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Prim

//pɹɪm// adj, name, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Of a person, their manner or appearance: Formal and precise; stiffly decorous.

    "Philemon was in great Surprize,⁠ And hardly could believe his Eyes, Amaz’d to ſee her look ſo prim; And ſhe admir’d as much at him."

  2. 2
    Of a person: Prudish; straight-laced. broadly
  3. 3
    Of things: Neat; trim.

    "prim regularity"

Adjective
  1. 1
    exaggeratedly proper wordnet
  2. 2
    affectedly dainty or refined wordnet
Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    A prim person. archaic, obsolete
  2. 2
    privet archaic
Verb
  1. 1
    To make one's expression prim. archaic, intransitive
  2. 2
    dress primly wordnet
  3. 3
    To give a prim or demure expression to (one's face, mouth, or (rare) lips). archaic, transitive
  4. 4
    contract one's lips wordnet
  5. 5
    To dress (one) up affectedly or demurely. archaic, transitive
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    assume a prim appearance wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

Of uncertain origin. In the verb sense, first appeared in Thomas D'Urfey's A Fool's Preferment in the year 1688. In the noun sense, first appeared in A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew in the year 1699, meaning "prig." Now obsolete. In the adjective sense, first appeared in Sir Richard Steele's The Funeral in the year 1702, meaning "consciously or affectedly strict or precise; stiffly formal and respectable." Oxford English Dictionary proposed a relation with primp and prink. Chiefly Scottish and U.S.

Etymology 2

Of uncertain origin. In the verb sense, first appeared in Thomas D'Urfey's A Fool's Preferment in the year 1688. In the noun sense, first appeared in A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew in the year 1699, meaning "prig." Now obsolete. In the adjective sense, first appeared in Sir Richard Steele's The Funeral in the year 1702, meaning "consciously or affectedly strict or precise; stiffly formal and respectable." Oxford English Dictionary proposed a relation with primp and prink. Chiefly Scottish and U.S.

Etymology 3

Of uncertain origin. In the verb sense, first appeared in Thomas D'Urfey's A Fool's Preferment in the year 1688. In the noun sense, first appeared in A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew in the year 1699, meaning "prig." Now obsolete. In the adjective sense, first appeared in Sir Richard Steele's The Funeral in the year 1702, meaning "consciously or affectedly strict or precise; stiffly formal and respectable." Oxford English Dictionary proposed a relation with primp and prink. Chiefly Scottish and U.S.

Etymology 4

Unknown; see privet.

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