dishy meaning (slang): definition, etymology and quotations

dishy

adj

/ˈdɪʃ.i/

Etymology From dish (“attractive person”) + -y (forming adjectives).

UK, Slang Attractive; good-looking; sexy.

Let me set the scene. You spy a dishy stranger across a bar. The attraction is instant. The urges are strong. What do you do?2025 September 24, “Your cubicle or mine? Why gen Zs are having sex in public places”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

noun

Etymology From dish (“vessel for food”) + -y (forming familiar nouns).

Australia, Informal A dishwasher (someone who washes dishes).

In hostels, everyone is expected to wash and dry his or her own dishes. If you make it known that you are willing to take over this chore in exchange for a small contribution, you may find lots of willing takers. Never underestimate the laziness of travellers. One night Roger Blake made $8 in ‘tips’ by doing this. He then asked the hostel owners whether he could set up as a ‘dishy’ for tips only.2005, Susan Griffith, “In Extremis”, in Work Your Way around the World, 12th edition, Oxford, Oxon: Vacation Work, →ISBN, page 564:
I found a job washing dishes at Fish on Parkyn, one of the Sunshine Coast’s leading restaurants. […] When I got the job as a dishy at Fish on Parkyn I don’t think anyone there expected I would last long.2010, Jessica Watson, “The Starting Point”, in True Spirit: The Aussie Girl Who Took on the World, Sydney, N.S.W.: Hachette Australia, →ISBN, pages 27 and 31:

4 more examples

My years as a ‘dishy’ in a commercial kitchen showed me the importance of balancing an element of play while simultaneously managing time and tasks wisely.2014, David Adrian Pierotti, “Importance: Create Your Dream Based On What’s Significant”, in Making a Living vs Making a Dying: How to Do What You Love and Love What You Do, Bloomington, Ind.: Balboa Press, →ISBN, page 34:
He began as a dishy at a Whitianga restaurant, he worked at Omara's at nearby Matarangi, he did his formal training at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, and travelled and cooked in Australia and the Pacific.2015 October 15, Denise Irvine, “Luke's Kitchen, at Kuaotunu, on the Coromandel”, in Stuff, archived from the original on 12 Mar 2022:
Jessica [Watson] volunteered and flew to Vanuatu to join the boat, paying for the airfare with funds saved from her job as a dishy.2017, Adrian Flanagan, “Jessica Watson”, in The Cape Horners’ Club: Tales of Triumph & Disaster at the World’s Most Feared Cape, London: Adlard Coles Nautical, →ISBN, page 274:
Leah Blefari has seen it first hand, from working as a dishy and bakery attendant, to crewing for big hospitality companies Red Rock Leisure and Peter Rowland Catering.2018 April 9, Portia Conyers-East, “Tonic & Grace Arrives on Glenferrie Road”, in Broadsheet, archived from the original on 21 Jan 2024:

adj

Etymology From dish (“to gossip”) + -y (forming adjectives).

Slang Tending to relay information and gossip.

"[…] that transformed her into a shimmering golden redhead." That color became Lucy's trademark hair color for the rest of her career. Guilaroff wrote a dishy memoir in 1996, Crowning Glory […]2004, Michael Karol, Lucy A to Z: The Lucille Ball Encyclopedia, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 180:
A reference book that also takes a playful glimpse into the personal lives of some fascinating artists and personalities Kramer peppers this superior tome with the kind of dishy details that will keep readers turning the page.2006, Gary M. Kramer, Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews, Psychology Press, →ISBN:

2 more examples

Without some dishy details, Vern might not pass my name up the ladder. I jumped up, restless.2013, Elsa Watson, The Love Dog, Tor Books, →ISBN, page 153:
With its sympathetic narrator, suspenseful plot pivots, snappy pace, and dishy details about Hollywood's inner workings, Liftin's compelling, highly readable novel is likely to engage even readers who remain blissfully unaware of the tabloid ...2016, Hilary Liftin, Movie Star by Lizzie Pepper, Penguin, →ISBN:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.