Betekenis van delicate In het Nederlands

• 0 needing careful treatment, especially because easily damaged:

  • Peaches have delicate skins which are easily bruised.

  • Delicate plants need to be kept in a greenhouse during the winter.

  • delicate china

  • Molly's health has always been delicate (= she gets sick easily).

  • Repairing damaged nerves is a very delicate operation/process.

• 1 a situation. matter, etc. that needs to be dealt with carefully in order to avoid trouble or offence:

  • I need to speak to you about a delicate matter.

  • The pay negotiations have reached a delicate point/stage.

  • Teachers need to strike a delicate (= carefully achieved) balance between instructing their students and letting them discover things for themselves.

• 2 able to measure very small changes:

  • Weather-forecasters have extremely delicate equipment which helps them predict what the weather is going to be like.

• 3 pleasantly soft or light:

  • a rose with a delicate scent

  • a delicate shade of pink

  • We chose a delicate floral pattern for our bedroom curtains.

• 4 having a thin, attractive shape:

  • She folded her delicate hands on the table.

• 5 needing careful treatment, esp. because easily damaged:

  • a delicate flower

  • delicate jewelry

  • The negotiations have reached a delicate stage.

  • It’s a delicate operation, and you want an experienced surgeon to do it.

• 6 pleasant but not easily noticed or strong:

  • a delicate flavor

  • We chose a delicate floral pattern for our bedroom curtains.