The other day I was looking in Roget’s Thesaurus for synonyms for “handsome”, in order to settle a discussion over whether there was a better word than “cute” to use in a particular piece of writing. That matter was never decisively concluded, because I was distracted by the word “spruce”.

I like this word very much.

I aspire to be spruce.

I would like for someone to look at me and say “That guy, he’s spruce. Totally spruce.”

According to the Oxford, it traces at least back to the 1500s and is perhaps connected people who wear jerkins made of spruce leather. It’s also the source of the phrase “spruced up”. But I think it merits wider use in its own right.

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