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Dainty vs Fussy - What's the difference?

dainty | fussy | Synonyms |

As adjectives the difference between dainty and fussy

is that dainty is excellent; valuable, fine while fussy is anxious or particular about petty details.

As a noun dainty

is esteem, honour.

dainty

English

Noun

(dainties)
  • (obsolete) Esteem, honour.
  • A delicacy.
  • * 1719 , (Daniel Defoe), (Robinson Crusoe)
  • my case was deplorable enough, yet I had great cause for thankfulness that I was not driven to any extremities for food, but had rather plenty, even to dainties .
  • * (William Cowper)
  • [A table] furnished plenteously with bread, / And dainties , remnants of the last regale.
  • (Canada, Prairies and northwestern Ontario) A fancy cookie, pastry, or square served at a social event (usually plural).
  • (obsolete)
  • (Ben Jonson)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (obsolete) Excellent; valuable, fine.
  • *, II.13:
  • Heliogabalus the most dissolute man of the world, amidst his most riotous sensualities, intended, whensoever occasion should force him to it, to have a daintie death.
  • Elegant; delicately small and pretty.
  • * Milton
  • Those dainty limbs which nature lent / For gentle usage and soft delicacy.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=However, with the dainty volume my quondam friend sprang into fame. At the same time he cast off the chrysalis of a commonplace existence.}}
  • Fastidious and fussy, especially when eating.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • They were a fine and dainty people.
  • * Shakespeare
  • And let us not be dainty of leave taking, / But shift away.

    Synonyms

    * neat * petite

    References

    *

    fussy

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Anxious or particular about petty details.
  • *
  • *:It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy .
  • Having a tendency to fuss, cry, or be ill-tempered (especially of babies).
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    See also

    * pedantic * picky