ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ruddy

adj.
C2 Proficiency US //ˈɹədi// UK //ɹˈʌdi// rud·dy Informal Slang

adj. having a healthy, reddish color in the face. It is also used as a mild swear word in British English to show you are annoyed.

adj. having a healthy, reddish complexion, often associated with outdoor life or physical exertion. In British English, it also functions as a mild intensifier to express annoyance or emphasis.


SIMPLE

He has a ruddy face from working outside all day.

CONTEXTUAL

The farmer's ruddy cheeks glowed in the cold morning air as he tended to his livestock.

COMPLEX

The portrait captured the subject's ruddy complexion and weathered features, suggesting a life spent largely at the mercy of the elements.

Synonyms
Usage

When used as an intensifier, it is informal and primarily British; it typically precedes the noun or adjective it modifies.

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