frilly

Everyday

1. Decorated with frills, wavy strips of cloth or lace gathered into folds, as on a dress, curtain or sock. tree →
2. (informal) Fancy and with too much decoration, as in «a frilly speech». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life it describes clothes such as frilly dresses, frilly socks or a frilly blouse, and fancy things like frilly lettuce or paper cases. In nature lessons, the «frilled lizard» of Australia spreads a frilly neck to scare enemies. In stories, frilly clothes can show a character is fancy or old-fashioned.

Examples

• She wore a frilly pink dress to the party. tree →
• The baby has frilly white socks. tree →
• The curtains had a frilly edge. tree →
• The frilled lizard opens its frilly collar to look scary. tree →
• I like plain cupcakes, not frilly ones. tree →
• Lettuce leaves have frilly edges. tree →

Note

Comparative «frillier», superlative «frilliest». Noun «frill». «No frills» means plain and simple, with no extras.