frilly
/ˈfrɪli
/adjective (frillier, frilliest)
1Decorated with frills: a frilly apron...
- Waitresses dress in costumes which recall the early days of London's first tearooms, when white frilly aprons were worn over black dresses, and white caps covered their hair.
- Then I donned my pearls and frilly apron and concocted a delectable dinner of Mexican bread, mini-meat loaves and fresh green beans.
- Mish was allowed to wear a frilly apron as a concession.
Synonyms
ruffled, flounced, frilled, crimped, gathered, pleated, ruched, tucked, trimmed, lacy, frothy;
fancy, ornate
1.1Over-elaborate or showy in character or style: seafood dishes that avoid being too frilly or rich...
- As hard as she tried, Kayin couldn't picture him anywhere that wasn't frilly, rich, and perfect.
- His performance in that film shows up the Randall version for what it really was - a prissy, frilly, silly version of a far more interesting and comic character.
- It's too fancy, too frilly, too difficult to read.
plural noun (frillies) informal
Women’s underwear.Ensconced on a giant rucksack, wearing camouflage paint, a helmet and some fetching pink frillies, Lydia's mum Jodie, agreed: ‘It's absolutely fantastic.’...
- The author and actress has travelled all over the country recounting tales about knickers and written books on the history of frillies.
- Someone puts his red T-shirt in the wash with your pristine white pants and you suddenly find yourself weeping on the kitchen floor clutching a pair of pink frillies and cursing like a trawlerman.
Derivatives
frilliness
- There was no frilliness in Fleming Brown's classroom.
- Many contemporary interiors dictate the use of stylised arrangements of flowers and foliage which lack frilliness and intricate detail.
- In the 19th century in England simple medieval designs were reintroduced as a reaction to the frilliness of the design in the 1700s.