Lexic.us

Definition of How-do-you-do

1. Noun. An awkward situation. "That's a fine how-d'ye-do"

2. Noun. An expression of greeting. "Every morning they exchanged polite hellos"

Lexicographical Neighbors of How-do-you-do

how'd how'll how're how's how's everything how's it going how's it hanging how's life how's the weather how's things

how's tricks how't how've how-d'ye-do how-do-you-do (current term) how-to how-to-vote card how-to-vote cards how-tos how about

how are you how are you doing how are you getting along how can you sleep at night how come how did he die how do I get to how do I get to the airport

Literary usage of How-do-you-do

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Novels of Jane Austen by Jane Austen (1905)
"How do you do ? How do you do ? Very well, I thank you. ... How do you do, Mr. Richard ? I saw you the other day as you rode through the town. ..."

2. Representative British Dramas: Victorian and Modern by Montrose Jonas Moses (1918)
"How do you do. Major Thomas? PHILIP. Thomas is Mr. Eustace State's London manager. ... How do you do? [MRS. HUXTABLE takes an armchair irith the air of one ..."

3. Jane Austen's Works by Jane Austen, James Edward Austen-Leigh (1882)
"Dear Miss Woodhouse, how do you do 1 Very well I thank you, ... How do you do, Mr. Richard? I saw you the other day as you rode through the town. ..."

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