young-lady-like

comparative more young-lady-like · superlative most young-lady-like · alternative young ladylike · alternative young-ladylike

1. Resembling or characteristic of a young lady.

   This is not a very novel incident, but young ladies like stories of love and murder, and Miss Fidler’s tastes were peculiarly young-lady-like.

   1839, Mary Clavers [pseudonym; Caroline Kirkland], chapter XXVII, in A New Home—Who’ll Follow? or, Glimpses of Western Life. […], New York, N.Y.: C. S. Francis, […]; Boston, Mass.: J. H. Francis, […], →OCLC, page 173

   2 more examples

   You, who do not love writing, cannot think that any one else does: but I am sorry to say that I have a very young-lady-like partiality to writing to those that I love……

   1832 November 27, Edward FitzGerald, “Letters of Edward FitzGerald”, in William Aldis Wright, editor, Letters and Literary Remains of Edward FitzGerald […], volume I, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1889, →OCLC, page 12

   In that post-war moment of class mobility and a burgeoning popular youth culture, she was able to represent modernity and liberation, while remaining respectably 'young-lady-like'.

   2004 March 6, Rachel Moseley, “She [Audrey Hepburn]'s everybody's dream girl”, in The Observer, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 Aug 2013

   Synonyms: young-ladyish

comparative more young-lady-like · superlative most young-lady-like

1. rareIn the manner of a young lady.

   Her young Lady was ſo tenacious, ſhe ſaid, (young Lady like) of her authority, that ſhe would never forgive her if ſhe were known to make an appeal to me, or to my aunt.

   1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XV. Lady Grandison, in Continuation.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], 2nd edition, volume VI, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes, […], →OCLC, page 84

   4 more examples

   Agatha made some unintelligible answer. She thought Nathanael’s quick eyes darted from her to Mrs. Ianson and back again, as if to judge whether, young-lady-like, she had told his secret to all her female friends.

   1852, [Dinah Craik], “The Course of Agatha’s Deliberations”, in Agatha’s Husband. […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 52

   The lecturer, young-lady-like, was shocked at the idea of a “new birth.” Alluding to Miss [Anna Elizabeth] Dickinson’s remarks, that the slain in battle were dying[,] that the nation, under God, might have a new birth of freedom, she thought it strange that a nation so young should require regeneration.

   1864 March 30, Cincinnati Gazette, “[Selections.] Miss Emma Webb at Mozart Hall.”, in W[illia]m Lloyd Garrison, editor, The Liberator, volume XXXIV, number 16 (1732 overall), Boston, Mass.: J. B. Yerrinton & Son, published 15 April 1864, →OCLC, page 61, column 1

   By the way, if you have, sentimentally, and young-lady-like, preserved all cards sent to you within, say, the last ten years, you will find on glancing over them that comparisons are very much in favour of those last sent. Everyone has noticed the artistic excellence which is at present attained in the production of these little gifts of the season.

   1881 December 29, Verges [pseudonym], “Random Gossip”, in The Star, number 4271, Christchurch: […] James Clunie Wilkin, […] for the Lyttelton Times Company, […], →OCLC, page [3], column 4

   He already has a small midget his Daddy built him (complete with motorcycle engine) and eats, sleeps and drinks racing. Ironically — and young-lady-like — their daughter, Joy Ellen, 16, is more interested in ballet and tap dancing than she is in racing.

   1967 June 14, Panky Glamsch, “His Hobby Hard on Her Nerves”, in The Tampa Tribune, final city edition, 73rd year, number 165, Tampa, Fla., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 10-B, column 1