Posh……..a compliment or an insult?

Erm, a beautiful home, with tasteful, no doubt expensive, furniture, towels, crockery, and a tended, neat, expansive garden.

A sleek car, with a beautiful, leather interior.

A pedigree dog, as you would see at crafts- groomed immaculately, with silken fur.

My ideas of posh, I suppose.

MissAdventure

I wouldn't use it in a way that was disparaging.
If I say someone or thing is posh, that's what I mean.

But please tell me what do you mean?
What is something that is “posh”?

I wouldn't use it in a way that was disparaging.
If I say someone or thing is posh, that's what I mean.

I think my mother aspired to be posh.

Our family use it as an easy way of saying something looks flashy.

SueDonim

Posh is just another word, in my milieu. It isn’t freighted with any hidden meaning, that I’m aware of.

That's rather a posh answer SueDonim! 😊

It is a put-down word, to devalue anyone who has anything you like but cannot afford.

Hence 'Ooh, that is a posh dress', 'they have a posh car', Oh you live in a pasoh area'.

Not a word I use, except in parenthesese

It’s an insult ,someone who has forgotten their roots ,who believes they are superior .Of course Ilive in a part of the country where someone who behaves like this can be brought back to earth fast by telling them “ you’re doing fine BUT I Kent yir faither”
In other words I know where you come from so don’t act all superior with me ….lo.

I regard the word as a pretty tongue in cheek description, not to be taken too seriously.

Lots of words aren’t imaginative and I don’t think they need to be, otherwise it ends up as purple prose.

I think it's now used in a myriad of ways and depends on the context and who has said it.

As in "she lives on the posher side of town" (simple description, not perjorative as in more money around, bigger houses)

But also can be used as "putting on airs and graces" (pejorative)

A posh frock - smart, looks good, taken care to choose, no sneer.

It's just a not very imaginative word, to me.

Have always used the word 'posh' to indicate something that is classy and upmarket. Have never used it in a derogatory way.
The derogatory way to refer to someone who puts on airs and graces imho is to say 'she is all fur coat and no knickers.'

Indigo8

I agree it can be derogatory as in "Too posh to push".
Or complimentary as in "A posh car"

I am not sure if the use of the word "posh" is an education or class indicator as often it is used ironically.

It is not a word that I use and I am uneducated, working class.

What is a “posh” car?

Is it prestigious, beautiful, swanky, fancy, upmarket?

I feel it’s usually said with a sneer.

I agree it can be derogatory as in "Too posh to push".
Or complimentary as in "A posh car"

I am not sure if the use of the word "posh" is an education or class indicator as often it is used ironically.

It is not a word that I use and I am uneducated, working class.

I was taught never to use it as it designated you as common!

Posh is just another word, in my milieu. It isn’t freighted with any hidden meaning, that I’m aware of.

I think it depends on the context, it can be a compliment for example 'that's a posh dress you're wearing'.

I believe it was a status thing when people travelled on ships
If they were rich enough, they could travel Port out starboard Home… And that was apparently a good thing 🤓