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Sophisticate vs Delicate - What's the difference?

sophisticate | delicate |

As nouns the difference between sophisticate and delicate

is that sophisticate is a worldly-wise person while delicate is a delicate item of clothing, especially underwear or lingerie.

As adjectives the difference between sophisticate and delicate

is that sophisticate is adulterated; not pure; not genuine while delicate is easily damaged or requiring careful handling.

As a verb sophisticate

is to make less natural or innocent.

sophisticate

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A worldly-wise person
  • * '' , episode ''Sailor Mouth
    • Patrick: Because classy sophisticates like us should not stain our lips with cursing.
    SpongeBob: Yea verily!

    Verb

    (sophisticat)
  • To make less natural or innocent.
  • * 1956–1960 , (second edition, 1960), chapter ii: “Motives and Motivation”, page 38:
    • Psychologists have developed quasi-causal theories to explain'' the directedness of behaviour, to answer the question ‘Why are certain sorts of reasons operative?’ and these theories may well have insinuated themselves into ordinary language as part of the meaning of “motive”. It might well be, therefore, that people who are slightly sophisticated by psychological theories assume some such necessary connexion [''sc. between giving the motive for an action and making any assertions of a causal kind about a man’s emotional state].
  • To practice sophistry; change the meaning of, or be vague about in order to mislead or deceive.
    • To sophisticate the understanding. — Southey.
    Yet Butler professes to stick to plain facts, not to sophisticate , not to refine. — M. Arnold.
  • To alter and make impure, as with the intention to deceive.
    • To sophisticate wine. — Howell.
    They purchase but sophisticated ware. — Dryden.
  • To make more complex or refined.

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Adulterated; not pure; not genuine.
  • * Dryden
    • So truth, while only one supplied the state, / Grew scarce and dear, and yet sophisticate .

    delicate

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Easily damaged or requiring careful handling.
    • Those clothes are made from delicate lace.
    The negotiations were very delicate .
  • * F. W. Robertson
    • There are some things too delicate and too sacred to be handled rudely without injury to truth.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=April 23 , author=Angelique Chrisafis , title=François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election , work=the Guardian citation , page= , passage=The final vote between Hollande and Sarkozy now depends on a delicate balance of how France's total of rightwing and leftwing voters line up.}}
  • Characterized by a fine structure or thin lines.
    • Her face was delicate .
    The spider wove a delicate web.
    There was a delicate pattern of frost on the window.
  • Intended for use with fragile items.
    • Set the washing machine to the delicate cycle.
  • Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; said of manners, conduct, or feelings.
    • delicate''' behaviour; '''delicate''' attentions; '''delicate thoughtfulness
  • Of weak health; easily sick; unable to endure hardship.
    • a delicate''' child; '''delicate health
  • * Shakespeare
    • a delicate and tender prince
  • (informal) Unwell, especially because of having drunk too much alcohol.
    • Please don't speak so loudly: I'm feeling a bit delicate this morning.
  • (obsolete) Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring.
  • * 1360–1387 , (William Langland), (Piers Plowman) (C-text), passus IX, line 285:
    • Þenk þat diues for hus delicat lyf to þe deuel wente.
  • * circa'' 1660 , (John Evelyn) (author), , volume I of II (1901), entry for the 19th of August in 1641, page 29:
    • Haerlem is a very delicate town and hath one of the fairest churches of the Gothic design I had ever seen.
  • Pleasing to the senses; refined; adapted to please an elegant or cultivated taste.
    • a delicate''' dish; '''delicate flavour
  • Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful.
  • * circa'' 1603 , (William Shakespeare), ''(Othello) , act II, scene iii, lines 18 and 20–21:
    • :   She’s a most exquisite lady.…Indeed, she’s a most fresh and delicate creature.
  • Light, or softly tinted; said of a colour.
    • a delicate shade of blue
  • Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.
  • Highly discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite.
    • a delicate''' taste; a '''delicate ear for music
  • Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes.
    • a delicate thermometer

    Related terms

    * delicacy * delicately * delicatessen * delicious * delight

    Synonyms

    * (easily damaged) fragile

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A delicate item of clothing, especially underwear or lingerie.
    • Don't put that in with your jeans: it's a delicate !
  • (obsolete) A choice dainty; a delicacy.
    • With abstinence all delicates he sees. — Dryden.
  • (obsolete) A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.
    • All the vessels, then, which our delicates have, — those I mean that would seem to be more fine in their houses than their neighbours, — are only of the Corinth metal. — Holland.

    External links

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