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Delicious to the palate; toothsome. Dainty bits Make rich the ribs. Shak.

to Apicius, a notorious Roman epicure; hence applied to whatever is peculiarly refined or dainty and expensive in cookery. H. Rogers.

Sugar confectionery; a sugarplum; hence, any dainty.

Shut fast; closed; tight; as, a close box. From a close bower this dainty music flowed. Dryden.

Secretly; privately. [Obs.] That nought she did but wayle, and often steepe Her dainty couch with tears which closely she did weepe. Spenser.

eated beings. Dryden. He was not of any delicate contexture; his limbs rather sturdy than dainty. Sir H. Wotton.

A delicacy; a dainty. [Obs.] R. North.

Something of exquisite taste; a dainty. [Obs.] -- a.

To render dainty, delicate, or fastidious. "Daintified emotion." Sat. rev.

In a dainty manner; nicely; scrupulously; fastidiously; deliciously; prettily.

The quality of being dainty; nicety; niceness; elegance; delicacy; deliciousness; fastidiousness; squeamishness. The daintiness and niceness of our captains Hakluyt. More notorious for the daintiness of the provision . . . than for the massiveness of the dish. Hakewill. The duke exeeded in the daintiness of his leg and…

pleasure; luxury; daintiness; indulgence; luxurious or voluptuous treatment. And to those dainty limbs which Nature lent For gentle usage and soft delicacy Milton.

Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.

Delicacies; delights. [Obs.] "Dainty delices." Spenser.

See Dainty. [Obs.] Chaucer.

g, or tending to create, division, separation, or difference. It [culture] is after all a dainty and divisive quality, and can not reach to the depths of humanity. J. C. Shairp. -- Di*vi"sive*ly, adv. -- Di*vi"sive*ness, n. Carlyle.

Sweet to the ear; melodious; harmonious. Their dainty lays and dulcet melody. Spenser.

A side dish; a dainty or relishing dish usually eaten after the joints or principal dish; also, a sweetmeat, served with a dinner.

One devoted to dainty or luxurious sensual enjoyments, esp. to the luxuries of the table.

pitcher or jug; esp., one used to hold water for the toilet. Basins and ewers to lave her dainty hands. Shak.