'spectable

See also: spectable

English

Alternative forms

• spectable

Etymology

Aphetic form of respectable.

Adjective

'spectable (comparative more 'spectable, superlative most 'spectable)

1. Pronunciation spelling of respectable.
   • 1855, W[illiam] Gilmore Simms, “Pursuit and Pasturage”, in The Forayers or The Raid of the Dog-Days, New York, N.Y.: Redfield, […], pages 75–76:

     But Miss Carrie’s like a rose in de morning, and little Lottie is anoder leetle rose in de morning; and ebbry pusson dat you carss to yer ’bout is most astonishing, charming well, ’cept, as I say, de ole colonel; and de fire in he foot makes him bile ober ebbry now and den, and it’s mighty hard for a ’spectable gentleman to stan’ him when he’s in his ondecent passion!

   • 1859, George Almar, Oliver Twist. A Serio-Comic Burletta, in Three Acts. As Performed at the Royal Surrey Theatre., London: Chapman and Hall, page 38:

     Ah, them charity s’ieties does a deal o’ harm! and if they’d got money enough (which ’tis a providence they ha’ not) we shouldn’t have a ’spectable boy-thief in all London!

   • 1866 October, “A Race for a Legacy. In Three Heats. Heat the Second.”, in Julius A. Ehrenfest, editor, The Suburban Magazine: A General Periodical of Light and Amusing (Amateur) Literature, volume I, London: Office—[…], published 1867, page 45, column 1:

     “Just tell me; do I come here for society, or for quiet? Have I said before, make as little noise as you can, or have I not? Do I mean what I say, or do I not? Answer me,” resumed the man in the dressing-gown. / “Bless my skin, if I know,” said Jimmy, looking immensely bewildered. “What right have you to come abusing a ’spectable gentleman’s sarvant?”

   • 1888, C. F. Ingraham, The Best Cure, an Ethiopian Farce, in One Act, Clyde, Oh.: Ames’ Publishing Co., page 7:

     Tell lies ’bout me, will he? Hic! Oh, ya’as, he’s gwine ter cotch it—now you see if he don’t! Well he is—he orter know what de quensequances am-hic-fo’ insultin’ a ’spectable gentleman ob my standin’.

   • 1893 March, “A Wonderful Convention. Its Final Work.”, in The Clay-Worker, volume XIX, number 3, Indianapolis, Ind.: T. A. Randall & Co., page 381, column 3:

     “Hello,” says the black imp of a car porter, “let me help you up. That berth never would stay up, and it’s too bad to mash your hat so that it is not fit to wear by a ’spectable gentleman.”

   • 1901, Kate Dickinson Sweetser, “Oliver Twist”, in Ten Boys from Dickens, New York, N.Y., London: Harper & Brothers, page 15:

     Upon Oliver answering in the affirmative, the strange boy, whose name was Jack Dawkins, said, “I’ve got to be in London to-night; and I know a ’spectable old genelman as lives there, wot’ll give you lodgings for nothink, and never ask for the change—that is, if any genelman he knows interduces you.”

   • 1908, L[yman] Frank Baum, “The Den of the Dragonettes”, in Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, Chicago, Ill.: The Reilly & Britton Co., page 169:

     “Well,” said Dorothy, “I was born on a farm in Kansas, and I guess that’s being just as ’spectable and haughty as living in a cave with your tail tied to a rock. If it isn’t I'll have to stand it, that’s all.”

   • 2015, L.J. Oliver, The Humbug Murders, Pocket Books, →ISBN, page 134:

     A greedy grin etched itself upon the lad’s grubby face. “’Ow do we know you ain’t the filth?” / “Because we have money to spend tonight,” I said. “And much more where that came from. You have a sense of that, I’m sure, as you haven’t tried to part us from our gold. A long-term investment is how you’re seeing us. Tell me if I’m wrong.” / “Always keen to aid a ’spectable gentleman, so we are! The name’s Mr. Dawkins, but my chaps here call me the Artful Dodger, on account of my bein’ an artist, you see.”