pret‧ty 1 S1 W3 / prɪti / 副词 [ + 形容词 / 副词 ] spoken #

1 fairly or more than a little :

I’m pretty sure he’ll say yes.

She still looks pretty miserable.

Register

In written English, people usually avoid pretty and use fairly instead:

The consequences of this are fairly obvious.

2 very :

Dinner at Luigi’s sounds pretty good to me.

3 pretty well/much almost completely :

He hit the ball pretty well exactly where he wanted it.

The guard left us pretty much alone.

They’re all pretty much the same.

4 pretty nearly ( also pretty near American English ) almost :

The shock of Pat’s death pretty near killed Roy.

→ be sitting pretty at sit ( 9 )

THESAURUS

rather/quite especially British English more than a little, but less than very. British people often use these words before 形容词 in conversation. In many cases they do not intend to change the meaning – it is just something that people say : She seemed rather unhappy. | It’s rather a difficult question. | It’s getting quite late. | Malaria is rather common in this area.

fairly rather. Fairly is used in both British and American English : The test was fairly easy. | It’s a fairly long way to the next town.

pretty spoken rather. Pretty is more informal than the other words and is used in spoken English : Her French is pretty good. | We’re in a pretty strong position.

reasonably to a satisfactory level or degree : He plays reasonably well. | Let’s just say that I am reasonably confident we’ll win.

moderately formal more than a little, but not very : Her family was moderately wealthy. | The food was moderately good, but not as good as the food in the other restaurants. | Use a moderately high heat. | a moderately difficult climb

somewhat formal fairly or to a small degree. Somewhat is used especially when talking about the size or degree of something. It is often used in comparatives : The celebrations were somewhat larger than last year’s. | He looked somewhat irritated. | a somewhat surprising decision

pretty 2 S2 W3 adjective ( comparative prettier , superlative prettiest ) #

1 a woman or child who is pretty has a nice attractive face :
a pretty little girl Maria looks much prettier with her hair cut short. 2 something that is pretty is pleasant to look at or listen to but is not impressive :
a pretty dress The tune is pretty. What a pretty little garden! 3 not a pretty sight very unpleasant to look at – sometimes used humorously :
After a night’s drinking, Al was not a pretty sight. 4 not just a pretty face spoken used humorously to say that someone is intelligent, when people think this is surprising :
I’m not just a pretty face, you know! 5 come to a pretty pass old-fashioned used to say that a very bad situation has developed :
Things have come to a pretty pass , if you can’t say what you think without causing a fight. 6 cost a pretty penny old-fashioned to cost a lot of money 7 pretty as a picture old-fashioned very pretty

— prettily adverb :
Charlotte sang very prettily. — prettiness noun [不可数名词]