- nice-nellyism
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/nuys"nel"ee iz'euhm/, n.1. excessive modesty; prudishness.2. a euphemism: an evasive style of writing, full of circumlocutions and nice-nellyisms.Also, nice-Nellyism.[1935-40; NICE NELLY + -ISM]
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Universalium. 2010.
nice-nellyism
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nice-nellyism — nice nel•ly•ism or nice′ Nel′ly•ism [[t]ˈnaɪsˈnɛl iˌɪz əm[/t]] n. 1) excessive modesty; prudishness 2) a euphemism: timid writing, full of nice nellyisms[/ex] • Etymology: 1935–40 … From formal English to slang
nice-nellyism — nice nel·ly·ism … English syllables
nice-nellyism — noun see nice nelly … New Collegiate Dictionary
nice-nellyism — n primness, excessive propriety, prissiness, prudery, prudishness, priggishness, prig gery, overniceness, Inf. goodiness; pretentiousness, sanctimoniousness, equivocation, (esp. in Victorian England) prunes and prisms; preciosity, preciousness,… … A Note on the Style of the synonym finder
nice-nellyism — (ˈ)nīˈsnelēˌizəm noun ( s) Usage: often capitalized 2d N 1. : prudery, prudishness 2. : euphemism … Useful english dictionary
nice-Nel|ly|ism — «NYS NEHL ee ihz uhm», noun. 1. extreme modesty or prudishness: »Nice Nellyism seldom wins elections in this country (Time). 2. circumlocution; euphemism: »Mr. Pyles attributes much of the nice Nellyism that blighted polite speech and writing… … Useful english dictionary
nice nelly — noun or nice nellie ˈ ̷ ̷ˈnelē Usage: usually capitalized 2d N Etymology: probably from nice (I) + Nelly, Nellie, the name 1. : prude I m no nice Nelly Ethel Merman … Useful english dictionary
nice nelly — /nel ee/ 1. a person who professes or exhibits excessive modesty, prudishness, or the like: too much of a nice nelly to have any fun. 2. nice nellyism (def. 2). Also, nice Nelly. * * * … Universalium
nice-nelly — adjective Usage: often capitalized 2d N Etymology: from the name Nelly Date: 1925 1. marked by euphemism 2. prudish • nice nelly noun, often capitalized 2d N • nice nellyism noun, often capitalized 2d N … New Collegiate Dictionary
euphemism — I (Roget s IV) n. Syn. substitution, doublespeak, softened expression, polite term, code word, mock modesty, prudishness, indirection, metaphorical speech, verbal extenuation, word in good taste, overdelicacy of speech, affected refinement,… … English dictionary for students
