pretty
pretty — adjective
1. having a nice appearance that is gentle and refined rather than striking — for e
having a nice appearance that is gentle and refined rather than striking — for example, a young child with soft features, or a garden full of blooming flowers.
The garden looked so pretty with all the spring flowers in bloom.
pretty + noun phrase for visual appeal
Caleb bought his little sister a pretty blue dress for her birthday.
Of all the houses on the street, the one with the red roof is the prettiest.
Apinya wore a pretty pink ribbon in her hair for the school concert.
Everyone thought the kittens were so pretty that they could not choose just one.
- beautiful
stronger and more general; can describe people, nature, art, and abstract beauty
- lovely
warmer and more affectionate; often used for people and experiences
- attractive
broader in scope; can describe appeal beyond physical appearance
- cute
informal; suggests a younger, smaller, or more playful kind of prettiness
- ugly
the most direct opposite in appearance
用法筆記
Frequently used to describe women, children, and things with a delicate or refined beauty, less often used for adult men. For men, 'handsome' or 'good-looking' is more common.
常見錯誤
pretty — adverb
1. to a moderate degree; more than a little but less than very.
to a moderate degree; more than a little but less than very.
The exam was pretty hard, but Mathieu still passed it.
pretty + adjective (hard) meaning 'fairly'
Gabriel is pretty good at playing the saxophone for someone his age.
Constanza is pretty sure she locked the front door before leaving.
The hotel was pretty expensive, so the Watanabe family looked for a cheaper one.
Tomás can run pretty fast even though he is only nine years old.
文法句型
pretty + adjective/adverb
用法筆記
In informal British English, 'pretty' can be a weakener ('pretty good' = fairly good), while in American English it often leans toward a strengthening meaning ('pretty good' = quite good).
常見錯誤
2. to a large degree; very close to completely — used before 'much', 'well', 'nearl
to a large degree; very close to completely — used before 'much', 'well', 'nearly', and similar words to emphasise that something is almost the case.
Eshe is pretty much finished with her homework and only needs to check it.
pretty much + finished meaning 'almost completely'
The bridge repairs are pretty well complete, apart from the paintwork.
Devika had pretty much decided to study medicine by the end of high school.
The cake was pretty much gone within twenty minutes of being served.
Sahil pretty nearly missed his flight because of the traffic jam.
文法句型
pretty much + verb/noun
pretty well + verb
用法筆記
Only used with a small set of modifiers: 'much', 'well', 'nearly', and occasionally 'damn' (informal). Does not stand alone as an intensifier — you cannot say 'pretty finished' to mean 'almost finished'.
常見錯誤
pretty — noun
1. delicate or decorative clothing items, such as lace gloves, silk ribbons, or emb
delicate or decorative clothing items, such as lace gloves, silk ribbons, or embroidered garments, that are attractive in a refined way.
Yara opened the old trunk and found the pretties her grandmother had worn as a bride.
plural form 'pretties' for dainty clothes
The antique shop in the village sells Victorian pretties like lace collars and silk fans.
For the costume party, Yara borrowed some pretties from the theatre wardrobe.
The boutique window was full of silk pretties and embroidered shawls.
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form 'pretties'. This sense is old-fashioned and appears mainly in historical or nostalgic contexts.
2. a person or thing that is pleasant to look at, often used affectionately or play
a person or thing that is pleasant to look at, often used affectionately or playfully.
In the old photograph, the two pretties in the front row were the youngest cousins.
plural 'pretties' for attractive people
Benjamin called all the kittens in the litter his little pretties.
The market stall sold handmade glass pretties in every colour.
Look at these little pretties on the shelf — would you like one for your room?
- beauty
commoner as a noun for beautiful people; 'she is a beauty' is more modern than 'she is a pretty'
用法筆記
Usually plural and often preceded by 'little' to express fondness. Can refer to either people (especially children) or small decorative objects. Slightly dated and informal.
pretty — verb
1. to make someone or something look more attractive, usually by adding small decor
to make someone or something look more attractive, usually by adding small decorative touches or improvements.
Obi prettied up the living room with fresh flowers and new cushions.
pretty up + object + with [additions]
Sahil prettied himself before the job interview by putting on a clean shirt.
The children prettied the classroom with paper snowflakes for the holiday party.
Devika prettied up the plain white dress by adding a red silk belt.
文法句型
pretty + object
pretty up + object
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'up' (pretty up) in modern English. Without 'up', it sounds dated or poetic. The object is typically a room, outfit, or oneself.