Adjective

(er)

Cunning; clever, skilful.

* 1877 , George Hesekiel and Bayard Taylor, Bismarck his Authentic Biography , page 380:

In the end, however, it was a very pretty shot, right across the chasm; killed first fire, and the brute fell headlong into the brook [...].

Pleasant in sight or other senses; attractive, especially of women or children.

* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=17 citation , passage=The face which emerged was not reassuring. […]. He was not a mongol but there was a deficiency of a sort there, and it was not made more pretty by a latter-day hair cut which involved eccentrically long elf-locks and oiled black curls.}}

* 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.

Of objects or things: nice-looking, appealing.

* 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.

* 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."

(dated) Moderately large; considerable.

*, I.2.4.vii:

they flung all the goods in the house out at the windows into the street, or into the sea, as they supposed; thus they continued mad a pretty season […].

*

, title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well. Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand.}}

* 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.

(dated) Excellent, commendable, pleasing; fitting or proper (of actions, thoughts etc.).

* 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), , 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?"

(ironic) Awkward, unpleasant.

* 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.

Adjective

(en-adj)

Easily frightened; timid.

* Jonathan Swift

The horses of the army were no longer shy , but would come up to my very feet without starting.

Reserved; disinclined to familiar approach.

He is very shy with strangers.

* Arbuthnot

What makes you so shy , my good friend? There's nobody loves you better than I.

Cautious; wary; suspicious.

* Boyle

I am very shy of using corrosive liquors in the preparation of medicines.

* Sir H. Wotton

Princes are, by wisdom of state, somewhat shy of their successors.

Short, insufficient or less than.

By our count your shipment came up two shy of the bill of lading amount.

It is just shy of a mile from here to their house.

Embarrassed.