unlady-like

See also: unladylike

English

Adjective

unlady-like (comparative more unlady-like, superlative most unlady-like)

1. Alternative form of unladylike.
   • 1868, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, “Playing Pilgrims”, in Little Women: […], part first, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1869, →OCLC, pages 9–10:

     “Jo does use such slang words,” observed Amy, with a reproving look at the long figure stretched on the rug. Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her apron pockets, and began to whistle. / “Don’t, Jo; it’s so boyish.” / “That’s why I do it.” / “I detest rude, unlady-like girls.”

   • 1882, John W[illiam] Kirton, “Which will You Give up? A Dialogue for Young Man and Young Woman”, in Standard Temperance Dialogues: Being a Collection of Original Prose and Poetical Pieces Suitable for Anniversary, Social, and Other Meetings, London, New York, N.Y.: Ward, Lock and Co. […], page 47:

     Charles. Say—why that it was a most unlady-like piece of business. Sarah. And why if it is so unlady-like to do it, how do you make it out that it is so very gentlemanly to do it. Charles. That’s altogether a different thing. Gentlemen do many things which it would be very unlady-like for a lady to do. Sarah. No doubt, but that does not answer my question. What is there that is so specially gentlemanly in your smoking, and so specially unlady-like in my doing the same.

   • 1992, Heather Hunt, “Gender Equity in Science and its Related Fields”, in Chalkdust & Chewing Gum, St. John’s, N.L.: Jesperson Press Limited, →ISBN, page 99:

     Ladies, I’m sure that at the young age of three or four many of you loved to go outside digging in the soil and getting your hands full of clay. You were probably very interested in picking up and touching bugs such as carpenters and grasshoppers. Your parents who were concerned about your unlady-like habit most likely discouraged this natural curiosity of yours.