- ugly duckling
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an unattractive or unpromising child who becomes a beautiful or much-admired adult.[1880-85; after the bird in the story of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen]
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Universalium. 2010.
ugly duckling
Look at other dictionaries:
Ugly Duckling — Al … Deutsch Wikipedia
ugly duckling — ugly ducklings N COUNT: usu sing If you say that someone, especially a child, is an ugly duckling, you mean that they are unattractive or awkward now, but will probably develop into an attractive and successful person. She was a shy, ugly… … English dictionary
ugly duckling — An ugly duckling is a child who shows little promise, but who develops later into a real talent or beauty … The small dictionary of idiomes
ugly duckling — ► NOUN ▪ a person who turns out to be beautiful or talented against all expectations. ORIGIN from the title of one of Hans Christian Andersen s fairy tales, in which the ‘ugly duckling’ becomes a swan … English terms dictionary
ugly duckling — n. [from a story by ANDERSEN Hans Christian about a supposed ugly duckling that turns out to be a swan] a very plain child or unpromising thing that in time becomes or could become beautiful, admirable, important, etc … English World dictionary
ugly duckling — noun count someone who people think will never be attractive or successful but who becomes very attractive or successful as they get older … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
ugly duckling — noun an ugly or unpromising child who grows into a beautiful or worthy person • Hypernyms: ↑anomaly, ↑unusual person * * * noun, pl ⋯ lings [count] : a person or thing that is not attractive or successful but that is likely to become attractive… … Useful english dictionary
ugly duckling — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms ugly duckling : singular ugly duckling plural ugly ducklings someone who people think will never be attractive or successful but who becomes very attractive or successful as they get older • Etymology: From a… … English dictionary
ugly duckling — {n.} An ugly or plain child who grows up to be pretty and attractive. * /Mary was the ugly duckling in her family, until she grew up./ … Dictionary of American idioms
ugly duckling — {n.} An ugly or plain child who grows up to be pretty and attractive. * /Mary was the ugly duckling in her family, until she grew up./ … Dictionary of American idioms
ugly\ duckling — noun An ugly or plain child who grows up to be pretty and attractive. Mary was the ugly duckling in her family, until she grew up … Словарь американских идиом
