English Dictionary: squeamish | by the DICT Development Group |
2 results for squeamish | |
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
Squeamish \Squeam"ish\, a. [OE. squaimous, sweymous, probably from OE. sweem, swem, dizziness, a swimming in the head; cf. Icel. svemr a bustle, a stir, Norw. sveim a hovering about, a sickness that comes upon one, Icel. svimi a giddiness, AS. sw[c6]mi. The word has been perhaps confused witrh qualmish. Cf. {Swim} to be dizzy.] Having a stomach that is easily or nauseated; hence, nice to excess in taste; fastidious; easily disgusted; apt to be offended at trifling improprieties. Quoth he, that honor's very squeamish That takes a basting for a blemish. --Hudibras. His muse is rustic, and perhaps too plain The men of squeamish taste to entertain. --Southern. So ye grow squeamish, Gods, and sniff at heaven. --M. Arnold. Syn: Fastidious; dainty; overnice; scrupulous. See {Fastidious}. -- {Squeam"ish*ly}, adv. -- {Squeam"ish*ness}, n. |