different between pretty vs heavenly

English

Alternative forms

• pooty, purdy (nonstandard)
• pratty (dialectal)
• prettie, pretie (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English prety, preti, praty, prati, from Old English prætti? (“tricky, crafty, sly, cunning, wily, astute”), from Proto-Germanic *prattugaz (“boastful, sly, slick, deceitful, tricky, cunning”), corresponding to prat (“trick”) +? -y. Cognate with Dutch prettig (“nice, pleasant”), Low German prettig (“funny”), Icelandic prettugur (“deceitful, tricky”). For the sense-development, compare canny, clever, cute.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?p??ti/
• (US, dialectal) IPA^(key): /?p?ti/
• (US, rare) IPA^(key): /?p??ti/
• Rhymes: -?ti

Adjective

pretty (comparative prettier, superlative prettiest)

1. Pleasant to the sight or other senses; attractive, especially of women or children, but less strikingly than something beautiful. [from 15th c.]
   • 2010, Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 4 Feb 2010:

     To escape a violent beating from sailors to whom he has sold a non-functioning car, Jerry takes his stepfamily for a holiday in a trailer park miles away, where, miraculously, young Nick meets a very pretty young woman called Sheeni, played by Portia Doubleday.

2. Of objects or things: nice-looking, appealing. [from 15th c.]
   • 2010, Lia Leendertz, The Guardian, 13 Feb 2010:

     'Petit Posy' brassicas […] are a cross between kale and brussels sprouts, and are really very pretty with a mild, sweet taste.

3. (often derogatory) Fine-looking; only superficially attractive; initially appealing but having little substance; see petty. [from 15th c.]
   • 1962, "New Life for the Liberals", Time, 28 Sep 1962:

     Damned by the Socialists as "traitors to the working class," its leaders were decried by Tories as "faceless peddlers of politics with a pretty little trinket for every taste."

4. Cunning; clever, skilful. [from 9th c.]
5. (dated) Moderately large; considerable. [from 15th c.]
   • 2004, "Because They're Worth it", Time, 26 Jan 04:

     "What did you do to your hair?" The answer could be worth a pretty penny for L'Oreal.

6. (dated) Excellent, commendable, pleasing; fitting or proper (of actions, thoughts etc.). [from 16th c.]
   • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Boston 1867, page 75:

     Some people are surprised, I believe, that that the eldest was not [named after his father], but Isabella would have him named Henry, which I thought very pretty of her.

   • 1919, Saki, ‘The Oversight’, The Toys of Peace:

     ‘This new fashion of introducing the candidate's children into an election contest is a pretty one,’ said Mrs. Panstreppon; ‘it takes away something from the acerbity of party warfare, and it makes an interesting experience for the children to look back on in after years.’

   • 1926, Ernest Hemingway, The sun also rises, page 251:

     "Oh, Jake." Brett said, "we could have had such a damned good time together." Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me. "Yes", I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so?"

7. (ironic) Awkward, unpleasant. [from 16th c.]
   • 1931, "Done to a Turn", Time, 26 Jan 1931:

     His sadistic self-torturings finally landed him in a pretty mess: still completely married, practically sure he was in love with Tillie, he made dishonorable proposals of marriage to two other women.

   • 1877 "Black Beauty", Anna Sewell

     A pretty thing it would be if a man of business had to examine every cab-horse before he hired it

Antonyms

• ugly

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• Pretty in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Adverb

pretty (not comparable)

1. Somewhat, fairly, quite; sometimes also (by meiosis) very.
   • 1723, Charles Walker, Memoirs of Sally Salisbury, V:

     By the Sheets you have sent me to peruse, the Account you have given of her Birth and Parentage is pretty exact [...].

   • 1859, Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species, I:

     It seems pretty clear that organic beings must be exposed during several generations to the new conditions of life to cause any appreciable amount of variation [...].

   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, page 539:

     The Revolutionary decade was a pretty challenging time for business.

2. (dialect) Prettily, in a pretty manner.

Usage notes

• When particularly stressed, the adverb pretty serves almost to diminish the adjective or adverb that it modifies, by emphasizing that there are greater levels of intensity.

Derived terms

• pretty much
• pretty well

Translations

Noun

pretty (plural pretties)

1. A pretty person; a term of address to a pretty person.
   • 1939, Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf, The Wizard of Oz

     I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!

2. Something that is pretty.

   We'll stop at the knife store and look at the sharp pretties.

Verb

pretty (third-person singular simple present pretties, present participle prettying, simple past and past participle prettied)

1. To make pretty; to beautify

Derived terms

• pretty up

Anagrams

• Pettry

English

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?h?v?nli/

Etymology

From Middle English heuenly, hevenly, heofonlich, from Old English heofonl?? (“heavenly, celestial; chaste”); equivalent to heaven +? -ly.

Adjective

heavenly (comparative heavenlier or more heavenly, superlative heavenliest or most heavenly)

1. Of or pertaining to the heaven believed in by many religions.
2. Synonym of celestial: of or pertaining to the heavens, the sky regarded as the realm of the sun, moon, planets, and stars.
3. Of or pertaining to the kingdom of God; divine.
   • 1817, Charles Phillips (author-editor), Speech in the Case of O?Mullan v. M?Korkill, The Speeches of Charles Phillips, page 131,

     No doubt, you have all personally considered — no doubt, you have all personally experienced, that of all the blessings which it has pleased Providence to allow us to cultivate, there is not one which breathes a purer fragrance, or bears an heavenlier aspect than education.

4. Strongly or sublimely beautiful or pleasurable.

   Oh, please continue giving me a massage – it?s absolutely heavenly.

   • 1880, Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, The Works of Mark Twain: Authorized Uniform Edition, Volume 1, page 19,

     So he flew down and got that acorn, and fetched it up and dropped it in, and was just tilting his head back, with the heavenliest smile on his face, when all of a sudden he was paralyzed into a listening attitude and that smile faded gradually out of his countenance like breath off?n a razor, and the queerest look of surprise took its place.

Synonyms

• (of or pertaining to the heaven of any of many religions): celestial; celest (obsolete); paradisal, paradisaical, paradisaic, paradisic (inexact)
• (of or pertaining to the Kingdom of God): divine, spiritual
• (strongly or sublimely beautiful or pleasurable): beatific, blissful, divine, delightful, wonderful

Translations

Adverb

heavenly (comparative more heavenly, superlative most heavenly)

1. In a manner like that of heaven; by the influence or agency of heaven; divinely, miraculously.
2. To a degree such as to elicit great pleasure.

Derived terms