shabby-genteeladj.
Attempting to look genteel and keep up appearances in spite of shabbiness. Also absol.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > affected behaviour or affectation > [adjective] > affecting refinement
young-ladyfied1616
genteel1631
genteea1680
fal-lal1747
shabby-genteel1754
fine-ladylike1755
fine-ladyish1777
ladyish1830
silver-fork1831
haw-haw1841
lardy-dardy1861
la-di-dac1883
refained1925
1754 in Connoisseur No. 25. 146 The numerous fraternity of the shabby-genteel, who are the chief support of the clothiers in Monmouth-street.
1800 H. Wells Constantia Neville (ed. 2) II. 342 A tall meagre female,..whose habiliments might come under the description of shabby genteel.
1821 W. Cobbett Rural Rides in Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 5 Jan. 1605 Shabby-genteel houses, surrounded with dead fences and things called gardens.
a1867 A. Smith Last Leaves (1868) 76 He has..a feeling of respect for shabby-genteel virtues.
1874 J. T. Micklethwaite Mod. Parish Churches 341 A shabby-genteel imitation of an expensive building.
Derivatives
shabby-gentility n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > affected behaviour or affectation > [noun] > affectation of refinement
airs and graces1697
fine-ladyism1799
gentility1821
shabby-gentility1829
gentishness1847
genteelism1849
silver-spoonism1859
posh1915
refainment1933
the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > pleasing appearance > [noun] > attempt to maintain
shabby-gentility1829
1829 T. Carlyle German Playwrights in Foreign Rev. Jan. 115 Old threadbare material, scoured up into a state of shabby-gentility.
1836 C. Dickens Sketches by Boz 1st Ser. II. 101 This compound of the two—this shabby-gentility.
1898 G. B. Shaw Plays Pleasant & Unpleasant II. 156 The shifts of impecunious shabby-gentility.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online June 2020).
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adj.1754