Crossword clues for nicety
nicety
- Fine point
- Mint on a hotel pillow, e.g.
- A subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
- Conformity with some esthetic standard of correctness or propriety
- Punctilio
- Precision or refinement
- Mint on a hotel pillow, e.g
- Subtle point of distinction
- Scottish one engaging detective showing rise in distinction
- Fine quality diamonds worn with shirt in New York
- Fine distinction
- Detail result of vocal exchange in Sunderland, say?
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Nicety \Ni"ce*ty\, n.; pl. Niceties. [OE. nicet['e] foolishness.]
-
The quality or state of being nice (in any of the senses of that word.).
The miller smiled of her nicety.
--Chaucer. Delicacy or exactness of perception; minuteness of observation or of discrimination; precision.
-
A delicate expression, act, mode of treatment, distinction, or the like; a minute distinction.
The fineness and niceties of words.
--Locke.To a nicety, with great exactness or accuracy.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
mid-14c., "folly, stupidity," from Old French niceté "foolishness, childishness, simplicity," from nice "silly" (see nice). Underwent sense evolution parallel to nice, arriving at "minute, subtle point" 1580s and "exactitude" in 1650s. Phrase to a nicety "exactly" is attested from 1795.
Wiktionary
n. 1 A small detail or distinction. 2 subtle or precision of use.
WordNet
n. conformity with some esthetic standard of correctness or propriety; "it was performed with justness and beauty" [syn: justness, rightness]
a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude; "without understanding the finer nuances you can't enjoy the humor"; "don't argue about shades of meaning" [syn: nuance, shade, subtlety, refinement]
Usage examples of "nicety".
He took a quick look around to orient himself, then turned immediately to face the central column where she was housed, a nicety that only Carl and Chria had observed.
Anyone not up on the niceties of their Code Duello winds up getting challenged before the week is out.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century theological niceties were not regarded, and the great gulph between a religion and a sect or party was imperfectly discerned.
The servants who were to travel to London with Honey, that is, the coachman, Jem Judkin, and the two grooms, Peter Dasset and Abraham Jellibee, were more concerned with the niceties of fashion than was their mistress.
Especially is this true in the milder forms of nervous disease, and when great exactness and nicety of application is not so important.
It sometimes means that tenderness and nicety of honour, that apprehension of blame, that dread of intrusion or injury towards others, that Pudor, which is the proper guardian of every kind of virtue, and a sure preservative against vice and corruption.
To be with Ethel was perpetual delight--she astonished this sisterless youngster with a thousand feminine niceties and refinements.
From all accounts, Rogelio Tosca allowed his wife to do most of the talking, especially the niceties and chitchat.
She would just have to hope that the Yss were less particular about the niceties of a proper wardrobe than Madame Ledoux.
Bragford had his secretary bring coffee for his guests while he shared niceties with Alice Bernley and Robert Milner about their recent projects.
Without any erotic niceties, she hitches up her skirts, yanks off her pantalettes, and flings her legs over her head, the sides of her knees almost touching her ears.
It needed blessing, reconsecrating, but she had no time for such niceties.
In the corner, half-hidden by the washing Mrs Spandrel had hung in front of the fireplace, stood one of the waywisers he and his father had pushed round the streets of London, calculating distances to an obsessive nicety.
Miss Priscilla and Miss Amelia had brought the house into the state of speckless nicety that would not shame the lustrous things that were so soon to be sheltered beneath its roof.
By the time spring came, Adams had decided what he must do, no matter the diplomatic niceties.