beaut Chiefly U.S., Austral. and N.Z. slang.
(bjuːt)
Also (now rare) bute.
[Abbrev. of beauty n. 5.]
A beautiful or outstanding person or thing. Also attrib., passing into adj.
| 1866 ‘F. Kirkland’ Bk. Anecdotes 178 Hopeful is not a beauty..and though some of the rustic wits call him ‘Beaut’, he is well aware that they intend it for irony. 1896 Ade Artie i. 5 They was beauts too. 1903 S. Clapin Dict. Amer., Bute. 1909 T. H. Thompson Ballads about Business 79 Well, I guess she ain't a bute. 1910 O. Johnson Varmint i. 16 The tin one was easier, but it's a beaut. Ibid. v. 67 Some of the fellows have perfect beauts. 1929 W. Smyth Girl from Mason Creek xv. 161 We didn't quite git th'hang of things first go off, but now I reckon it will be a ‘beaut’. 1934 T. Wood Cobbers v. 68 The last of the big sticks in this sector, and a real beaut. 1936 Wodehouse Laughing Gas xiii. 139, I seemed to be getting a lot of steam behind the punch... I got those two bozoes a couple of beauts! 1944 Coast to Coast 98 ‘We're a pair of beauts,’ he said with the semblance of a grin. 1952 Arena (N.Z.) XXXII. 5, I scratched her a beaut. 1952 J. Cleary Sundowners i. 6 Ain't that a beaut farm? 1957 ‘N. Shute’ On Beach ii. 71 It's been a beaut evening. 1968 K. Weatherly Roo Shooter 22 The bushie grabbed a plate and headed for the camp oven. ‘You beaut,’ he said. ‘Coffee 'll do.’ |