dandy
pronunciation
How to pronounce dandy in British English:
UK [ˈdændi]
How to pronounce dandy in American English:
US [ˈdændi]
-
- Noun:
- a man who is much concerned with his dress and appearance
-
- Adjective:
- very good
Word Origin
- dandy
- dandy: [18] The first record of the word dandy comes in Scottish border ballads of the late 18th century, but by the early 19th century it had become a buzz term in fashionable London society. It is generally explained as being an abbreviation of jack-a-dandy ‘affected man’, a word first recorded in the 17th century which apparently incorporates Dandy, a colloquial Scottish abbreviation of the name Andrew. The word’s adjectival use started in the 19th century in close semantic relationship to the noun – ‘affectedly trim or neat’ – but American English has rehabilitated it to ‘excellent’ in the 20th century.=> andrew
- dandy (n.)
- c. 1780, of uncertain origin; it first appeared in a Scottish border ballad:I've heard my granny crackO' sixty twa years backWhen there were sic a stock of Dandies Oetc. In that region, Dandy is diminutive of Andrew (as it was in Middle English generally). The word was in vogue in London c. 1813-1819. His female counterpart was a dandizette (1821) with French-type ending. The adjective dandy first recorded 1792; very popular c. 1880-1900. Related: Dandified; dandify.
Antonym
Example
- 1. George , the prince regent , was lampooned as a dissolute " dandy of sixty " .
- 2. Which all sounds fine and dandy until you start applying it to particular cases .
- 3. That is dandy for people who already have cars ; others might prefer indonesia to build more roads .
- 4. The dandy tried to take advantage of the girl .
- 5. Whose affections do you think that dandy is trying to win ?