nice-Nelliness en · NOUN
Etymology
From nice Nelly + -ness.
Meanings
-
(uncountable) The state or quality of being a nice Nelly; prudishness or excessive modesty.
Sterling himself, though he had the most picturesque and inimitable vocabulary of vituperation, was highly squeamish about ordinary smut or profanity. He had indeed that nice-Nelliness which is often characteristic of the Don Juan type.
1947, Miriam Allen deFord, “Laureate of Bohemia: George Sterlin”, in They Were San Franciscans, Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd., page 306:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| nice-Nellyness | alternative | lexicographic | |
| nice-nelliness | alternative | lexicographic |