| Squeamish | a. [ OE. squaimous, sweymous, probably from OE. sweem, swem, dizziness, a swimming in the head; cf. Icel. sveimr a bustle, a stir, Norw. sveim a hovering about, a sickness that comes upon one, Icel. svimi a giddiness, AS. swīma. The word has been perhaps confused with qualmish. Cf. Swim to be dizzy. ] Having a stomach that is easily turned or nauseated; hence, nice to excess in taste; fastidious; easily disgusted; apt to be offended at trifling improprieties. [ 1913 Webster ] Quoth he, that honor's very squeamish
That takes a basting for a blemish. Hudibras. [ 1913 Webster ] His muse is rustic, and perhaps too plain
The men of squeamish taste to entertain. Southern. [ 1913 Webster ] So ye grow squeamish, Gods, and sniff at heaven. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ] Syn. -- Fastidious; dainty; overnice; scrupulous. See Fastidious. [ 1913 Webster ] -- Squeam"ish*ly, adv. -- Squeam"ish*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ] |
