squeam"ish*ly

Advertisement

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Squeamish \Squeam"ish\ (skw[=e]m"[i^]sh), 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. sw[imac]ma. 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]

Advertisement