adj. (common).—1. Showy; RAFFISH (q.v.): applied to dress or manners. Also as adv. Cf. HOWLING.
1847. ALBERT SMITH, The Natural History of the Gent., vi. 42. They were all dressed nearly alike; hats with narrow brims, coats with large buttons, staring shawls, and trousers of the most prominent style—very LOUD patterns, as a friend appropriately called them.
1849. THACKERAY, Pendennis, xxx. Rakish young medical students, gallant, dashing, what is called LOUDLY dressed.
1851. CARLYLE, Life of Sterling, I. ch. 2. In a much LOUDER style than is freely patronised on this side of the Channel.
1853. REV. E. BRADLEY (‘Cuthbert Bede’), The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Freshman, II. p. 7. And as Mr. Fosbrooke was far too politic a gentleman to irritate the Examiners by appearing in a ‘LOUD’ or sporting costume, he had carried out the idea of clerical character … by a quiet, gentlemanly suit of black.
1864. B. HEMYNG, Eton School Days, xxiii. Butler Burke made his appearance in a Jersey, which was decidedly LOUD; and some of the lookers-on exclaimed, ‘By Jove! that’s a LOUD shirt playing in Wynne’s.’
1871. Figaro, 4 Jan. At the last moment Mrs. Tripp, terribly flustered, and also shiny, with a very LOUD shawl on, suggestive of an amalgamation of the brightest Scotch plaids, just popped in.
1885. Truth, 26 March, p. 502, col. 2. I saw a good frock of this kind with stripes of cardinal, navy blue, and amber. That sounds LOUD does it not?
1889. OUIDA, Moths, xv. Her own daughter … had LOUD costumes with wonderful waistcoats.
2. (colloquial).—Strong-smelling.
1887. Fisheries of U.S., vol. ii. 473. They prefer to have the meat tainted rather than fresh, declaring that it is most tender and toothsome when decidedly LOUD.
LOUD ONE, subs. phr. (old).—A big lie.
1767. RAY, Proverbs [BOHN (1893), 64], s.v.
