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indelicate
in a sentence

show 56 more with this conextual meaning
  • Spiders, I would say, are indelicate.†   (source)
  • "I don't wish to be indelicate, honored.†   (source)
  • We've spent yesterday afternoon and all day today trying to find out," began the woman, leaning forward, delicately fingering the indelicate glass as though it were an affront to her sensibilities.†   (source)
  • Not an imprudent, not an indelicate, not a disagreeable word of action.†   (source)
  • I held out a dishclout, and to my astonishment she took it and blew her nose as indelicately and unselfconsciously as an urchin.†   (source)
  • This will be an indelicate action, which I would not wish upon anyone.†   (source)
  • They might have arrived with food in a basket, and Alessandro and his father might have gone in the water, proud to be less sensitive to the cold than Signora and Luciana, who would pretend to be disgusted by the fact that the two men were so indelicate as to be able to float in the Tyrrhenian in November.†   (source)
  • This indelicate comment drew an immediate scowl from Lou, and just as quickly Oz looked out the window, ostensibly to admire the countryside.†   (source)
  • It may be indelicate of me to mention it, but I seem to have been equipped at birth with the equivalent of an echo chamber in my stomach regions.†   (source)
  • It seemed a little indelicate.†   (source)
  • It was indicated that they were indelicate, some even said obscene.†   (source)
  • But, although we've examined scabs and toe jam under the microscope, although we aren't worried by pickled ox eyes and gutted fish and whatever can be found under dead logs, putting this question to him would be indelicate, perhaps hurtful.†   (source)
  • Somehow, there was something indelicate about a girl child sleeping in her father's room, even though the girl was only two years old.†   (source)
  • There could be no eldest son for her, and younger sons were indelicate things, necessary, but not to be much spoken of.†   (source)
  • She is so near to me that it almost seems indelicate to speak of her.†   (source)
  • She was as scarlet as if he had put the thing most indelicately.†   (source)
  • "I don't mean that I am going to be indelicate; but I'm going to go back to where I began.†   (source)
  • How inconsiderate, how indelicate, how irrational, how unfeeling had been her conduct!†   (source)
  • However, to the unconsciously indelicate all things are delicate.†   (source)
  • With that remark I conclude my sketch of his character, feeling it indelicate to continue further.†   (source)
  • It's dishonourable; it's indelicate; it's indecent.†   (source)
  • Philip laughed savagely as he thought of her gentility and the refinement with which she ate her food; she could not bear a coarse word, so far as her limited vocabulary reached she had a passion for euphemisms, and she scented indecency everywhere; she never spoke of trousers but referred to them as nether garments; she thought it slightly indelicate to blow her nose and did it in a deprecating way.†   (source)
  • No, he is not tactful; yet, have you ever noticed that there are people who do things which are most indelicate, and yet at the same time--beautiful?†   (source)
  • The indelicate clacking of the men's heels and the shuffling of their soles reminded him that their grade of culture differed from his.†   (source)
  • Ethan was aware that, in regard to the important question of surgical intervention, the female opinion of the neighbourhood was divided, some glorying in the prestige conferred by operations while others shunned them as indelicate.†   (source)
  • Colia was indelicate enough to voice the delight he felt at his success in managing to annoy Lizabetha Prokofievna, with whom, in spite of their really amicable relations, he was constantly sparring.†   (source)
  • A shaft of momentary anger flew through Stephen's mind at these indelicate allusions in the hearing of a stranger.†   (source)
  • She put it to herself as indelicately as possible, in the hope that her brain would cry, "Rubbish, you're a self-conscious fool!"†   (source)
  • Mrs. Mingott said she had gone out; which, on a day of such glaring sunlight, and at the "shopping hour," seemed in itself an indelicate thing for a compromised woman to do.†   (source)
  • [Shows with both hands] And if I do drink some kvass, why is it that there is bound to be something of the most indelicate nature in it, such as a beetle?†   (source)
  • Is there anything meaner then to throw necessary work upon other people and then disparage it as unworthy and indelicate.†   (source)
  • …without appearing to have seen me, but with an intensity, a half-hidden smile which I was unable to interpret, according to the instruction I had received in the ways of good breeding, save as a mark of infinite disgust; and her hand, at the same time, sketched in the air an indelicate gesture, for which, when it was addressed in public to a person whom one did not know, the little dictionary of manners which I carried in my mind supplied only one meaning, namely, a deliberate insult.†   (source)
  • Giggles, gasps, grapplings—there was no disguising the indelicate nature of the sound, although in his kindheartedness the young man at first tried hard to give it a harmless interpretation.†   (source)
  • He scarcely resented what had seemed to him a silly indelicateness for he knew that the adventure in his mind stood in no danger from these words: and his face mirrored his rival's false smile.†   (source)
  • The plain-spoken marriage services of the vernacular Churches will no longer be abbreviated and half suppressed as indelicate.†   (source)
  • …although his cousin knew, that did not mean it was difficult for him to observe a decorous silence about his knowledge, for his inner relationship to it was loose and merely theoretical; and in terms of any practical considerations, it was all ordered and governed by a healthy sense of propriety, which no more permitted a discussion of such knowledge than it does of any of the many indelicate functions we are quite aware condition life, but do not prevent us from preserving bienseance.†   (source)
  • At such times as he spent with Odette, if their conversation turned upon an indelicate act committed, or an indelicate sentiment expressed by some third person, she would ruthlessly condemn the culprit by virtue of the same moral principles which Swann had always heard expressed by his own parents, and to which he himself had remained loyal; and then, she would arrange her flowers, would sip her tea, would shew an interest in his work.†   (source)
  • So much so that he was unable to understand the rather indelicate part commonly attributed to M. d'Orsan in his relations with a certain wealthy woman, and that whenever he thought of him he was obliged to set that evil reputation on one side, as irreconcilable with so many unmistakable proofs of his genuine sincerity and refinement.†   (source)
  • Dorothea wondered a little, but felt that it would be indelicate just then to ask for any information which Mr. Casaubon did not proffer, and she turned to the window to admire the view.†   (source)
  • I thought of so many possibilities that I put off considering it, but still thought it indelicate to show you that I knew your secret.†   (source)
  • But there were circumstances attending my—ha—slight knowledge of Mr Clennam (it was very slight), which,' here Mr Dorrit became extremely grave and impressive, 'would render it highly indelicate in Mr Clennam to—ha—to seek to renew communication with me or with any member of my family under existing circumstances.†   (source)
  • It's positive indelicate.'†   (source)
  • I said to my landlord, 'My good man, you are not aware that my excellent friend Jarndyce will have to pay for those things that you are sweeping off in that indelicate manner.†   (source)
  • He who, she had been persuaded, would avoid her as his greatest enemy, seemed, on this accidental meeting, most eager to preserve the acquaintance, and without any indelicate display of regard, or any peculiarity of manner, where their two selves only were concerned, was soliciting the good opinion of her friends, and bent on making her known to his sister.†   (source)
  • Silvery-headed age and sprightly youth, maids and matrons, had to undergo the same indelicate inspection.†   (source)
  • Ain't gwine to have 'em putt'n dey han's up 'fo' dey eyes en sayin' to David and Goliah en dem yuther prophets, 'Dat chile is dress' to indelicate fo' dis place.'†   (source)
  • …you first, because I had an influence over you and was afraid that you would force yourself, from gratitude, to respond to my love, would try to rouse in your heart a feeling which was perhaps absent, and I did not wish that …. because it would be tyranny …. it would be indelicate (in short, I launch off at that point into European, inexplicably lofty subtleties a la George Sand), but now, now you are mine, you are my creation, you are pure, you are good, you are my noble wife.†   (source)
  • When I overtook Sandy she was horrified, and said it was in the last degree indelicate to drag a countess by her train.†   (source)
  • It would have been less indelicate.†   (source)
  • Yet she did wish that Sir James could know what had passed between her and her husband about Will Ladislaw's moral claim on the property: it would then, she thought, be apparent to him as it was to her, that her husband's strange indelicate proviso had been chiefly urged by his bitter resistance to that idea of claim, and not merely by personal feelings more difficult to talk about.†   (source)
  • We had made it up to the balcony, followed by a hail of indelicate good wishes, when a voice louder than the others called Jamie's name.†   (source)
  • Munro also expressed his admiration with another deep salaam, followed by a very expressive if indelicate sequence of hand movements which I gathered were meant to be praising my physical appearance as well.†   (source)
  • From everything in the least indelicate her finebred nature instinctively recoiled.†   (source)
  • I have read with much distaste his indelicate verses against old women and witches; nor do I see any merit in telling his friend Maecenas that if he will but rank him in the choir of lyric poets, his lofty head shall touch the stars.†   (source)
  • We shall therefore transcribe no more of her speech, as it approached still nearer and nearer to a subject too indelicate to find any place in this history.†   (source)
  • He then proceeded to inform her plainly that Jones was in bed with a wench, and made use of an expression too indelicate to be here inserted; which so enraged Mrs Honour, that she called him jackanapes, and returned in a violent hurry to her mistress, whom she acquainted with the success of her errand, and with the account she had received; which, if possible, she exaggerated, being as angry with Jones as if he had pronounced all the words that came from the mouth of Partridge.†   (source)
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