egg-shell

egg-shell

She carefully walks on egg-shells to avoid waking the baby.

Definition

  1. Noun:

    • Hard outer covering of an egg: "egg-shell" refers to the brittle, calcium carbonate exterior of a bird's egg, particularly that of a chicken.
    • A thin, fragile material: By extension, "egg-shell" can describe something that is very thin and easily broken, like porcelain or china.

  2. Adjective:

    • Of a pale yellowish-white color: "egg-shell" describes a color similar to that of a chicken's egg, a light off-white with a slight yellow or cream tint.
Usage Examples

  • Noun:

    • She carefully peeled the egg-shell from the boiled egg. (The hard outer covering of the egg.)
    • The antique vase was as thin as an egg-shell and required careful handling. (A fragile material.)

  • Adjective:

    • They painted the kitchen walls in a soft egg-shell color. (A pale, yellowish-white hue.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to walk on egg-shells": to behave very cautiously to avoid upsetting someone or causing a problem.

    • After their argument, he felt he had to walk on egg-shells around her. (He acted with extreme care to avoid conflict.)

  • "egg-shell china": a type of very thin, translucent porcelain.

    • The museum displayed a collection of delicate egg-shell china cups. (Thin, fragile porcelain.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Egg-shell (n) can also be written as eggshell (one word) in modern usage.
  • Egg-shell finish (n): a paint finish that is slightly glossy, between matte and semi-gloss.
    • The trim was painted with an egg-shell finish for a subtle sheen.
Synonyms
  • Noun: shell, casing, husk.
  • Adjective: off-white, cream, ivory, ecru.
Related Idioms

  • "to tread upon egg-shells": same as "to walk on egg-shells"; to proceed with extreme caution.

    • In the tense meeting, everyone was treading upon egg-shells. (Everyone was being very careful.)

  • "egg-shell skull rule": a legal principle that a defendant is liable for the full extent of a victim's injury, even if the victim had a pre-existing condition (like a fragile skull) that made the injury worse.

    • The court applied the egg-shell skull rule, holding the assailant responsible for all damages. (A legal doctrine of full liability.)