respectabilize

present singular third person respectabilizes · participle present respectabilizing · participle past respectabilized · past respectabilized · alternative respectabilise

1. transitiveTo make respectable; to give an appearance of respectability.

   There's not a notion in this book that has a more frightful, or ridiculous, mien than had the notion of human footprints in rocks, when that now respectabilized ruffian, or clown, was first heard from.

   1919, Charles Fort, chapter 11, in The Book of the Damned

   2 more examples

   Uhde’s morals were not all that they should be and as his fiancée seemed a very well to do and very conventional young woman we were all surprised. But it turned out that it was an arranged marriage. Uhde wished to respectabilise himself and she wanted to come into possession of her inheritance, which she could only do upon marriage.

   1933, Gertrude Stein, chapter 5, in The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas

   What do we want, me and Ronald and Leonardo? To be left alone! If only for half an hour at a time! Stop already hocking us to be good! hocking us to be nice! Just leave us alone, God damn it, to pull our little dongs in peace and think our little selfish thoughts—stop already with the respectabilizing of our hands and our tushies and our mouths!

   1969, Philip Roth, Portnoy’s Complaint, New York: Vintage, published 1994, pages 121–122