King James Bible Dictionary

DELICATE, adjective [Latin Connected with delight; to delight.]

1. Of a fine texture; fine; soft; smooth; clear, or fair; as a delicate skin.

2. Nice; pleasing to the taste; of an agreeable flavor; as delicate food; a delicate dish.

3. Nice in perception of what is agreeable; dainty; as a delicate taste; and figuratively, nice and discriminating in beauty and deformity.

4. Nice; accurate; fine; soft to the eye; as a delicate color.

5. Nice in forms; regulated by minute observance of propriety, or by condescension and attention to the wishes and feelings of others; as delicate behavior or manners; a delicate address.

6. Pleasing to the senses; as a delicate flavor.

7. Fine; slender; minute; as a delicate thread.

8. That cannot be handled without injury or danger; that must be touched with care; as a delicate point or topic; a delicate question.

9. Composed of fine threads, or nicely interwoven; as a delicate texture; hence, soft and smooth to the touch; as delicate silk.

10. Tender; effeminate; not able to endure hardship; very impressible to injury; as a delicate frame or constitution.

11. Feeble; not sound or robust; as delicate health.

DELICATE, noun Any thing nice; a nicety.

DELICATELY, adverb

1. In a delicate manner; with nice regard to propriety and the feelings of others.

2. Daintily; luxuriously.

They that live delicately are in kings courts. Luke 7:25.

3. With soft elegance; as an expression delicately turned.

4. Tenderly; with indulgence in ease, elegance and luxury. Proverbs 29:21.

DELICATENESS, noun The state of being delicate; tenderness; softness; effeminacy. Deuteronomy 28:56.