lady-like

comparative more lady-like · superlative most lady-like

1. alternativeAlternative form of ladylike.

   Ladies in English legend have been known to turn into foxes; but do so ladily, in a properly lady-like manner.

   1967, Japan Quarterly, page 76

   4 more examples

   They put me in mind of a poor Girl, a Miss Peachy (a real, & in the end, a melancholy Story)—she was a fine young Woman; but thinking herself too ruddy & blowsy, it was her Custom to bleed herself (an Art she had learn’d on purpose) 3 or 4 times against the Rugby Races in order to appear more dainty & Lady-like at the balls, &c

   1778, Samuel Crisp, The early journals and letters of Fanny Burney, volume III, published 1994, page 188

   “Having understood as much, I was rather astonished to find her so very lady-like! But she is really quite the gentlewoman.”

   1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter XIV, in Emma: […], volume II, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, page 273

   They were shewn into a back sitting-room on the ground-floor, where a certain air of elegant untidiness denoted the lady-like superiority of Mrs. Smallwood.

   1842, [Katherine] Thomson, chapter V, in Widows and Widowers. A Romance of Real Life., volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 68

   The images of strong, active women were inspiring, a long way from the days when females were relegated to "lady-like" sports and young girls were left on the sidelines while their brothers played.

   1997 spring, Sandra Perlmutter, “Message from the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports”, in Linda K. Bunker, editor, Physical Activity & Sport in the Lives of Girls: Physical & Mental Health Dimensions from an Interdisciplinary Approach: Executive Summary: The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: Report […], Washington, D.C.: President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, →OCLC, page 5

comparative more lady-like · superlative most lady-like

1. alternativeAlternative form of ladylike.

   She walked lady-like into the chamber, sighing and projecting an indignant posture as if all of the proceedings were beneath her.

   2015 December 14, Kori Mayer, “Execution”, in Black Widow: The True Story of Louise Peete, [North Charleston, S.C.]: [CreateSpace], →ISBN, page 26

   2 more examples

   Did not the beſt of men the Virgin give / Into his hands by whom himſelfe did live, / Nor did they two yeares after talke of force, / Or Lady-like, make ſuite for a divorſe; […]

   a. 1636, R[ichard] Corbet, “Upon the Death of the Lady Haddington Dying of the Small Pox”, in Certain Elegant Poems, London: […] R[ichard] Cotes for Andrew Crooke […], published 1647, →OCLC, page 44

   If I felt the least bit joyous, and tripped lightly through the house or yard, I was immediately called back to “walk lady-like.”

   1901 June 15, Christie Irving, “Hop-Scotch”, in Farm and Fireside, Eastern edition, volume XXIV, number 18, Springfield, Oh., →OCLC, page 12, column 2