DELICATE

Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring. [R.] Dives, for his delicate life, to the devil went. Piers Plowman. Haarlem is a very delicate town. Evelyn.

Pleasing to the senses; refinedly; hence, adapted to please a nice or cultivated taste; nice; fine; elegant; as, a delicate dish; delicate flavor.

Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature." Shak.

Fine or slender; minute; not coarse; -- said of a thread, or the like; as, delicate cotton.

Slight or smooth; light and yielding; -- said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk.

Soft and fair; -- said of the skin or a surface; as, a delicate cheek; a delicate complexion.

Light, or softly tinted; -- said of a color; as; as, a delicate blue.

Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; -- said of manners, conduct, or feelings; as, delicate behavior; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness.

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.

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.

Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.

Nicely discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite; as, a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music.

Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer.

A choice dainty; a delicacy. [R.] With abstinence all delicates he sees. Dryden.

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.