See Also: Delicacy(medicine)
delicacy(dictionary)
delicacy(dictionary)

delicacy (iou)



delicacy noun. LME.
[from DELICATE + -ACY.]
I. The quality of being delicate.
Addiction to pleasure or sensuous delights; voluptuousness, luxuriousness. LME-M18.
Luxury, indulgence. LME-E18.
b. Gratification, pleasure. LME-M17.
The quality of being delightful or delicious; beauty, daintiness, pleasantness. LME-M17.
Fastidiousness. LME-L18.
Exquisite fineness of texture, substance, finish, etc.; graceful slightness, tender beauty. L16.
J. R. Green She would play with her rings that her courtiers might note the delicacy of her hands.
Weakliness of constitution or health; susceptibility to disease or injury. M17.
Fineness of skill, expression, touch, etc. L17.
Sensitivity of perception, feeling, observation, etc.; (of an instrument) sensitiveness, precision. E18.
Ld Macaulay His principles would be relaxed, and the delicacy of his sense of right and wrong impaired.
Avoidance of what is immodest or offensive; careful regard for the feelings of others. E18.
Steele A false Delicacy is Affectation, not Politeness. S. Lewis They coughed politely..they blew their noses with a delicacy altogether optimistic and refined.
The quality or condition of requiring careful and skilful handling. L18.
Burke Our concerns in India were matters of delicacy. J. Galsworthy When June determined on anything, delicacy became a somewhat minor consideration.
II.
A thing which gives delight. Now esp. a choice or dainty item of food. LME.
P. Pearce A tea-table laden with delicacies for him alone.
A delicate trait, observance, or attention. E18.
Steele The..Delicacies that attend the Passion towards them [women] in elegant Minds.
A nicety, a refinement. L18.
E. A. Freeman The grammatical delicacies of the written language.