Dick's hatband
- noun
- UK
- He wore a neon suit that looked like Dick's hatband at the wedding.
Examples
-
The new sports car, with its gold rims, is as flashy as Dick's hatband.
-
She decorated the room with so many colors, it was starting to resemble Dick's hatband.
-
That outfit is so Dick's hatband!
-
Her dress was a bit too Dick's hatband for the wedding.
-
The singer's outrageous hairstyle was as flashy as Dick's hatband.
-
At the party, his outfit was so showy that everyone called it Dick's hatband.
-
That car has such a bright paint job; it's definitely a Dick's hatband on the road.
Synonyms
60
4.1
Very bright or showy in a way that attracts attention
33
6.5
Being very bright and showy to attract attention
11
4.8
A bright, showy look that tries to impress people
9
3.2
Bright or fancy in a way that draws attention
7
4.9
Very bright and showy to get attention but not in good taste
4
8.4
Having a smart, lively, and slightly bold look or manner
3
7.4
Showy in a way meant to attract attention
1
9.7
Bright, bold, showy clothes or style that attract attention
1
9.2
Attractive and stylish in a bold, showy way
1
8.0
Very bright or loud in style to attract attention
1
9.9
Looks very fashionable and showy, often wearing bright clothes
Very strange in a way that people notice
Having bright, stylish clothes or decorations that look showy for parties
Looking like a cap or acting showy and boastful
How Showy
Surface Forms
Morphology
Dick's + hatband
Although 'hatband' is literally a decorative strip on a hat, the possessive proper name 'Dick's' does not convey why something would be described as unusually showy; the overall idiomatic use (as slang for 'very flashy/eccentric') is culturally specific and not derivable from the parts. A B1 learner who knows the constituents would be unlikely to infer the figurative meaning without prior exposure, so the expression is opaque.
Etymology
Dick's hatband may come from a story about a man called Dick who always wore a loud, shiny hatband on his hat. Because the hatband stood out and drew attention, people used the name for anything 'showy' or 'flashy'.