Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

mutton dressed as lamb

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.95 in modern English

Syllables: mut-ton -dressed as lamb
IPA

27

Scrabble Score

19

Letters

3

Syllables

12

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A middle-aged or elderly woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if in a deliberate attempt to appear young.

British usage; Derogatory; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"Cully Barnaby: Dad, that old lady, the mutton dressed as lamb. Do you know her? DCI Tom Barnaby: That's a terrible thing to say... even though it's true. No, I don't."
"In one of the rare cinematic depictions of an older woman as sexually attractive and active, Moreau also contributes to the end of Syl′s innocence by seducing him in the summer house. No mutton dressed as lamb could have done better!"
"Elegant, slightly chic, but not mutton dressed as lamb. It was important to present a professional appearance to her former employer."
"South African women are also so scared of looking like mutton dressed as lamb that we have plenty of women looking like lamb dressed as mutton!"
"2009, Jah Wobble, Memoirs of a Geezer: Music, Mayhem, Life, Serpent's Tail (Profile Books), UK, page 65, I thought that the American side of punk was generally full of mutton-dressed-as-lamb degenerates, most of whom were smack heads, who could do with acquainting themselves with a bit of soap and some hot water."

Etymology

A metaphorical sense of mutton (“unattractive older woman”) being dressed (clothed) as lamb (“a younger attractive woman”) and also a pun on mutton (“meat from old sheep”) being dressed (prepared) as lamb (“meat from young sheep”), related to obsolete lamb-fashion.

Usage

Inflected Forms

mutton dressed up as lamb (alternative)

Questions

What does mutton dressed as lamb mean?: A middle-aged or elderly woman dressed in a style more suited to a young woman, especially if in a deliberate attempt to appear young.
Where does mutton dressed as lamb come from?: A metaphorical sense of mutton (“unattractive older woman”) being dressed (clothed) as lamb (“a younger attractive woman”) and also a pun on mutton (“meat from old sheep”) being dressed (prepared) as lamb (“meat from young sheep”), related to obsolete lamb-fashion.

How to pronounce mutton dressed as lamb

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