| 1. |
(adjective) exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury; "a delicate violin passage"; "delicate china"; "a delicate flavor"; "the delicate wing of a butterfly" |
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Antonyms: rugged |
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| 2. |
(satellite adjective) easily broken or damaged or destroyed; "a kite too delicate to fly safely"; "fragile porcelain plates"; "fragile old bones"; "a frail craft" |
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Synonyms: fragile, frail |
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| 3. |
(satellite adjective) difficult to handle; requiring great tact; "delicate negotiations with the big powers"; "hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter" |
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Synonyms: ticklish |
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| 4. |
(satellite adjective) of an instrument or device; capable of registering minute differences or changes precisely; "almost undetectable with even the most delicate instruments" |
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| 5. |
(satellite adjective) marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique; "a surgeon's delicate touch" |
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| 6. |
(satellite adjective) easily hurt; "soft hands"; "a baby's delicate skin" |
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Synonyms: soft |
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| 7. |
(satellite adjective) developed with extreme delicacy and subtlety; "the satire touches with finespun ridicule every kind of human pretense" |
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Synonyms: finespun |
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