be a handsome devil

Of a male, to be particularly physically or aesthetically attractive. Wow, her fiancé sure is a handsome devil—he could be a model! Aw, look at Tommy in his sweet little suit. You're a handsome devil, you know that, Tommy? A: "Check out that dark-haired guy at the bar." B: "Ooh, he's a handsome devil."

devilishly handsome

A physically attractive male who has a roguish appeal. Who is that devilishly handsome man by the bar? Any chance you could introduce us? I'm not surprised by Maddie's new boyfriend—she'll pick the devilishly handsome bad boy every single time. So he's devilishly handsome, he cuts class, blah blah. Stuff like that does not appeal to me whatsoever.

handsome devil

A physically attractive male, possibly one with a roguish appeal. Wow, her fiancé's a handsome devil—he could be a model! Who is that handsome devil? Any chance you could introduce us? A: "Check out that dark-haired guy at the bar." B: "Ooh, he's a handsome devil."

handsome is as handsome does

proverb One's character is more important than one's physical attractiveness. Would you go out with my friend Doug? I know you don't think he's very good-looking, but he's just the nicest guy, and handsome is as handsome does. I truly don't care about looks anymore. At this point, I've had my heart broken enough times to know that handsome is as handsome does. Choose a nice guy, even if he's not a looker. Handsome is as handsome does, after all.

See also: does, handsome

handsome is that handsome does

proverb One's character is more important than one's physical attractiveness. Would you go out with my friend Doug? I know you don't think he's very good-looking, but he's just the nicest guy, and handsome is that handsome does. I truly don't care about looks anymore. At this point, I've had my heart broken enough times to know that handsome is that handsome does. Choose a nice guy, even if he's not a looker. Handsome is that handsome does, after all.

high, wide, and handsome

1. Very impressive. For such a young girl, the extent of her musical knowledge is high, wide, and handsome. His skill set is high, wide, and handsome—I wouldn't be surprised to see a team take him in the first round of the draft. His ability to memorize lines at such a young age is high, wide, and handsome, huh?

2. Very happy. Johnny's in a bit of a bad mood, but just give him a new toy to play with and he'll be high, wide, and handsome again in no time. The boss is high, wide, and handsome even after you showed him the article I wrote for this issue? Well, that's great news! Of course they're high, wide, and handsome, they've only been dating for five minutes! What do they have to be unhappy about?

See also: and, handsome

tall, dark, and handsome

cliché The stereotypical traits of an attractive man, as are often found in the heroes of romance novels and films. She kept waiting for someone tall, dark, and handsome to come into her life and sweep her off her feet. Tom was wealthy and mysterious. He was tall, dark, and handsome. He was, in short, totally dreamy.

See also: and, handsome

Handsome is as handsome does.

Prov. It is more important to treat people well than to be good-looking.; Just because you are good-looking does not mean you are a good person. Jill: I'd like to get to know George better. Jane: Why? Jill: He's so handsome. Jane: Handsome is as handsome does. He's a very unpleasant person.

See also: does, handsome

handsome is as handsome does

How one acts is more important than how one looks. For example, He may be homely, but he's the kindest man I've ever met-handsome is as handsome does. This expression already appeared in John Ray's 1670 collection of proverbs.

See also: does, handsome

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

handsome is as handsome does

pretty is as pretty does

OLD-FASHIONED

You say handsome is as handsome does or pretty is as pretty does, to mean that you should judge someone by their actions and not by their appearance. Handsome is as handsome does, my mother and grandmother always said in order to prevent self-admiration. Yes, she's pretty — but pretty is as pretty does.

See also: does, handsome

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

handsome is as handsome does

character and behaviour are more important than good looks. proverb

In this particular form the proverb dates from the mid 17th century. When used of behaviour, handsome really means ‘chivalrous’ or ‘genteel’, though in this saying it is taken to refer to good looks. The original sense is made clear in the earlier version: goodly is he that goodly dooth .

See also: does, handsome

high, wide, and handsome

expansive and impressive; stylish and carefree in manner. informal

This phrase originated in the USA, and Yankee Slang ( 1932 ) identifies ‘Ride him, Cowboy, high, wide and handsome’ as a shout commonly heard at rodeos.

1990 Times Education Supplement Your eyes are often distracted by high quality displays of work, and the library is high, wide and handsome.

See also: and, handsome

high, wide, and handsome

mod. happy; carefree. Willy is high, wide, and handsome after his great triumph.

See also: and, handsome

handsome is as handsome does

Actions, not appearances, are what count. This proverb was already an “ancient adage” in 1580 (Anthony Monday, Sunday Examples) when it was put as “goodly is he that goodly dooth”; it appeared in modern form in John Ray’s proverbs of 1670 and has been repeated over and over by numerous writers.

See also: does, handsome

tall, dark, and handsome

Supposedly what a woman wants in a man’s appearance. This standard description of the romantic hero found in women’s fiction of the first half of the 1900s was given further currency by the 1941 film, Tall, Dark, and Handsome. It starred dark-haired, good-looking Cesar Romero as an underworld boss who is really a softie at heart. See also strong silent type.

See also: and, handsome

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