dandy

noun

1. A man very concerned about his physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of self.

   “The gallant young Indian dandy at home on furlough — immense dandies these — chained and moustached — driving in tearing cabs, the pillars of the theatres, living at West End Hotels, — […]”

   “No town-bred dandy will compare with a country-bred one—I mean a downright bumpkin dandy–a fellow that, in the dog-days, will mow his two acres in buckskin gloves for fear of tanning his hands.”

   ““Gerald Croft is an attractive chap about thirty, rather too manly to be a dandy but very much the easy well-bred young man-about-town.””

2. Something excellent in its class.
3. (British)A yawl, or a small after-sail on a yawl.
4. A dandy roller.
5. (Ireland, UK, archaic, slang)A small glass of whisky.

   “Somebody quite as notorious as Brummell, but whose follies have been far more mischievous; whose eloquence is great, but certainly not always refined; and to whose health many a dandy of whisky has been tossed off.”

6. (historical)A horse-drawn railway carriage used on some branch lines.

   “Other notable instances of horse-drawn vehicles for passenger services were the dandies used on the two-mile branch to Inchture of the Perth-Dundee line of the Caledonian Railway […], and the 2½-mile branch of the North British Railway from Drumburgh to Port Carlisle. […] One of the Port Carlisle dandies was preserved at Waverley Station, Edinburgh, for several years, but is now in the Railway Museum at York.”

7. (India)A boatman, a rower.

   “Our Dandees (or boatmen) boyled their rice.”

8. (India)A Shaiva mendicant who carries a small rod.

   “...the Dandis, distinguished by carrying a small dand or wand...”

9. (India)An open sedan chair formed by suspending a rudimentary frame or strong cloth from a pole or set of poles.

   “1870, Constance Frederica Gordon-Cumming, Good Words, p. 135:”

   “As the darkness closed in... I had to give up the attempt to use the dandy, and struggle on on foot.”

   “Major Battye and Captain Urmston joined the rear and placed the wounded man in a dandy.”

adj

1. Like a dandy, foppish.
2. Very good; better than expected but not as good as could be.

   “That's all fine and dandy, but how much does it cost?”

3. Excellent; first-rate.

   “What a dandy little laptop you have.”

   “Grip Sures are dandy shoes for anything that comes along. Hiking, climbing, canoeing, around camp or in the gym — you can't have anything better.”

   “Its gonna be just dandy / The day I take my Candy / And make him mine all mine”

   “A perfectly dandy cartoon feature, “The Jungle Book,” scooted into local theaters yesterday just ahead of the big day, and it's ideal for the children.”

name

1. A surname.
2. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal, singular)Clipping of Dandenong.
3. (in-plural, informal)The Dandenong Ranges.