sleazy
pronunciation
How to pronounce sleazy in British English:
UK [ˈsli:zi]
How to pronounce sleazy in American English:
US [ˈslizi]
-
- Adjective:
- of cloth; thin and loosely woven
- of very poor quality
- morally degraded
Word Origin
- sleazy (adj.)
- 1640s, "downy, fuzzy," later "flimsy, unsubstantial" (1660s), of unknown origin; one theory is that it is a corruption of Silesia, the German region, where thin linen or cotton fabric was made for export. Silesia in reference to cloth is attested in English from 1670s; and sleazy as an abbreviated form is attested from 1670), but OED is against this. Sense of "sordid" is from 1941. Related: Sleazily; sleaziness. A day is a more magnificent cloth than any muslin, the mechanism that makes it is infinitely cunninger, and you shall not conceal the sleazy, fraudulent, rotten hours you have slipped into the piece, nor fear that any honest thread, or straighter steel, or more inflexible shaft, will not testify in the web. [Emerson, "The Conduct of Life," 1860]
Example
- 1. In russia , mixed-sex banyas are rare and have a somewhat sleazy connotation .
- 2. Bad , sleazy government , mr narayan says , is holding india back , crippling the country in its race with china .
- 3. This coterie appreciated that their priority was to " decontaminate " the tory brand , still seen by many as sleazy , greedy and heartless .