over-delicacy
Definition
Noun (uncountable): - Excessive sensitivity or refinement: "over-delicacy" refers to an extreme or exaggerated degree of delicacy, especially in matters of taste, feeling, or behavior. It implies a fineness or subtlety that is considered too much or unnecessary.
Usage Examples
- (His excessive sensitivity to social rules caused him to appear distant.)
- (Adding too much refinement or subtlety to the seasoning spoiled the dish.)
- (The poem's overly refined or subtle wording was seen as a flaw.)
Advanced Usage
"Over-delicacy of feeling": an extreme sensitivity to emotional nuances.
- Her over-delicacy of feeling made it difficult for her to handle criticism. (Her excessive emotional sensitivity prevented her from dealing with feedback.)
"Over-delicacy in art": an excessive attention to fine details or subtle effects.
- The painting's over-delicacy of brushwork obscured its overall composition. (Too much fine detail in the brushstrokes hid the larger structure.)
Variants and Related Words
Delicacy (n): the quality of being fine, subtle, or sensitive.
- The delicacy of the lace required careful handling. (The fineness of the lace needed careful treatment.)
Overdelicate (adj): excessively fine or sensitive.
- His overdelicate palate could not tolerate strong flavors. (His excessively sensitive taste rejected bold flavors.)
Synonyms
- Excessive refinement: too much polish or sophistication.
- Oversensitivity: extreme responsiveness to slight stimuli or criticism.
- Fastidiousness: extreme attention to detail, often to the point of being fussy.
Related Idioms
"To split hairs": to make overly fine distinctions.
- His over-delicacy led him to split hairs over minor grammatical errors. (His excessive sensitivity caused him to argue about tiny details.)
"To be too fine by half": to be excessively refined or subtle.
- The decor was too fine by half, making guests feel uncomfortable. (The excessive refinement of the decoration made guests uneasy.)