betty
betty · betties · bettied · bettying
To pick a lock, to open with a bettyTo pick a lock, to open with a betty.
/ˈbɛti/
Meaning
2 sensesTo pick a lock, to open with a betty.
(archaic)To be overly attentive to someone or something.
Origin
From Betty (nickname for “Elizabeth”). In thieves’ cant a tool for wrenching locked doorsFrom Betty (nickname for “Elizabeth”). In thieves’ cant a tool for wrenching locked doors is also called a Bess (from “Elizabeth”) or a Jenny. The “attractive woman” sense may relate to the character Betty Rubble in the cartoon The Flintstones.
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Forms
betties, bettying, bettied, bettiedLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle