SUAVE, SAUVITY
ADJECTIVES
► FAIR-FACED superficially polite, suave, deceitful → 1866 Sc.
► FAIR-SPOKEN frank, friendly; suave → 1880 Sc.
► PLACENTIOUS pleasing, or disposed to please; complaisant, amiable, agreeable, suave → 1661 obs.
► SMOOTH stylish, suave, chic; said of dress, manners, etc. → 1920 colloq.
ADVERBS
► WANDLY gently; quietly, suavely → 1851 Eng. dial.
NOUNS
► APPLESAUCE flattery, suave talk → 1929 Amer. dial.
► OIL unctuous flattery; suavity → 1917 Amer. sl.
NOUNS, PERSON
► DARK GABLE a suave, handsome Black man; a ladies’ man → 1959 US sl.
► DON JUAN a handsome, suave, and romantic man → 1995 US sl. (Bk.)
► SMOOTHIE a suave person → 1929 sl., orig. US
► TUNA a person who believes himself suave and sophisticated, but in reality is just the opposite → 1971 US students’ sl. (Bk.)
PHRASES
► SWAVE AND BLAZE intentional and ironic mispronunciation of ‘suave and blase,’ used to denote sarcasm → 1960 Amer. sl.
VERBS
► STROKE to do something in a suave manner → 1967 US students’ sl. (Bk.)
Lexicophilia 