beau-ideal — 1801, from Fr. beau idéal the ideal beauty, beautifulness as an abstract ideal, in which beau is the subject, but as English usually puts the adjective first, the sense has shifted in English toward perfect type or model … Etymology dictionary
beau ideal — beau′ ide′al n. pl. beaus ideal, beaux ideal; beau ideals 1) fot a conception of perfect beauty 2) fot a model of excellence • Etymology: 1795–1805; < F beau idéal lit., ideal beauty … From formal English to slang
beau ideal — n. [Fr beau idéal] 1. ideal beauty 2. the perfect type or conception: a sense due to mistranslation [the beau ideal of fashion] … English World dictionary
Beau ideal — Ideal I*de al, n. A mental conception regarded as a standard of perfection; a model of excellence, beauty, etc. [1913 Webster] The ideal is to be attained by selecting and assembling in one whole the beauties and perfections which are usually… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
beau ideal — ideal, exemplar, pattern, *model, example, mirror, standard … New Dictionary of Synonyms
beau ideal — pl. beaus ideal, beaux ideal for 1; beau ideals for 2. 1. a conception of perfect beauty. 2. a model of excellence. [1795 1805; < F beau idéal lit., ideal beauty. See BEAU, IDEAL] * * * … Universalium
beau ideal — noun (plural beau ideals) Etymology: French beau idéal ideal beauty Date: 1809 the perfect type or model … New Collegiate Dictionary
beau ideal — n. (pl. beaux ideals) the highest type of excellence or beauty. Etymology: F beau ideacuteal = ideal beauty: see BEAU, IDEAL … Useful english dictionary
beau ideal — [Fr.] Ideal beauty, ideal excellence, ideal standard, ideal, realized ideal, perfection, consummation, consummate flower … New dictionary of synonyms
beau idéal — noun /bo ideal/ An emulable eidolon embodying excellence in a particular respect.<ref name= COED def >The Concise Oxford English Dictionary [Eleventh Edition]</ref> … Wiktionary