{
    "term": "delicate",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "easily damaged or broken",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "delicate china teacups"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The eye is one of the most delicate organs of the body."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the delicate ecological balance of the rainforest"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Babies have very delicate skin."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a cool wash cycle for delicate fabrics"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her bones felt as delicate as a bird's."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The glasses looked very delicate."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "not strong and easily becoming ill",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **delicate child/constitution**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "His health had always been delicate."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She has a delicate constitution and has to be careful with what she eats."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a rather delicate child"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Health problems"],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "small and having a beautiful shape or appearance",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "his delicate hands"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "made or formed in a very careful and detailed way",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the delicate mechanisms of a clock"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "showing or needing careful or sensitive treatment",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I admired your delicate handling of the situation."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a delicate problem"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The delicate surgical operation took five hours."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This is a somewhat delicate subject."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a politically delicate situation"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I wasn't sure how to approach the delicate matter of pay."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He warned that the talks were at a very delicate stage."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This has done nothing except to inflame an already delicate situation."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "light and pleasant; not strong",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **delicate fragrance/flavour**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a river scene painted in delicate watercolours"
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "subtle",
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "feel", "look"],
                "adverb": ["extremely", "fairly", "very"]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈdelɪkət/",
                "audio": "de/delicate/delicate__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈdelɪkət/",
                "audio": "de/delicate/delicate__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late Middle English (in the sense ‘delightful, charming’): from French délicat or Latin delicatus, of unknown origin. Senses also expressed in Middle English (now obsolete) include ‘voluptuous’, ‘self-indulgent’, ‘fastidious’, and ‘effeminate’."
}