suggests high cost and luxury, not just formality.

2. used to say that a person belongs to the wealthy upper levels of society, or tha

2.形容詞C2
釋義

used to say that a person belongs to the wealthy upper levels of society, or that their way of speaking or behaving suggests such a background.

例句

Darius had a posh accent, as if he had grown up in a castle.

collocation: posh accent

The new maths teacher came from a very posh family and never talked about his childhood.

同義詞
  • upper-class

    more formal and factual; describes social class without the emotional tone of posh

  • aristocratic

    specifically refers to nobility or titled families; more formal and narrower in meaning

  • refined

    focuses on polished, well-educated manners; positive tone

反義詞
  • common

    in British English, this can mean 'ordinary' or 'low-class' — but can sound offensive

  • working-class

    neutral factual description of social class

用法筆記

Can sound mildly critical or envious depending on context. Frequently describes accents, families, schools, and upbringing. The superlative 'poshest' is common in informal British speech.

常見錯誤

❌He is a posh.
✅He is posh.' or 'He comes from a posh family.
💡'posh' is an adjective, not a noun describing a person.

3. a British informal expression used to describe a well-off woman who chooses to g

3.形容詞
釋義

a British informal expression used to describe a well-off woman who chooses to give birth by a planned caesarean operation rather than through natural labour; often used in the phrase 'too posh to push'.

例句

The newspaper article criticised celebrities who are 'too posh to push' and choose planned caesareans.

fixed phrase: too posh to push

Adaeze laughed when her friends called her too posh to push after she booked a C-section.

用法筆記

Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'too posh to push', which many people consider a media stereotype. The expression is informal and can be seen as dismissive or judgemental toward women who have caesarean sections.

常見錯誤

❌She is too posh to push a car.
✅The phrase only applies to choosing a caesarean birth, not to avoiding any other physical effort.

posh — adverb