good breeding

A person of good breeding always holds the door for others.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Polite and refined behavior resulting from a proper upbringing: "good breeding" refers to the quality of having been raised with manners, courtesy, and social graces. It implies that a person's conduct reflects a family or cultural tradition of politeness and respect.

Usage Examples

• (Her polite manners showed she was raised well.)
• (He demonstrated proper social etiquette.)
• (The quality comes from upbringing, not money.)

Advanced Usage

• "a person of good breeding": someone who consistently displays refined manners.

  • In the novel, the heroine is described as a person of good breeding, always composed and gracious. (She is characterized by her polite behavior.)

• "lack of good breeding": the absence of proper manners or social grace.

  • His loud comments at the funeral showed a shocking lack of good breeding. (His behavior was impolite and inappropriate.)

Variants and Related Words

• Breeding (n): the process of raising or educating someone; also used for animals.
  • A dog's breeding affects its temperament. (The lineage and training matter.)
• Well-bred (adj): having or showing good breeding; polite and refined.
  • The well-bred young man offered his seat to the elderly woman. (He was courteous due to his upbringing.)
• Ill-bred (adj): lacking good breeding; rude or uncouth.
  • His ill-bred behavior at the table embarrassed his parents. (He was impolite.)

Synonyms

• Upbringing: the way a person is raised, especially regarding manners.
• Etiquette: the set of conventional rules of polite social behavior.
• Refinement: the quality of being polished, cultured, or elegant.
• Civility: formal politeness and courtesy.

Related Idioms

• "to have good blood": to come from a family with a tradition of refinement or nobility (similar to good breeding).
  • She was considered to have good blood, and her manners reflected it. (Her family background implied good breeding.)
• "to be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth": to be born into a wealthy or socially privileged family, often associated with good breeding.
  • He never had to worry about money, and his good breeding was obvious. (His privilege and upbringing were linked.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Breed into (phr v): to cause a quality to become part of someone's nature through upbringing.
  • Politeness was bred into him from childhood. (Good breeding was instilled through training.)
• Breed out (phr v): to remove a quality through selective upbringing (rarely used for humans).
  • They tried to breed out aggression in the dogs. (They aimed to eliminate the trait.)