-daint-

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Daintified p. pr. & vb. n. Daintifying. ] [ Dainty + -fy. ] To render dainty, delicate, or fastidious. “Daintified emotion.” Sat. rev. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a dainty manner; nicely; scrupulously; fastidiously; deliciously; prettily. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being dainty; nicety; niceness; elegance; delicacy; deliciousness; fastidiousness; squeamishness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The daintiness and niceness of our captains Hakluyt. [ 1913 Webster ]

More notorious for the daintiness of the provision . . . than for the massiveness of the dish. Hakewill. [ 1913 Webster ]

The duke exeeded in the daintiness of his leg and foot, and the earl in the fine shape of his hands, Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From daint or dainty; cf. OF. daintier. ] Adelicacy. [ Obs. ] Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Daintier superl. Daintiest. ] 1. Rare; valuable; costly. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Full many a deynté horse had he in stable. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Hence the proverb “dainty maketh dearth, ” i. e., rarity makes a thing dear or precious. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Delicious to the palate; toothsome. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dainty bits
Make rich the ribs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Nice; delicate; elegant, in form, manner, or breeding; well-formed; neat; tender. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those dainty limbs which nature lent
For gentle usage and soft delicacy. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

I would be the girdle.
About her dainty, dainty waist. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Requiring dainties. Hence: Overnice; hard to please; fastidious; squeamish; scrupulous; ceremonious. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thew were a fine and dainty people. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

And let us not be dainty of leave-taking,
But shift away. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make dainty, to assume or affect delicacy or fastidiousness. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all
Will now deny to dance? She that makes dainty,
She, I'll swear, hath corns. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]