You need to pick up some Sherlock Holmes stories. There are a lot of handsome women in them. There are even handsome pearls, if you like those more. ;)
handsome girl
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I've always said "beautiful men" and nobody can cange my mind to stop saying it
My understanding is that a "handsome woman" wasn't pretty or beautiful in the conventional sense, but attractive in an angular, masculine way.
My understanding is that a "handsome woman" wasn't pretty or beautiful in the conventional sense, but attractive in an angular, masculine way. Singer Grace Jones would certainly fit.
Jane Austen's heroine Emma Wodehouse in the opening sentence of the eponymous novel "Emma" described herself as "handsome, clever and rich". So make what you will out of that. I don't think for one moment that Emma herself was considered a great beauty - in fact she was apparently merely "pretty a mite beyond the plain" and she obviously realised that. She was also an irritating busybody more concerned about organising other people's lives instead of her own.
I don't think many women would like to be described as "handsome" - the word as applied to a female conjures up a woman who is probably well past the first bloom of youth, rather stately in appearance, quite elegant in a wee bit of an intimidating way and who probably enjoys horse riding.
By far it is best to use the word "handsome" to apply to a male. It suits a man much better than it does a woman, no matter how handsome she may be! Play it safe and call her "attractive" - you've nothing to lose.
The use of the word "beautiful" when referring to a male is quite acceptable as far as I'm concerned. I know plenty of truly beautiful men, in a strictly masculine way, and I'm more than happy to use the word and don't regard it as misplaced at all in that connecion. The word "pretty" is much more appropriate when referring to a younger male, a youth, but in my book it can apply to a woman even if she is getting a tad long in the tooth and sort of suits the word still, but doesn't quite qualify as "beautiful". In any case, it's all skin deep anyway.
I don't think many women would like to be described as "handsome" - the word as applied to a female conjures up a woman who is probably well past the first bloom of youth, rather stately in appearance, quite elegant in a wee bit of an intimidating way and who probably enjoys horse riding.
By far it is best to use the word "handsome" to apply to a male. It suits a man much better than it does a woman, no matter how handsome she may be! Play it safe and call her "attractive" - you've nothing to lose.
The use of the word "beautiful" when referring to a male is quite acceptable as far as I'm concerned. I know plenty of truly beautiful men, in a strictly masculine way, and I'm more than happy to use the word and don't regard it as misplaced at all in that connecion. The word "pretty" is much more appropriate when referring to a younger male, a youth, but in my book it can apply to a woman even if she is getting a tad long in the tooth and sort of suits the word still, but doesn't quite qualify as "beautiful". In any case, it's all skin deep anyway.
you can say handsome girl and beautiful boy ;)
and you (or they) don't have to bi gay to do so ;)
Furthermore, female's best friend is her ''girlfriend'' ;)
in German they have the same word for FRIEND and BOYFRIEND, FEMALE FRIEND and GIRLFRIEND, English ''girlfriend'' could be a remnant of that '"Germanic'' usage.
and you (or they) don't have to bi gay to do so ;)
Furthermore, female's best friend is her ''girlfriend'' ;)
in German they have the same word for FRIEND and BOYFRIEND, FEMALE FRIEND and GIRLFRIEND, English ''girlfriend'' could be a remnant of that '"Germanic'' usage.
As far as modern usage is concerned if you call a random "man on the street" "pretty" or "beautiful" to his face there is a good chance you will offend him. Most likely he will think that you are calling him effeminate or gay or both. There are obviously plenty of men out there who are gay and would not mind but I think most people get the picture.
I am not a woman, but as an AE speaker I would NOT call a woman "handsome" for the exact same reasons I would not call men "pretty" or "beautiful". If you call a woman "handsome" she may think that you are indirectly referring to her as a lesbian. Perhaps some women don't mind but I know for a fact that many would, so it's best to just not do it.
There seems to be a lot of hair splitting in this thread and many non-native English speakers are probably using forum in one way or another as a resource on how to speak proper English, so I would advise the following to most non-native speakers:
Men: handsome, attractive, good-looking
Women: pretty, beautiful, attractive, good-looking
I am not a woman, but as an AE speaker I would NOT call a woman "handsome" for the exact same reasons I would not call men "pretty" or "beautiful". If you call a woman "handsome" she may think that you are indirectly referring to her as a lesbian. Perhaps some women don't mind but I know for a fact that many would, so it's best to just not do it.
There seems to be a lot of hair splitting in this thread and many non-native English speakers are probably using forum in one way or another as a resource on how to speak proper English, so I would advise the following to most non-native speakers:
Men: handsome, attractive, good-looking
Women: pretty, beautiful, attractive, good-looking
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