delicate

Definitions

1. 1.Pleasing to the senses; refinedly; hence, adapted to please a nice or cultivated taste; nice; fine; elegant; as, a delicate dish; delicate flavor.
2. 2.Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature." Shak.
3. 3.Fine or slender; minute; not coarse; -- said of a thread, or the like; as, delicate cotton.
4. 4.Slight or smooth; light and yielding; -- said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk.
5. 5.Soft and fair; -- said of the skin or a surface; as, a delicate cheek; a delicate complexion.
6. 6.Light, or softly tinted; -- said of a color; as; as, a delicate blue.
7. 7.Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; -- said of manners, conduct, or feelings; as, delicate behavior; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness.
8. 8.Tender; not able to endure hardship; feeble; frail; effeminate; -- said of constitution, health, etc.; as, a delicate child; delicate health. A delicate and tender prince. Shak.
9. 9.Requiring careful handling; not to be rudely or hastily dealt with; nice; critical; as, a delicate subject or question. There are some things too delicate and too sacred to be handled rudely without injury to truth. F. W. Robertson.
10. 10.Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.
11. 11.Nicely discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite; as, a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music.
12. 12.Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer.
13. 13.A choice dainty; a delicacy. [R.] With abstinence all delicates he sees. Dryden.
14. 14.A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person. All the vessels, then, which our delicates have, -- those I mean that would seem to be more fine in their houses than their neighbors, -- are only of the Corinth metal. Holland.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related questions

• What does "delicate" mean?
• What is another word for "delicate"?

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is delicate.

• What is pleasing to the senses; refinedly; hence, adapted to please a nice or cultivated taste; nice; fine; elegant; as, a delicate dish; delicate flavor called?
• What is slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature." Shak called?
• What is fine or slender; minute; not coarse; -- said of a thread, or the like; as, delicate cotton called?
• What is slight or smooth; light and yielding; -- said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk called?
• What is soft and fair; -- said of the skin or a surface; as, a delicate cheek; a delicate complexion called?
• What is light, or softly tinted; -- said of a color; as; as, a delicate blue called?
• What is refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; -- said of manners, conduct, or feelings; as, delicate behavior; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness called?
• What is tender; not able to endure hardship; feeble; frail; effeminate; -- said of constitution, health, etc.; as, a delicate child; delicate health. A delicate and tender prince. Shak called?
• What is of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious called?
• What is nicely discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite; as, a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music called?
• What is affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer called?
• What is a choice dainty; a delicacy. [R.] With abstinence all delicates he sees. Dryden called?