Pret"ty (?), a. [Compar. Prettier (?); superl. Prettiest.] [OE. prati, AS. praettig, praetig, crafty, sly, akin to praet, praett, deceit, trickery, Icel. prettugr tricky, prettr a trick; probably fr. Latin, perhaps through Celtic; cf. W. praith act, deed, practice, LL. practica execution, practice, plot. See Practice.] 1. Pleasing by delicacy or grace; attracting, but not striking or impressing; of a pleasing and attractive form a color; having slight or diminutive beauty; neat or elegant without elevation or grandeur; pleasingly, but not grandly, conceived or expressed; as, a pretty face; a pretty flower; a pretty poem.
This is the prettiest lowborn lass that ever
Ran on the greensward.
Shak.
2. Moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty fortune. "Wavering a pretty while."
Evelyn.
3. Affectedly nice; foppish; -- used in an ill sense.
The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant in the world.
Spectator.
4. Mean; despicable; contemptible; -- used ironically; as, a pretty trick; a pretty fellow.
5. Stout; strong and brave; intrepid; valiant. [Scot.]
[He] observed they were pretty men, meaning not handsome.
Sir W. Scott.
Syn. -- Elegant; neat; fine. See Handsome.
© Webster 1913.
Pret"ty (?), adv. In some degree; moderately; considerably; rather; almost; -- less emphatic than very; as, I am pretty sure of the fact; pretty cold weather.
Pretty plainly professes himself a sincere Christian.
Atterbury.
© Webster 1913. | 
