Paltrier

Paltrier
paltry pal"try (p[add]l"tr[y^]), a. [Compar. {Paltrier} (p[add]l"tr[i^]*[~e]r); superl. {Paltriest}.] [Cf. Prov. E. paltry refuse, rubbish, LG. palterig ragged, palte, palter, a rag, a tatter, Dan. pialt, Sw. palta, pl. paltor.] Mean; vile; worthless; despicable; contemptible; pitiful; trifling; as, a paltry excuse; paltry gold. --Cowper. [1913 Webster]

The paltry prize is hardly worth the cost. --Byron. [1913 Webster]

Syn: See {Contemptible}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • paltrier — pal·try || pɔːltrɪ adj. worthless, having no value; petty, trivial; contemptible, mean, base …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Paltriest — paltry pal try (p[add]l tr[y^]), a. [Compar. {Paltrier} (p[add]l tr[i^]*[ e]r); superl. {Paltriest}.] [Cf. Prov. E. paltry refuse, rubbish, LG. palterig ragged, palte, palter, a rag, a tatter, Dan. pialt, Sw. palta, pl. paltor.] Mean; vile;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • paltry — pal try (p[add]l tr[y^]), a. [Compar. {Paltrier} (p[add]l tr[i^]*[ e]r); superl. {Paltriest}.] [Cf. Prov. E. paltry refuse, rubbish, LG. palterig ragged, palte, palter, a rag, a tatter, Dan. pialt, Sw. palta, pl. paltor.] Mean; vile; worthless;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • paltry — adjective (paltrier; est) Etymology: obsolete paltry trash, from dialect palt, pelt piece of coarse cloth, trash; akin to Middle Low German palte rag Date: 1570 1. inferior, trashy 2. mean, despicable < a paltry trick > 3 …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • paltry — paltrily, adv. paltriness, n. /pawl tree/, adj., paltrier, paltriest. 1. ridiculously or insultingly small: a paltry sum. 2. utterly worthless. 3. mean or contemptible: a paltry coward. [1560 70; < LG paltrig ragged, equiv. to *palter rag ( …   Universalium

  • PALMER, Rosina Martha Hozanah (1844-1932) — singer daughter of Jerome and Marie Carandini (q.v.) was born in Tasmania on 27 August 1844. As a child she accompanied her mother on a concert tour in the east, and at an early age developed a soprano voice of excellent range and quality. She… …   Dictionary of Australian Biography

  • paltry — adjective (paltrier, paltriest) 1》 (of an amount) very small or meagre. 2》 petty; trivial. Derivatives paltriness noun Origin C16: appar. based on dialect pelt rubbish ; cf. Low Ger. paltrig ragged …   English new terms dictionary

  • paltry — UK [ˈpɔːltrɪ] / US [ˈpɔltrɪ] adjective Word forms paltry : adjective paltry comparative paltrier superlative paltriest 1) a paltry amount or number is very small 2) not very good, important, or valuable …   English dictionary

  • paltry — /ˈpɔltri / (say pawltree) adjective (paltrier, paltriest) 1. trifling; petty: a paltry sum. 2. trashy or worthless: paltry rags. 3. mean or contemptible: a paltry coward. {apparently from dialect palt rubbish. Compare Low German paltrig}… …  

  • paltriness — paltry ► ADJECTIVE (paltrier, paltriest) 1) (of an amount) very small or meagre. 2) petty; trivial. DERIVATIVES paltriness noun. ORIGIN probably from dialect pelt «rubbish» …   English terms dictionary

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