Portly vs Comely - What's the difference?
portly | comely |
Somewhat fat, pudgy, overweight.
* 1824 , , Tales of a Traveller , Introduction:
* 1913 , , The Little Nugget , ch. 14:
* 2011 July 6, Nick Carbone, "
*1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , III.2:
*:Portly his person was, and much increast
* 1728 , , "A Dialogue between Mad Mullinix and Timothy":
(dated, of a person) Pleasing or attractive to the eye.
* South
* Milton
* 1918 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), , Chapter IX
(archaic) Suitable or becoming; proper; agreeable.
* Shakespeare
* Bible, Psalms cxlvii. 1
As adjectives the difference between portly and comely
is that portly is somewhat fat, pudgy, overweight while comely is (dated|of a person) pleasing or attractive to the eye.portly
English
Adjective
(er)- Indeed, the poor man has grown ten times as nervous as ever, since he has discovered, on such good authority, who the stout gentleman was. . . . He has anxiously endeavored to call up a recollection of what he saw of that portly personage; and has ever since kept a curious eye on all gentlemen of more than ordinary dimensions.
- His portly middle section, rising beyond like a small hill, heaved rhythmically.
Top 10 Worst Fictional Camp Counselors," Time (retrieved 8 May 2014):
- In Heavyweights , Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller) is a fitness guru who installs himself as the über-buff leader of Camp Hope, with the goal of helping portly youngsters shed their saggy stomachs and thunder thighs.
- Through his Heroicke grace and honourable gest.
- Be studious well to imitate
- My portly motion, mien, and gait
Usage notes
* When used to refer to someone who is overweight, portly'' is a less harsh term than ''fat .Synonyms
* See alsoDerived terms
* portlinessSee also
*comely
English
Adjective
(en-adj)- He that is comely when old and decrepit, surely was very beautiful when he was young.
- Not once perceive their foul disfigurement / But boast themselves more comely than before.
- The chief's name was To-jo, and his household consisted of seven females and himself. These women were much more comely , or rather less hideous than those of Tsa's people; one of them, even, was almost pretty, being less hairy and having a rather nice skin, with high coloring.
- This is a happier and more comely time / Than when these fellows ran about the streets, / Crying confusion.
- It is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely .