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debonair

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
deb·o·nair also deb·o·naire  (db-nâr)
adj.
1. Suave; urbane.
2. Affable; genial.
3. Carefree and gay; jaunty.

[Middle English debonaire, gracious, kindly, from Old French, from de bon aire, of good lineage or disposition : de, of (from Latin d; see de-) + bon, bonne, good (from Latin bonus; see deu-2 in Indo-European roots) + aire, nest, family; see aerie.]

debo·nairly adv.
debo·nairness n.

debonair, debonnaire [ˌdɛbəˈnɛə]
adj (esp of a man or his manner)
1. suave and refined
2. carefree; light-hearted
3. courteous and cheerful; affable
[from Old French debonaire, from de bon aire having a good disposition]
debonairly  adv
debonairness  n
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.debonair - having a sophisticated charm; "a debonair gentleman"
refined - (used of persons and their behavior) cultivated and genteel; "she was delicate and refined and unused to hardship"; "refined people with refined taste"
2.debonair - having a cheerful, lively, and self-confident air; "looking chipper, like a man...diverted by his own wit"- Frances G. Patton; "life that is gay, brisk, and debonair"- H.M.Reynolds; "walked with a jaunty step"; "a jaunty optimist"
cheerful - being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits; "her cheerful nature"; "a cheerful greeting"; "a cheerful room"; "as cheerful as anyone confined to a hospital bed could be"

debonair
adjective elegant, charming, dashing, smooth, refined, courteous, affable, suave, urbane, well-bred a handsome, debonair, death-defying racing-driver
Translations
debonair [ˌdebəˈnɛəʳ] ADJ (= elegant) → gallardo; (= courteous) → cortés; (= cheerful) → alegre
debonair [ˌdɛbəˈnɛər] adj (= suave) [man] → élégant et sûr de lui
debonair
adjflott
debonair [ˌdɛbəˈnɛəʳ] adj (young man) → gioviale e disinvolto/a
debonair [ˌdɛbəˈnɛəʳ] adj (young man) → gioviale e disinvolto/a


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The sweet Lenore hath "gone before," with Hope, that flew beside Leaving thee wild for the dear child that should have been thy bride - For her, the fair and debonair, that now so lowly lies, The life upon her yellow hair but not within her eyes - The life still there, upon her hair - the death upon her eyes.
I cannot be gay, brilliant, debonair in the presence of a cat.
He drew himself up, a smile of debonair gallantry lit up his face and as soon as the last figure of the ecossaise was ended, he clapped his hands to the musicians and shouted up to their gallery, addressing the first violin:
 
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