▪ I. reddy, a.
(ˈrɛdɪ)
Also 4–6 redy.
[f. rede red a. + -y.]
† a. Red, ruddy. Obs. b. (With names of colours.) Reddish.
| a. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. met. iii. 39 (Addit. MS.) Whan þe wode wexeþ redy [v.r. rody] of rosene floures. a 1400–50 Alexander 3369 Þe ferd was a granate, goules althire fynest, Is nane so redy, as I rede, of all þe riche stanes. 1483 Cath. Angl. 103/1 A redi dok, lappacium acutum. 1557 ? Heywood in Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 163 Her rosiall colour comes and goes..More redier to then doth the rose. 1579 Poore Knights Palace G, My reddy blood this terror did expell,..which in my cheekes was plaste. 1605 Timme Quersit. ii. v. 130 The saphiric and reddy colour of those that are ripe. a 1661 Fuller in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. xxv. 7, I will not conclude that David was of a wanton constitution because of a reddy complexion. |
| b. 1888 Pall Mall G. 17 May 2/2 Thin sheet iron, painted a reddy brown. Ibid. 4 Aug. 5/1 A powder which imparts to the hair a ‘bronze reddy gold’. 1946 G. Millar Horned Pigeon i. 1 A bedside light shone into her reddy-brown curls. 1968 D. Ireland Chantic Bird i. 5 Ma's photos..were in a flat, wooden box, covered with flowered paper. Reddy brown. 1970 A. Draper Swansong for Rare Bird vi. 45 My best shirt was reddy mauve. 1977 ‘M. Underwood’ Murder with Malice ii. 24 The reddy⁓brown stain on the mushroom-pink carpet showed where her head had lain. |
▪ II. reddy
var. ready n. 1.