SG Heritage Dictionary

Word of the Day: Catachrestical

Polite [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Literally, smooth, glossy, and used in this sense till within a century.

2. Rays of light falling on a polite surface.

3. [This application of the word is, I believe, entirely obsolete.]

4. Being polished or elegant in manners; refined in behavior; well bred.

5. He marries, bows at court and grows polite

6. Courteous; complaisant; obliging.

7. His manners were warm without insincerity, and polite without pomp.

Polite [Verb] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. Smooth; polished.

2. Smooth and refined in behavior or manners; well bred; courteous; complaisant; obliging; civil.

3. Characterized by refinement, or a high degree of finish; as, polite literature.

Polite [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

To polish; to refine; to render polite.

Politely [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1828

With elegance of manners; genteelly; courteously.

Politely [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. In a polished manner; so as to be smooth or glossy.

2. In a polite manner; with politeness.

Politeness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Polish or elegance of manners; gentility; good breeding; ease and gracefulness of manners, united with a desire to please others and a careful attention to their wants and wishes.

2. Courteousness; complaisance; obliging attentions.

Politeness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. High finish; smoothness; burnished elegance.

2. The quality or state of being polite; refinement of manners; urbanity; courteous behavior; complaisance; obliging attentions.

Politesse [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Politeness.

Cunning Roget’s Thesaurus §702

N. cunning, craft, cunningness, craftiness, subtlety, artificiality, maneuvering, temporization, circumvention, chicane, chicanery, sharp practice, knavery, jugglery, concealment, guile, doubling, duplicity, foul play, diplomacy, politics, machiavelism, jobbery, backstairs influence, art, artifice, device, machination, plot, maneuver, stratagem, dodge, sidestep, artful dodge, wile, trick, trickery, ruse, ruse de guerre, finesse, side blow, thin end of the wedge, shift, go by, subterfuge, evasion, white lie, juggle, tour de force, tricks of the trade, tricks upon travelers, espieglerie, net, trap, ulysses, machiavel, sly boots, fox, reynard, scotchman, jew, yankee, intriguer, intrigant, floater, indian giver, keener, repeater

V. be cunning, have cut one's eyeteeth, contrive, live by one's wits, maneuver, intrigue, gerrymander, finesse, double, temporize, stoop to conquer, reculer pour mieux sauter, circumvent, steal a march upon, overreach, throw off one's guard, surprise, snatch a verdict, waylay, undermine, introduce the thin end of the wedge, play a deep game, play tricks with, ambiguas in vulgum spargere voces, flatter, make things pleasant, have an ax to grind, dodge, sidestep, bob and weave

Adj. cunning, crafty, artful, skillful, subtle, feline, vulpine, cunning as a fox, cunning as a serpent, deep, deep laid, profound, designing, contriving, intriguing, strategic, diplomatic, politic, machiavelian, timeserving, artificial, tricky, tricksy, wily, sly, slim, insidious, stealthy, underhand, subdolous, deceitful, slippery as an eel, evasive, crooked, arch, pawky, shrewd, acute, sharp, sharp as a tack, sharp as a needle|, canny, astute, leery, knowing, up to snuff, too clever by half, not to be caught with chaff, tactful, diplomatic, politic, polite

Adv. cunningly, slyly, slily, on the sly, by a side wind

Phr. diamond cut diamond, a' bis ou a blanc, fin contre fin, "something is rotten in the state of denmark"

Fashion Roget’s Thesaurus §852

N. fashion, style, ton, bon ton|, society, good society, polite society, monde, drawing-room, civilized life, civilization, town, beau monde, high life, court, world, fashionable world, gay world, vanity fair, show, manners, breeding, air, demeanor, savoir faire, gentlemanliness, gentility, decorum, propriety, biensance, conventions of society, mrs. grundy, punctilio, form, formality, etiquette, point of etiquette, dress, custom, mode, vogue, go, rage, prevailing taste, fad, trend, bandwagon, furore, thing, in thing, craze, chic, last word, man of fashion, woman of fashion, man of the world, woman of the world, height of fashion, pink of fashion, star of fashion, glass of fashion, leader of fashion, arbiter elegantiarum, the beautiful people, the fashion set, upper ten thousand, elite, smart set, the four hundred, in crowd

V. be fashionable, be the rage, have a run, pass current, follow the fashion, conform to the fashion, fall in with the fashion, follow the trend, follow the crowd, go with the stream, savoir vivre, savoir faire, keep up appearances, behave oneself, set the fashion, bring in the fashion, give a tone to society, cut a figure in society, keep one's carriage

Adj. fashionable, in fashion, a la mode, comme il faut, admitted in society, admissible in society, presentable, conventional, genteel, well-bred, well mannered, well behaved, well spoken, gentlemanlike, gentlemanly, ladylike, civil, polite, polished, refined, thoroughbred, courtly, distingue, unembarrassed, degage, janty, jaunty, dashing, fast, modish, stylish, chic, trendy, recherche, newfangled, all the rage, all the go|, with it, in, faddish, in court, in full dress, in evening dress, en grande tenue

Adv. fashionably, for fashion's sake

Phr. a la francaise, a la parisienne, a l' anglaise, a l' americaine, autre temps autre mauers, chaque pays a sa guise

Courtesy Roget’s Thesaurus §894

N. courtesy, respect, good manners, good behavior, good breeding, manners, politeness, bienseance, urbanity, comity, gentility, breeding, polish, presence, civility, civilization, amenity, suavity, good temper, good humor, amiability, easy temper, complacency, soft tongue, mansuetude, condescension, affability, complaisance, prvenance, amability, gallantry, pink of politeness, pink of courtesy, compliment, fair words, soft words, sweet words, honeyed phrases, ceremonial, salutation, reception, presentation, introduction, accueil, greeting, recognition, welcome, abord|, respects, devoir, regards, remembrances, kind regards, kind remembrances, love, best love, duty, empty encomium, flattering remark, hollow commendation, salaams, obeisance, bow, courtesy, curtsy, scrape, salaam, kotow, kowtow, bowing and scraping, kneeling, genuflection, obsequiousness, capping, shaking hands, &c. v, grip of the hand, embrace, hug, squeeze, accolade, loving cup, vin d'honneur, pledge, love token, kiss, buss, salute, mark of recognition, nod, "nods and becks and wreathed smiles", valediction, condolence

V. be courteous, show courtesy, mind one's p's and q's, behave oneself, be all things to all men, conciliate, speak one fair, take in good part, make the amiable, do the amiable, look as if butter would not melt in one's mouth, mend one's manners, receive, do the honors, usher, greet, hail, bid welcome, welcome, welcome with open arms, shake hands, hold out the hand, press the hand, squeeze the hand, press the flesh, bid godspeed, speed the parting guest, cheer, serenade, salute, embrace, kiss, kiss hands, drink to, pledge, hob and nob, move to, nod to, smile upon, uncover, cap, touch the hat, take off the hat, doff the cap, present arms, make way for, bow, make one's bow, make a leg, scrape, curtsy, courtesy, bob a curtsy, bob a courtesy, kneel, bow the knee, bend the knee, visit, wait upon, present oneself, pay one's respects, pay a visit, dance attendance on, pay attentions to, do homage to, prostrate oneself, give one's duty to, send one's duty to, &c. n, render polite, polish, civilize, humanize

Adj. courteous, polite, civil, mannerly, urbane, well-behaved, well- mannered, well-bred, well-brought up, good-mannered, polished, civilized, cultivated, refined, gentlemanlike, gallant, on one's good behavior, fine spoken, fair spoken, soft-spoken, honey-mouthed, honey-tongued, oily, bland, obliging, conciliatory, complaisant, complacent, obsequious, ingratiating, winning, gentle, mild, good-humored, cordial, gracious, affable, familiar, neighborly, diplomatic, tactful, politic, artful

Adv. courteously, with a good grace, with open arms, with outstretched arms, a bras ouverts, suaviter in modo, in good humor

Int. hail, welcome, well met, ave, all hail, good day, good morrow, godspeed, pax vobiscum, may your shadow never be less, phr, tien de plus estimable que la ceremonie, "the very pink of courtesy"