Middle English Dictionary Entry
delicāt adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | delicāt adj. Also deligat, diligate, dilicat. |
| Etymology | L dēlicātus |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Delightful; (b) luxurious, fine, splendid; (c) of food, drink, eating: rich, choice, epicurean; also in fig. context; (d) of cloth or clothes: fine, soft.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Is.58.13 : If thou schalt turne awei..to do thin owne wil in my hoely dai and clepist a delicat sabot [WB(2): clepist the sabat delicat; L delicatum]..thou shalt delyten vp on the Lord.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.682 : She preyde hym that..Hir litel sone he wolde in erthe graue, His tendre lymes, delicat [vrr. diligate, delectable] to sighte, Fro foweles and fro bestes for to saue.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)31.425 : So swete and so delicat his wordis were.
- a1500 Craft Dying (Rwl C.894)418 : Þat were most worþi & delicate loue of god.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.432 : Also the synne of aornement, or of apparaille, as in thynges that apertenen to ridynge as in to manye delicat [vr. diligate] horses.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1646 : I shal lede now so murye a lyf, So delicat, with outen wo and stryf, That I shal han myn heuene in erthe heere.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)9.279 : Þenk þat diues for hus delicat lyf to the deuel wente.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)24/15 : Sche schall ben..anoynted with delicat thinges of swete smell.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.828 : The seconde is whan a man gete hym to delicat mete or drynke.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)226b/a : Som tyme þerof is mete ymade for seruauntz..and is nought ful delicate mete.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)249b/a : Simula..is þe teere mele of whete most clene, delicate, and likynge.
- ?c1430(c1383) Wycl.Leaven Pharisees (Corp-C 296)13 : Þei wasten delicat metis and drynkis.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)1224 : Hast þow ete or dronke more Þen þy nede askede fore?..Oþer to swete or delycate?
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)144/7 : Mete is good to man, be it neuere so delycate.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)138.69 (v.2:p.386) : Simplician .. pasturid his sheep with the dilicat fode of doctrine .., goynge beforn hem and shewynge hem the rygh weye to heueneward by .. his holy lyuynge.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.1321 : He that in youthe to delicate meete intendeth Woll growe after to condicions wylfull.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)34/29 : Than shalt þou more be comfortid of deuoute praier þan of delicat etyng.
- ?a1500 Lament.Sinner (Thrn)49 : In deligat metys I had gret delytt.
d
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)71a/a : Be þer put aboue a pece of delicate [L delicata] cloþ or of softe sendale.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)93a/b : And forto drie it with delicate [*Ch.(2): softe] cloþes.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)139.27 (v.2:p.387) : Vndyr hyre softe and dilicat clothis owtwart, she vsyd a sharp hayre nexte hyre flesshe inward.
2.
(a) Fond of luxury, sensual, voluptuous; (b) fastidious, demanding; (c) sensitive, easily hurt; also, feeble.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3661 : Moore delicat [vr. delicaat], moore pompous of array, Moore proud, was neuere emperour than he.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.835 : Sparynge..restreyneth the delicat ese [vr. man] to sitte longe at his mete and softely.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.988 : And he was ek so delicat Of his clothing that everyday Of pourpre and bisse he made him gay.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.927 : Hir goost was euere in pleyn humylitee, No tendre mouth, noon herte delicat.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deut.28.54 : A man delicat of lijf and ful letcherouse schal haue enuye to his brother.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)9.1335 : Loo, heer the fyn of folkis vicious, Slowh, delicat, proud, and lecherous.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)117 : Delycate, or lycorowse: Delicatus.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Consulo (Hrl 2255)18 : And with a glotoun, be delicate of thy ffare.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)3.9.54b : Suche have be so delycate and looth to good werkes, þat now Gloteny hath caught hem be the gorge.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.666,684 : And riht so changeth his astat He that of love is delicat; For though he hadde..The beste wif of al the lond..Yit wolde his herte on othre falle..Of love more delicat, He set hire chiere at no delit Bot he have al his appetit.
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Arun 507)147 : Gelouse is þi spouse, delicate, nobill, & riche.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.4.108 : Every weleful man hath a ful delicaat feelynge [L delicatissimus sensus est], so that, but yif alle thynges byfalle at his owene wil..he is throwen adoun.
c
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.688 : Slouthe is so tendre and so delicat..that he wol nat suffre noon hardnesse ne penaunce.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)213b/b : For delicate men [L pro delicatis], tempre þe wyn wiþ rose water.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)291/9 : If he be a delicat man or a feble, drie hem with fumygaciouns.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Deut.28.56 : A tendre womman and a delicate, the which vpon the erthe myȝte not go..for softnes and moost tendrenes, shal enuye to hir man.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.7.73 : O, ye slowe and delicat men! whi flee ye adversites, and ne fyghte nat ayeins hem by vertu?
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)339/11 : Mye blode..ranne downe on alle sydes of mye delycate bodye.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)82/23 : Also ȝif tho that ben of grete power and so delicate þat þey may noȝt susteyne so gret laboure smyte hem violently, state of persones..is to be i-schewyd vnto the pope.